Community Legal Advice Information Leaflet 8
Claiming Asylum Your rights if you are a refugee
A free and confidential service paid for by legal aid 0845 345 4 345 www.communitylegaladvice.org.uk
Feb
08
This leaflet explains the main things asylum seekers need to know. What happens to you will depend on your exact circumstances and which procedure the UK government uses. You should get expert advice about your case as soon as you can. See ‘Further help’ on page 18 for details of where to get this advice.
Who qualifies for asylum?
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How do I apply for asylum?
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What happens when I apply?
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What can I live on while I am waiting?
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What happens while I'm waiting?
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Where can I get help with my claim?
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What will be the outcome of my claim?
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What if my claim is refused?
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What happens if my appeals fail?
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The leaflets in this series give you an outline of your legal rights. They are not a complete guide to the law and are not intended to be a guide to how the law will apply to you or any specific situation. The leaflets are regularly updated but the law and the way the government deals with asylum seekers often change, so information may be incorrect or out of date. If you have a problem, you will need to get more information or personal advice to work out the best way to solve it. See 'Further help' on page 00 for sources of information and advice.
Immigration Agency, which is part of the Home Office).
Who qualifies for asylum? Qualifying for asylum depends on whether you are a refugee, as described in the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention. It says a refugee is someone who is outside their country of origin because of a well-founded fear of persecution for one of five reasons:
race;
religion;
nationality;
membership of a particular social group; or
However, this rule applies only to the question of returning you to a country where you would be at risk. So you could be sent back to another safe country without your claim being considered (see ‘Where you came from’ on page 7). In most cases you will be able to stay while you appeal against a decision to refuse you asylum. But this may depend on the reasons for your claim and where you have come from.
political opinion.
A refugee must show they are in real danger and need protection for one of these reasons. This is often difficult, and many legal questions arise in most asylum applications. It is vital to get specialist help. The Refugee Convention says you can’t be sent back to a country where you could be at risk of persecution. This means the UK government can’t send you back to your country of origin until it can show that there is little or no risk to your safety. You can stay in this country until your case has been decided by the immigration authorities (the Border and
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If it looks as though you would be at risk only in a certain part of your country, the Home Office may refuse you asylum because you could return and live in another part of your country. Asylum is meant to protect you from possible future risks, not just from what has happened in the past. So you may be refused if the Home Office believes that circumstances have changed in your country, and you would no longer be at risk. It’s often difficult to prove that you would definitely be at risk. You need to show that being persecuted would be a ‘serious possibility’.
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Who isn’t covered The Convention says that certain types of people shouldn’t qualify for asylum. These include people who have been involved in serious criminal activity, or who are responsible for human rights abuse. There are also ‘cessation clauses’, which say that you could lose your refugee status later if, for example:
circumstances in your home country improve significantly by the time the Home Office makes a decision; or you return to your own country after becoming a refugee.
If this happens you may stop being a refugee, but you won’t necessarily have to leave the UK. Special cases Certain kinds of claim are more complicated than others. The law can be very difficult to apply when:
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you claim a fear of being persecuted by someone other than government forces;
you are fleeing from a civil war; or
in most cases, you claim a fear of being persecuted because of ‘membership of a particular social group’.
If your claim is in any of these categories, you need expert advice. Human rights claims It’s also possible to make a claim for asylum based directly on Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. This prohibits torture or inhuman or degrading treatment. The UK Government would be breaching the Human Rights Act if it sent someone back to a country where they would face such a risk. Unlike applications under the Refugee Convention, you don’t have to show any particular reason for the inhuman treatment, or show who is to blame. If you can show you risk treatment prohibited under Article 3, the UK government must allow you to stay, and will normally grant you ‘humanitarian protection’ (see ‘What will be the outcome of my claim?’ on page 15). You may also be able to claim that removing you from the UK would breach other human rights, such as the right to respect for your family or private life. It is often difficult to win a case with these arguments. If you think you may want to make this type of claim, you should discuss it with your legal representative as soon as possible.
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How do I apply for asylum?
What happens when I apply?
You must claim either:
You go through several stages, and several things will happen to you while your application is being dealt with. Not all applicants go through the same procedure.
to the immigration officer on duty at an airport or seaport when you first arrive; or
at the Home Office Asylum Screening Unit in Croydon or Liverpool if you are already in the UK.
If you try to use a passport that is not yours, you can be prosecuted and can be sent to prison. If you have a passport that is not yours, you must get legal advice to help you.
You should normally apply:
when you first arrive at a UK port; or
if you are already here lawfully (as a student, for example), when the reasons for your fear of being persecuted in your country first arise.
Many people delay because it gives them time to meet friends and family, or to find a legal representative. However, if you do not apply as soon as you can, the authorities will doubt your reasons for applying. Also, you may get support only if you apply as soon as you can (see ‘What can I live on while I am waiting?’ on page 10), and the authorities may be more likely to detain you (hold you at a detention centre) if you do not.
You may be entitled to free legal advice for help with your asylum application. However, this won’t normally allow for a legal representative (a lawyer or solicitor) to come to your interviews. This will happen only if:
you are under 18;
you suffer from a serious mental illness;
you are detained (held) as part of the ‘fast-track’ process (see ‘Fasttrack cases’ on page 9);
the authorities believe you may have committed a crime; or
the authorities believe you may be a threat to national security.
The first interview The first stage involves an interview, called a screening interview. This is to
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get a record of your personal details and how you arrived in the UK. It is partly to check whether you can be returned quickly to a ‘safe third country’ (see ‘Where you came from’ on page 7), instead of the UK dealing with your application. It is also to check whether you have the passport or document on which you travelled to the UK. This screening interview will usually happen as soon as you apply for asylum, but it may happen later if the authorities need to find an interpreter for you or if you are unwell. If there are people you can contact in the UK, you should insist that you are allowed to call them before the interview. You have the right to contact a relative, a friend, an advice service, or a lawyer. You should also make sure you understand any interpreter well. At a screening interview, you should not be asked detailed questions about why you are making your claim. You should make sure you are given a copy of the interview record. At this interview you may be told you are going to be detained while your case is considered, and sent to a detention centre (see ‘Fast-track cases’ on page 9).
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Identity documents Immigration officers will take your fingerprints, and will check these to see if you have applied before to this country or to other countries in Europe. They may decide not to take fingerprints of children (particularly children under 12). They will take photographs of everyone applying for asylum, including children. They will then give you an identity card with your photo on it. This card, the Asylum Registration Card (ARC), is important, because it will usually be your only proof of identity and of your right to be in the UK. The immigration authorities will hold on to any other documents you have brought with you. You should check that the details on the ARC are correct. However, the ARC will also contain information that can be seen only with special equipment. After your screening interview After the screening interview you will be told to report to an immigration office, usually about two days later. There you will meet the official who will deal with your case, and arrange for you to receive financial help if you need it (see ‘What can I live on while I’m waiting?’ on page 10), and help you find a place to stay (see
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‘Where you will be housed’ on page 10). The official, called the case owner, will also tell you where you must go to report while your case is being dealt with, and how often you should attend. It is important that you keep to these conditions, because you can be arrested and detained if you do not. Your asylum interview You will be told when you should come back for your full interview. At this interview you will be asked detailed questions about why you are claiming asylum. This is your opportunity to give all the reasons why you believe you should be allowed to stay in the UK, and why you feel you would not be safe if sent back to your own country. It is very important that you are able to explain everything the Home Office needs to consider. If you have any papers or other evidence that supports what you are saying, you should give it to the case owner when you are interviewed. If you add or change anything later without giving a good reason, the Home Office may not believe what you say, and may refuse your asylum claim. So you should make sure you
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understand the questions and receive a copy of the interview notes. If a solicitor cannot come to your interview (see ‘What happens when I apply?’ on page 5) you can ask for the interview to be tape recorded. Make sure you receive a copy of the tape at the end of the interview. It is often difficult to know everything that may help your case. You should always try to get expert advice as soon as possible (see ‘Where can I get help with my claim?’ on page 14). Children on their own will be interviewed only if they are over 12 years old, and then only if they have someone to legally represent them. If they do not have someone to represent them, the Home Office will put them in touch with someone who can do so. Where you came from As an asylum seeker, you can’t be sent back to any country where you may face a risk of being persecuted. Your application must be considered. You can be returned to your home country only if your application is refused. However, if you passed through another country, even for a very short time, the Home Office may try to return you there if it is a ‘safe third country’. If it does this, it
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will not look at your asylum application – you will be expected to apply for asylum in that country. If the ‘third country’ is on the Home Office’s lists of safe countries, your asylum claim may be refused, and you may not be able to appeal before you are sent back there. The lists include most countries in Europe, and Canada and the USA. If the Home Office decides to return you to a safe country, you can appeal in the UK only for the reason that making you leave would breach your human rights in this country. But this will be difficult to prove and you will need expert legal advice very quickly if you want to challenge a decision of this sort. Detention Unless you already have permission to stay in the UK when you apply, you can be detained (held) at an immigration detention centre. You are most likely to be detained if:
there’s a chance you could be returned quickly to a safe third country;
you have travelled here on false documents and did not admit this when you first arrived;
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you arrive after destroying your passport;
you are caught using false documents later on; or
the Home Office thinks your claim can be decided quickly (see ‘Clearly unfounded cases’ below.
If you are detained, you have the right to:
ask to be released on ‘temporary admission’ (see ‘What happens while I’m waiting?’ on page 12); or
apply for release on bail after you have been in the UK for seven days. ‘Bail’ means you agree to pay (or have someone else pay) the court a sum of money if you do not report back when you are told to.
If you are detained, immigration officers must tell you why, in writing. They must also give you regular notices to explain why they think you should stay in detention. Instead of being detained, you may be released on certain conditions, such as having to wear an electronic tag (see ‘What happens while I’m waiting?’ on page 12). Clearly unfounded cases If the Home Office thinks your application is ‘clearly unfounded’, you are likely to be detained when you apply. In many cases, this will be because the Home Office believes
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heard. Some centres have legal advisers available to help you with your case.
that the country you come from is safe, so you wouldn’t normally need asylum. It may also be because the Home Office does not believe that you really face a risk of being persecuted, even if you say you do. If the authorities think your application is clearly unfounded, they will probably send you to an immigration detention centre as soon as you apply. Your case will be decided very quickly while you are detained. Some centres have legal advisers available to help you with your case. You can choose to get free legal help from a different adviser if:
the first legal adviser you meet refers your case to them; or
you have your own adviser, who has been helping you or your close family for some time.
‘Fast-track’ cases There are two different arrangements for dealing with cases of people who are detained. Both are called ‘fasttrack’ schemes because the process is completed very quickly. In the faster of these, sometimes called the ‘super fast-track’, you are detained for a week while your case is decided. If your application is refused, you stay in detention for another week while your appeal is
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Because these cases are dealt with so quickly, it can be difficult to get hold of information or evidence to show you are a refugee. You must be sure to tell your legal adviser, as soon as possible, everything you think may help your case. If your case is dealt with under the other fast-track scheme and the Home Office refuses your application, you may not be allowed to stay in the UK for your appeal. You can be sent back to your own country, and your appeal will carry on after you have left. This is called a ‘non-suspensive appeal’. The Home Office publishes a list of countries whose citizens are likely to be refused permission to stay here while they appeal. However, you may also be refused permission if you are from a country not on the list and the Home Office feels that your case is unfounded. Your case should not be treated under these fast-track arrangements if the Home Office feels it is a complicated or serious one that cannot be decided quickly. You should not be detained if you:
are ill and need care;
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have evidence that you have been tortured; or
are under 18.
What can I live on while I am waiting? If you have no money, you can usually claim support while your case is considered. This scheme is run by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS). Children who are applying on their own are dealt with differently – they get support from local councils. The Home Office may refuse you support if it thinks you have not applied for asylum as soon as you should have. If you are refused support for this reason, you will not be able to appeal against the decision, but you should get advice as soon as possible. Applying for support If you are allowed to claim support, you will have to fill in a long form in English. You should be able to get help with the form wherever you are staying in the UK. You can get this help from organisations that run ‘one-stop services’. You can get their details from the Home Office when you get the form, or from any local refugee support agency. You can apply for accommodation
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(housing), financial support (money), or both. You will be given support only if you are ‘destitute’ (have no money). If you have any money or NASS believes you can get some, you will have to live on that before it will give you support. If you are refused support, or if your support is taken away before your asylum application has been finally decided, you can appeal to the independent asylum support adjudicators. You will be given an appeal form if you are refused support. You can get free legal help to prepare your appeal (see ‘Further help’ on page 18) but not to represent you at the hearing. However, there may be a legal representative who can help you free of charge when you go to the hearing. What you can get Support will be paid to you in the form of vouchers that you can exchange for cash at a post office. If you or someone in your household has medical or other special needs that cost more than you can afford, you should also claim for these needs. Where you will be housed If you are granted support and need somewhere to live, you will first get emergency housing, usually in a
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other local advice agency will help you with that.
hostel in London or Kent (south of London). You will then be sent (‘dispersed’) to another part of the country, unless you have a good reason to stay in London – for example if you need special care because you have been tortured. Having close relatives in London won’t generally be a good enough reason. If you are sent somewhere else, you won’t have a choice of where you go. Each part of the country has a ‘onestop service’ that should be able to give you advice and help, and you should be put in touch with it. If you don’t want to be dispersed, you will probably only be able to get support, and not accommodation. You’ll have to find somewhere to stay yourself (with friends, for example). When support stops Your support can end in the following ways:
If you are recognised as a refugee (granted asylum), given humanitarian protection or given discretionary leave (see ‘What will be the outcome of my claim?’ on page 15), you will have 28 days to move out of your emergency accommodation and find other support. The one-stop service or
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If your asylum application is refused, you will be given time to lodge an appeal. You will carry on getting support until your appeal finishes, plus 21 days after that.
If you leave or damage the accommodation you have been given, or if NASS believes you have other money, you will no longer get support.
‘Hard cases’ Sometimes it may not be possible for you to return home, even after your appeal has been refused. This may happen if there are no flights to the area so there is no way of returning you, or if there is a war there and the Home Office doesn’t think you should return for the time being. If this happens you should be allowed to stay for a time, but because your case has ended you will not be able to claim support. You can apply for some ‘discretionary’ help from NASS instead. You might be told you have to do some community work to receive this support. If your household includes children, you can get support from your local council. However, this may be stopped if the Home Office thinks
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you are not helping with arrangements to send you back to your country, for example by not making a proper application for a passport from your embassy. If you don’t have children or get help from NASS, you may get help from the council only if you have special medical needs. What happens while I’m waiting? Most asylum seekers who apply as soon as they arrive aren’t detained, but are given temporary admission instead. If you are given temporary admission you must:
report back to the immigration authorities at a particular date and time that you will be told about;
live at a particular address; and
not work.
You may also have to report regularly to an immigration office to sign in, or accept ‘electronic monitoring’ or ‘tagging’. This will usually mean having to wear a special piece of equipment that allows the Home Office to check you are staying at a specified address. If you break the conditions for temporary admission, you could be detained. And if you don’t report
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back when you are told to, you will be treated as an ‘illegal entrant’. If you move, you must tell the immigration authorities straight away. The Home Office will send you an appointment for an interview at the address that is on your temporary admission notice. If you don’t attend, the Home Office will refuse your application because of ‘noncompliance’. You could lose your right of appeal if notices don’t reach you and you miss the time limit because of this. If you can’t get temporary admission If you can’t get temporary admission, you will be detained, but you can apply for bail after seven days. This means you can leave the detention centre as long as you can arrange to pay a small sum of money to the court if you break the conditions of release. It will usually help if you know one or two people who live in the UK and who are willing to guarantee that you will keep to any conditions of the bail. These people (also known as ‘sureties’) will be asked to promise to pay the money if you don’t report back when you are told to. There is a separate booklet of advice for people who are detained,
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‘Challenging Legal Detention: A Best Practice Guide’, which you should be able to get from:
the visitors’ group, which is a group of volunteers who visit people who are detained, and can help put you in touch with services outside; or
the website of the charity Bail for Immigration Detainees (see ‘Further help’ on page 18).
There may also be other conditions of bail, similar to those for temporary admission. You may have to go regularly to a police station or immigration office to sign in. If you break these conditions, you may be breaking the law, and your sureties can lose the money they have promised. The cost of applying for bail will be covered by publicly funded legal help, if you qualify for it (see ‘Where can I get help with my claim?’ on page 14). You should ask your legal representative to apply for you. You will not be allowed to work while you are still an asylum seeker, unless you have to wait for more than a year before your case is decided.
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Other rights As an asylum seeker, you can get free medical care, and you can register with a local doctor to receive free healthcare. In most areas, Englishlanguage classes are available free of charge, and you can take some other further education courses too. Very little money is available, apart from your asylum support, but some travel costs can be paid. These will include fares to an interview with the immigration authorities and to an asylum appeal hearing. You should ask for help with your fares if you have to report to the police or at an immigration office. But to get the fares paid you need to tell NASS about your appointment five or six days before it takes place. You will also have your fares paid if you are sent to another part of the UK. The one-stop service can help you with these. If you are getting publicly funded legal help, you may get your travel costs to go to an interview with your legal representative.
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charge, and if so how it is worked out; and
Where can I get help with my claim? If you do not have enough money to pay for legal help, you should be able to get specialist advice free of charge. This is available through solicitors and voluntary organisations who have a contract with the Legal Services Commission. Two of the larger organisations that can provide advice are the Refugee Legal Centre and the Immigration Advisory Service. See ‘Further help’ on page 18 for how to contact them. Also, free services are provided by other organisations and some local agencies, particularly law centres. The one-stop service or a Citizens Advice Bureau can help you find these, though you may not be able to find a legal adviser to help you immediately. If you have been detained and you can’t get to any of these organisations, you should try to contact one by phone or speak to a member of the visitors’ group. Your adviser must tell you in writing:
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what service you can expect;
who to complain to if you have concerns about the advice service or adviser;
whether you will have to pay a
how to contact them when you need to.
It is against the law for organisations to offer advice or help with asylum cases unless they are solicitors or on the register of the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC). Anyone who offers advice that isn’t free must always tell you that free advice is also available. Using interpreters The immigration authorities will give you an interpreter for any interview they carry out. Your legal representatives should also find an interpreter for you when you see them. If you do not understand an interpreter, you must say so immediately. It is very difficult to correct mistakes later. Remember that interpreters are meant to help you to communicate, and should just translate what is said, not give advice or answer questions for you. You should avoid using friends or family members for all but the simplest help.
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What will be the outcome of my claim? If your claim is successful, you will normally be given one of three different types of status, as described below. Asylum If your claim for refugee status is accepted, you will be granted asylum and given ‘leave to remain’ for five years. If you are accepted in this way, your husband or wife and any children under 18 with you in this country will also automatically be accepted. If they are not here with you, they will be allowed to come to the UK. You are also entitled to get a Convention (blue) travel document, which allows you to travel freely to all countries except your country of origin. You can work or study, and have the same rights to receive benefits as citizens do. You will be able to get a loan to help you with the cost of starting to settle in this country. You will have to repay this loan gradually from your benefits, or when you are working. After five years as a refugee you can apply to stay here permanently (‘indefinite leave to remain’). The Home Office will examine your case again, to see whether you still need ILPA February 2008
to be protected by staying in this country; whether it would be safe for you to go back to your own country; and whether you have other ties here. You will also need to pass tests to show that you can speak some English and have learned about life in the United Kingdom. If you cannot pass these tests but the Home Office agree you should stay here, it will probably give you another five years to pass the tests. You can apply to take the tests again whenever you think you will pass. Humanitarian protection If you can’t show that you meet all the conditions for refugee status, you may be given ‘humanitarian protection’. You should be given this status if you would face serious harm if you returned. This includes sending you back where:
your life would be in danger for any reason;
you would be at risk of torture or inhuman or degrading treatment; or
you would personally be at risk of serious violence (see ‘Human rights claims’ on page 4).
Humanitarian protection lasts for five years, and at the end you can apply to stay here permanently if you would still be at risk in your country.
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You will have to pass the same tests of knowledge of the English language and of life in the UK as people who have asylum. People with humanitarian protection generally have fewer rights to travel and study than refugees. Discretionary leave If the Home Office accepts there are other reasons why it would be unfair to make you leave the country, for example because of your ill health or for family reasons, you may be given ‘discretionary leave’. This will usually be for only six or 12 months at a time, and you will not normally be allowed to stay permanently unless your discretionary leave is renewed for a total of six years. You may also be given discretionary leave if you might face torture if you returned, but the Home Office thinks you do not deserve asylum because you have been involved in war crimes or terrorism. In this case you will have to wait at least 10 years before you can apply to stay permanently. What if my claim is refused? If your asylum application is refused, you will almost always be able to appeal against the decision. But if you want to make an appeal, you
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need to get advice very quickly. You must fill in and return your notice of appeal within 10 working days of the decision (less than this if you are in detention). You must also give any reasons that you or a family member may have for being allowed to stay in the UK (for example, if it would breach your human rights if you were made to leave). You will be able to get publicly funded legal help during the appeal process if you:
have no money to pay for advice; and
have a reasonable chance of winning your case.
The Refugee Legal Centre or the Immigration Advisory Service may also be able to help with your appeal, free of charge if you meet these conditions. Their details are on the appeal notice, as well on page 18 of this leaflet. The appeals process may take longer than the initial decision and there may be more than one appeal. ‘One-stop’ appeals If you have any other reason why you or any member of your family should be permitted to stay here, you
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need to mention these at the same time as you ask for asylum. One of the most common reasons is that it will be against your human rights if you are removed (see ‘Human rights claims’ on page 4). But if you have any other claim, for example for medical treatment, or for other family reasons, you must explain this as well. Your appeal hearing will look at all your circumstances, and if you do not refer to something at the time it will be difficult to raise it later.
Voluntary return If things are getting better in your country, you may be able to get financial help to return there. Some people can also get money to help them resettle in their home country. You should ask your legal adviser or one-stop service for information about these schemes.
What happens if my appeals fail? Remember that most asylum applications in the UK are refused, though some of these are successful at appeal. If you are refused and you lose an appeal, you will be expected to leave the country, unless you are allowed to stay here for other reasons (for example, because you have family in the UK). The immigration authorities may try to remove you forcibly if you don’t go voluntarily. If you haven’t already got a passport, they may give you a notice telling you to co-operate with attempts to get travel documents for you. If you do not, you may be prosecuted. Even if you are not prosecuted, you may be detained, possibly in prison. ILPA February 2008
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Further help Community Legal Advice A free, easy-to-use legal service to help you solve your legal problems. Call 0845 345 4 345 to speak to a qualified legal adviser about welfare benefits, debt or education, or find local advice services for other problems. Log on at www.communitylegaladvice.gov.uk to search for a quality local legal adviser or solicitor or find links to other sources of online information and help. Amnesty International phone: 020 7033 1500 www.amnesty.org.uk
Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) phone: 0845 000 0046 www.oisc.org.uk Refugee Legal Centre phone: 020 7780 3200 www.refugee-legal-centre.org.uk Bail for Immigration Detainees phone: 020 7247 3590 www.biduk.org A leaflet ‘Legal advice for people who are detained by the immigration service’ has been produced by the Law Society, Law Society of Scotland, OISC, CLS Direct and ILPA, and should be available through any of these organisations.
Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) For information on where to get help, ask for or look up the Directory of Members. phone: 020 7251 8383 www.ilpa.org.uk Immigration Advisory Service phone: 020 7967 1200, 10am to 12 noon Monday to Friday www.iasuk.org/ Law Society For details of solicitors who can offer legal representation in asylum cases. phone: 0870 606 2555 www.solicitors-online.com
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The Community Legal Service The Community Legal Service has been set up to help you find the right legal information and advice to solve your problems. You can get help through a national network of organisations including Citizens Advice Bureaux, Law Centres, many independent advice centres and thousands of high street solicitors. All of these services meet quality standards set by the Legal Services Commission. Look for the Community Legal Service logo, shown below. Many of the organisations offer some or all of their services for free. If you cannot afford to pay for advice you may be eligible for financial support through the Community Legal Service Fund (Legal Aid). You can order leaflets about funding from the LSC leaflet line on 0845 3000 343. You can also use a Legal Aid eligibility calculator on the website: www.communitylegaladvice.org.uk.
The Legal Services Commission (LSC) The Community Legal Service and the Community Legal Service Fund are managed by the Legal Services Commission. To find out more about us visit our website at www.legalservices.gov.uk or find the details for your local Legal Services Commission office in the phone book.
The leaflets are also available online at: www.communitylegaladvice.org.uk 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Dealing with Debt Employment Divorce and Separation Renting and Letting Buying and Selling Property Losing your Home The Human Rights Act Claiming Asylum Welfare Benefits Wills and Probate Dealing with the Police No-win, No-fee Actions Problems with Goods and Services Medical Accidents Equal Opportunities Racial Discrimination Personal Injury Rights for Disabled People Community Care
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Education Immigration and Nationality Mental Health Alternatives to Court Family Mediation Veterans Domestic Violence, Abuse and Harassment Living Together and your Rights if you Separate 29 Care Proceedings 30 Neighbourhood and Community Disputes 31 Changing your Name Advice Guides G1 A Step-by-Step Guide to Choosing a Legal Adviser G2 A Step-by-Step Guide to Legal Aid
The leaflets are also available in Welsh, Braille and Audio. To order any of these leaflets contact the LSC leaflet line on 0845 3000 343 or email LSCLeaflets@ecgroup.uk.com or fax 020 8867 3225.
This leaflet was written in association with the Immigration Law Practitioners Association and Mick Chatwin, a barrister and solicitor specialising in immigration law.
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