The asylum system in the UK needs to be known.

Written by Yusuf Sheikh:

The UK asylum system is designed to protect individuals who are fleeing well-founded fear of persecution or serious harm on return to their country of origin. To qualify for an asylum application, the applicant must be unable to live safely in any part of his or her home country due to a well-founded fear of persecution or harm based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group or anything else that puts claimant at risk because of the social, cultural, religious or political situation in their country, for example, your gender, gender identity or sexual orientation.

For a successful claim, the claimant must apply upon arrival at the UK border, such as an airport, or as soon as possible after arrival in the UK, if they think it would be unsafe for them to return to their own country. The application is more likely to be refused if the applicant makes an application without reasonable delay.    

To make an asylum application, call the asylum registration appointment line to book a screening appointment. The asylum application will not be registered until the applicant attends the screening appointment and the application has been accepted. After the screening, the Home Office will decide if your claim can be considered in the UK. If it can, you’ll have an asylum interview invitation with a caseworker. At the request of the Home Office,  the asylum applicant submits the evidence in support of the claim. Subsequently, a decision will be given on the application.

After the screening interview, the applicant will be told what he or she can do while waiting for the decision on the claim. For example, report to a caseworker regularly, or it may be electronically. The applicant must inform the authorities if their situation changes. An applicant may be allowed to work while their asylum claim is being considered. It will depend on their immigration status.

The applicant can bring a legal representative and an interpreter to the screening appointment if they need them. Moreover, the applicant may request an interpreter from the Home Office. The applicant must also bring any dependents who are claiming asylum with them. The applicant must also bring the documents needed for the application on the day of the appointment. The applicant will not get financial help for travel to or from the asylum registration location.

Documents must provide:

The applicant needs documents and their dependents (partner and children under 18) for their asylum screening.  The documents the applicant and dependent should bring (if they have) include passports, travel documents, identification documents, or anything they think will help the application.

Help for asylum claimant:

The asylum claimant may get help, for example, a solicitor or lawyer to represent the claim, housing support, and financial support. Moreover, the claimant may get help with returning home.

Partner and children:

The asylum applicant can include partner and children under 18 as ‘dependants’ on the asylum application if they’re within the UK.

Asylum claim might not be considered:

The asylum claim might not be considered if the applicant is from an EU country and travelled to the UK through a ‘safe third country & have a connection to a safe third country where they could claim asylum.