Ireland Commences International Protection Act 2026, Introducing Faster Asylum Procedures and Revised Family Reunification Rules

What changed

The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) is temporarily expanding its accommodation capacity for asylum seekers in Switzerland, effective from mid-November 2026. This change involves the reactivation of the civil defence facility in Niederscherli (BE) and allows for increased density within existing federal asylum centres, in response to a seasonal, slight increase in asylum applications. The measure aims to ensure adequate housing while the overall number of applications remains below previous year figures. The facility in Niederscherli will be decommissioned once application numbers decline.

What changed

The Swedish Migration Agency has extended its recommendation to pause the assessment of protection grounds for individuals seeking asylum from Iran and Lebanon. This measure, initially introduced in January and March, will now remain in effect until at least 12 February 2027. The continued pause is due to the volatile and complex situation in both nations, which prevents a reliable forward-looking assessment of protection needs. Consequently, rejection decisions for international protection applications from these countries will not be made during this period.

What changed

On 12 October 2026, the UK Home Office announced that the government had put forward two changes to the Immigration and Asylum Bill. These changes aim to make the assessment of family-life claims under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) stricter and to address asylum and other immigration claims made very shortly before someone is due to be removed from the UK. These proposals are part of a wider set of laws intended to strengthen immigration control, reduce chances for procedural delays, and change how human rights arguments are considered in immigration cases.

What changed

The Director-General of the South African Department of Home Affairs has withdrawn a directive, which is a set of instructions, that was issued on 28 September 2026. These instructions laid out the steps for processing applications from people seeking asylum. This decision, announced on 09 October 2026, cancels the immediate operational guidelines that Refugee Reception Offices were following to put into practice a Constitutional Court judgment from 7 July. The withdrawal means that the specific procedures set out in those instructions are no longer in effect. The Department will now create a new, long-term approach to manage asylum applications, making sure it still follows the Court's order.