More than 70 British MPs have signed a letter urging the UK government to temporarily waive biometric requirements for Gaza students seeking UK visas, Sky News reported on Wednesday.
The 80 Palestinian students, all of whom have secured spots at UK universities for the September term, are unable to complete mandatory biometric checks — including fingerprints and facial scans — due to the ongoing war in Gaza and the closure of the enclave’s only biometric center since October 2023.
MPs Appeal for Urgent Action
The appeal, led by Labour MPs Abtisam Mohamed and Barry Gardiner, calls on Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to delay biometric data collection and open a humanitarian corridor to allow the students safe passage to the UK.
The MPs’ letter emphasizes that, “Even before the war, leaving Gaza to pursue higher education was a complex process. The ongoing siege and restrictions made travel extremely difficult, but in the current state of constant bombardment, shootings at aid sites, and an IPC-declared famine, this process has become all but impossible.”
It warns that without urgent government intervention, these students could become victims of the violence. “Unless the government makes rapid progress with offering visas and coordinating evacuations over the next week, students who should be starting university next month in the UK will be among those who are being shot dead at aid sites, bombed in displacement camps or starving as famine spreads deeper in Gaza,” the MPs wrote.
Biometric Hurdles Prevent Visa Processing
Under current UK student visa rules, biometric data is essential for security screening and identity verification. However, the closure of the UK’s biometric center in Gaza has left students with no means to meet this requirement.
Gardiner pointed out that the government has previously granted biometric exemptions for Ukrainian refugees and Afghan families and questioned why the same flexibility isn’t being offered to Palestinian students.
“The government has evacuated injured children from Gaza for treatment in the UK. Why can’t they help students who’ve been offered university placements?” he asked.
Gaza Students Represent Palestine’s Future, Say MPs
Speaking to Sky News, Gardiner emphasized the symbolic and practical importance of allowing these students to pursue their education abroad.
“These young people are the future of Palestine,” he said. “From classical musicians to town planners, they represent the breadth of talent needed to rebuild their nation. They’ve shown extraordinary resilience and we should facilitate that.”
The letter also noted that other European countries have already established safe evacuation routes for Palestinian students heading to their universities.
