This article analyzes the policy of the United Kingdom in the resettlement of mandate refugees from their country of refuge. In particular, it explains the roles of the institutions involved in the application process, namely UNHCR, the British Embassy in the country of refuge, the British Red Cross and the United Kingdom Border Agency. The article also covers the requirements that mandate refugees must meet to resettle to the United Kingdom. By considering the practical consequences of this policy for mandate refugees, the article criticizes the lack of basic procedural safeguards, such as the right to obtain an expedited decision, the right of appeal and the right to receive detailed reasons for refusals. In view of UNHCR's limited financial resources and staffing, the author takes an unfavorable view of the program's unnecessary reliance on this institution, which negatively impacts on the system's fairness. It is argued that in order to establish a program that aims to provide effective protection to refugees, the United Kingdom should review the current program and commit sufficient resources to its implementation. It is suggested that the main responsibility for accepting and considering the resettlement applications should be given to the British Embassy, that these applications should be given priority over other entry clearance applications, and that UNHCR should have a decision making role only in limited cases and with less discretion than under the current system. This article is one of the few, if not only, legal discussions on the United Kingdom's resettlement program.
