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Building a successful asylum claim requires more than hope, it demands a strategic approach. Our solicitors have the expertise to meticulously prepare your case, giving you the best possible chance for a new, secure life.
For expert assistance with claim asylum in the UK, call us now at 020 3384 4389
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Confused About the Asylum Process UK? Let Us Guide You
The UN Refugee Convention, which was signed in 1951, gave people the right to ask for refuge in another country. International law says that all 146 countries that signed this agreement must follow its rules. People in the UK can legally claim for asylum if they are afraid to go back to their home country because they will be persecuted there.
It means someone who has left their home country because they are being persecuted and is now looking for safety in another country. They can’t go back to their home country because there is a real risk to their safety there.
People who are looking for asylum can ask for humanitarian safety in another country. Moreover, people who have been given this protection or refugee status have certain rights in addition to rights that are accepted around the world.
Key Insights on UK Asylum
Duration of UK Asylum
If your asylum claim is approved in the UK, you will usually be granted refugee status for five years. During this time, you can live, work, and study in the UK. After five years, you may apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) to settle permanently.
Eligibility Criteria
To claim asylum in the UK, you must have a well-founded fear of persecution in your home country. This can be based on your race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. You must also show that you cannot get protection from your own country's authorities.
Documents Required
To apply for asylum, you need to provide identification and travel documents, if available. For your substantive interview, any evidence supporting your claim of persecution, such as political membership cards or media reports, is crucial. If you're already in the UK, you'll also need proof of your address.
Processing Time
The UK's asylum process is known for its lengthy delays. While the Home Office previously aimed for a six-month turnaround, a significant backlog means that many applicants wait for a decision for months or even years, causing considerable uncertainty and distress.
Asylum seekers UK and their dependants are exempt from paying the Immigration Health Surcharge. This exemption allows them to access NHS services free of charge while their asylum claim is being considered. This is a significant point of difference from most other visa applicants.
UK asylum seekers do not pay a fee to apply for asylum in the UK. The government provides support for those who are destitute, which may include housing and a small weekly allowance for living costs. However, legal fees, if not covered by legal aid, can be a significant additional cost.
If granted, UK asylum provides a five-year ‘limited leave to remain,’ with access to the NHS, benefits, and the right to work. After this, refugees can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain, leading to permanent settlement and the ability to apply for British citizenship.
UK asylum applications are typically made either at a port of entry upon arrival or by contacting the Asylum Intake Unit. The process involves an initial ‘screening’ interview to register your claim, followed by a more detailed ‘substantive interview’ where you explain your reasons for seeking protection.
Benefits
Securing a positive outcome for an asylum claim is a complex and often life-changing process. Engaging expert UK international lawyers provides a number of critical advantages that can significantly strengthen your case.
97.37%
Success Rate
37,573
Applications Approved
93.7%
Immigration Appeal Win Rate
4.9/5
Average Rating
From Consultation to Visa Approval
Our immigration specialists streamline your application process by clearly identifying which evidence and strategies will strengthen your case.
By aligning your unique circumstances with Home Office requirements, we help you focus on high-impact preparations while addressing any potential weaknesses in your application.
Maximising Your Approval Chances
Our goal is to maximise the chances of your visa being approved the first time. By carefully reviewing your circumstances, identifying potential weaknesses, and preparing strong supporting evidence, we significantly reduce the risk of refusals. Every application is checked by senior immigration solicitors who apply their expertise to make your case as clear, accurate, and persuasive as possible. This attention to detail is what improves success rates and helps our clients move forward with confidence.
Success Rate Optimisation
We carefully analyse every detail of your application to maximise the chances of approval. By addressing weaknesses, strengthening supporting evidence, and ensuring full compliance with Home Office rules, we optimise your case for success. This thorough approach significantly improves approval rates and gives you confidence throughout the process.
Risk Mitigation Strategies
We identify potential risks in your application early and put safeguards in place to address them. By preparing strong evidence, clarifying complex points, and anticipating Home Office concerns, we minimise the chance of delays or refusals.
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Evidence-based case preparation
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Home Office compliance checks
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Success rate optimisation
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Risk mitigation strategies
From Consultation to Visa Approval
Our immigration specialists streamline your application process by clearly identifying which evidence and strategies will strengthen your case.
By aligning your unique circumstances with Home Office requirements, we help you focus on high-impact preparations while addressing any potential weaknesses in your application.
Maximising Your Approval Chances
Our goal is to maximise the chances of your visa being approved the first time. By carefully reviewing your circumstances, identifying potential weaknesses, and preparing strong supporting evidence, we significantly reduce the risk of refusals. Every application is checked by senior immigration solicitors who apply their expertise to make your case as clear, accurate, and persuasive as possible. This attention to detail is what improves success rates and helps our clients move forward with confidence.
Success Rate Optimisation
We carefully analyse every detail of your application to maximise the chances of approval. By addressing weaknesses, strengthening supporting evidence, and ensuring full compliance with Home Office rules, we optimise your case for success. This thorough approach significantly improves approval rates and gives you confidence throughout the process.
Risk Mitigation Strategies
We identify potential risks in your application early and put safeguards in place to address them. By preparing strong evidence, clarifying complex points, and anticipating Home Office concerns, we minimise the chance of delays or refusals.
Work With Trusted, SRA-Regulated UK Immigration Experts
Your immigration journey is too important to risk on unqualified or unregulated help. Every case we handle is prepared by SRA-regulated solicitors who apply structured legal reasoning, precise documentation checks and full compliance with Home Office and UKVI rules.
Our accreditations are your assurance that you are working with a reputable, experienced and highly trained legal team. We combine decades of immigration expertise with strict professional standards to give you clarity, confidence and complete peace of mind — no matter which visa or application route you are pursuing.
What is Claiming Asylum UK?
In 1951, the United Nations Refugee Convention established the right to seek asylum in another country. 146 countries signed this agreement and are required to follow its rules under international law. In the UK, a person has the right to seek asylum if they are unable to return to their native country due to fear of persecution.
Suspension of 2023 Asylum Differentiation Policy
The Nationality and Borders Act 2022 created two categories of refugees: Group 1, granted five years’ leave to remain with eligibility for settlement, and Group 2, given 30 months’ temporary leave on a 10-year route to settlement. This system was designed to deter irregular migration.
The subsequent Illegal Migration Bill further restricted asylum rights, declaring claims inadmissible for those arriving illegally via safe countries and requiring their removal. From July 2023, the two-tier system was paused, meaning all successful asylum applicants now receive the same conditions.
A streamlined asylum process was also introduced for nationalities with high grant rates, including Afghanistan, Eritrea, Libya, Syria, Yemen, and Sudan. In these cases, positive decisions may be issued without a second interview, though no claim will be refused without one.
Sudanese legacy cases continue under existing rules, with a government pledge to clear the backlog by the end of 2023.
Clarity in the Withdrawal of an Asylum Claim
Paragraph 333C has been modified to clarify asylum claim withdrawals and speed up the process for non-compliant applicants. It states that withdrawn applications won’t be considered, permits explicit withdrawals, and requires claimants to update the Home Office’s contact information.
They may lose asylum if they don’t comply. These improvements focus UK asylum decision-making on legitimate seekers. July and August 2023 saw Immigration Rules changes:
- The amendments to Asylum, including the halt of the distinction policy, went into effect in July 2023.
- All remaining changes took effect on 7 August 2023.
What does it mean to Seek Asylum in the UK?
A person is considered an “asylum seeker” if they left their own country in search of safety from persecution. There is a real risk to their lives that prevents them from returning to their own country.
Asylum seekers have the right to seek humanitarian protection in another nation. If a person has been granted this protection or refugee status, they are entitled to both specific rights and globally accepted rights.
A refugee can remain in the UK with their status for a maximum of five years. Afterwards, they will be offered the chance to prolong their leave.
Do you know?
In the year ending March 2025, 109,343 people (including main applicants and dependants) lodged asylum claims in the UK, a 17% increase from the previous year and the highest figure on record since 1979.
Who is Eligible to Apply for UK Asylum?
Wondering how to claim asylum in UK? You’ll need to meet certain requirements to apply. The most important thing is that you can’t live anywhere in your home country without fear of being persecuted.
The UK government has pointed out the groups that are being persecuted:
- Race
- Religion
- Country of origin
- Political views
- A person’s gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other trait that puts them at risk of being persecuted because of the country’s social, political, or religious culture.
Applicants must demonstrate that they sought protection from the authorities in their country of origin and that such protection was refused. Furthermore, the persecution must either be directly inflicted by state authorities or by individuals or groups acting with the explicit or implicit approval of the state.
There are specific circumstances in which the Home Office UK may refuse an asylum application. If you arrived in the UK after travelling through another country, particularly an EU Member State, your claim may be deemed inadmissible. Similarly, if you have ties to a recognised safe third country where you could reasonably be expected to claim asylum, your application may also be rejected.
For the purposes of UK asylum law, a safe third country is defined as one in which you are not a national, where you would not face persecution or serious harm, and where you would not be at risk of removal to another territory in which such harm could occur.
Documents Required for Asylum in UK
To apply for asylum UK, you’ll need to gather certain documents. Various documents are needed at each stage of the process.
For your initial screening interview, you should aim to provide the following:
- Passport or travel document
- Police registrationcertificate
- Proof of identity (such as ID cards, birth or marriage certificates, divorce papers, or official school records)
- Any other documents that could support your claim
If you are already living in the UK when making your asylum application, you will also need to show proof of address. Acceptable evidence may include:
- A letter from your bank
- Housing benefit paperwork
- A council tax notice
- Tenancy or lease agreement
- A utility or household bill
- Confirmation that you are staying with someone else
For the substantive asylum interview, the documentation required can vary.
Your case will usually be stronger if you can present evidence of the persecution you faced in your home country. Although obtaining such documents can be very difficult, it is advisable to submit as much supporting material as you can.
Examples of useful evidence include:
- An arrest warrant
- Membership card from a political organisation
- A newspaper or media article reporting your persecution
- Any additional documents that support your account
It is crucial that all evidence provided is genuine and not falsified. Your immigration solicitor will advise you on the most relevant documents for your claim and guide you through the process of submitting them.
Pro Tip:
Even if your passport or ID is damaged or incomplete, bring it to your screening interview. The Home Office may accept copies or photographs if originals aren’t available. Always carry any documents that can support your identity and claim.
What to Expect at Your Asylum Screening?
The first step in claiming asylum in the UK is to inform border officials that you want to submit an asylum claim. The procedure will vary depending on whether you are making the appointment at the asylum intake facility or at the UK border.
The screening interview will ask for biometric data (photos and fingerprints), as well as general information about yourself, your immigration status, and any medical concerns you may have. Make sure that your responses to all questions are accurate. You should also request a copy of the interviewer’s notes at this time.
At your asylum screening interview, you will be asked basic questions such as your name, date of birth, nationality, ethnic background, religion, language, occupation, and family details. You may also need to provide documents such as a passport or birth certificate.
Officials will ask why you are seeking asylum in the UK and the persecution you face, but this is not an in-depth interview. It usually lasts 1–2 hours and helps decide if you will be given a substantive interview.
Since 1 January 2021, the Home Office can treat your claim as inadmissible if you passed through another safe country where you could have sought asylum.
After the screening, your case will be placed into one of three categories:
- Non-detained casework
- Detained non-suspensive appeal (no right of appeal and immediate detention)
- Unaccompanied minor (likely to be scheduled for a substantive interview, with age assessment if needed)
Asylum FAQs
Yes. People claiming asylum in the UK face significant challenges in presenting the necessary evidence to be granted protection due to the system’s rigorous control and complexity.
Five years. With refugee or humanitarian protection status, you can remain in the UK for at least five years.
Individuals granted Refugee Status or Humanitarian Protection may be eligible to reunite with their partner, spouse, and children in the UK, provided these family members were part of their household at the time they left their home country.
If your asylum visa UK is refused and you are not granted protection in the UK, you may appeal or seek a judicial review through the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal. Once appeals are concluded, you are expected to leave voluntarily or face enforced removal, which could include detention in an Immigration Removal Centre.
With a Home Office travel document, you can travel abroad. However, your Indefinite Leave to Remain may be at risk if you return to the country where you claimed asylum, or if you remain outside the UK for over two years, after which you may need to reapply before returning.
Foreign nationals seeking asylum in the UK must first enter the country and inform either a border official or the Home Office of their intention to apply for asylum.
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