(MENAFN) Britain's Home Office announced a dramatic restructuring of the nation's asylum protocols Monday, with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood declaring the existing system to be in "crisis."

The newly released policy framework mandates that asylum recipients must wait two decades before qualifying for permanent residency status in the United Kingdom (UK). Accelerated pathways may be available for individuals entering through "safe and legal routes" who can prove substantial contributions to British society.

The Home Office also intends to implement visa sanctions against nations refusing to cooperate with UK efforts to repatriate unsuccessful asylum applicants. During her address to the House of Commons, Mahmood specifically named Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, calling on them to "comply with international rules and norms."

The agency indicated it will pursue internal modifications to how Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights is applied, seeking to eliminate what it characterized as "loopholes" enabling "failed asylum seekers to make unlimited and free Article 8 claims to slow down their impending removal."

Benefit distribution for refugees will prioritize those making economic contributions, with recipients granted 30 months' leave to remain—subject to renewal only if protection needs persist, the department stated.

Home Office statistics reveal that between June 2024 and June 2025, authorities rejected 58,000 asylum applications, yet removed fewer than 11,000 individuals from the country.

MENAFN18112025000045017169ID1110358403