Claim Asylum In The UK

The asylum application process

The definition of refugee for the purpose of the Refugee Convention is contained in Article 1(A)(2), as applied by the 1967 protocol.
A Refugee is a person who, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside his country of nationality and is unable, or owing to such fear is unwilling, to avail himself of the protection of that country.

Who is an asylum seeker?

An asylum seeker is a person who claims to be a refugee but whose claim hasn’t been evaluated yet.
This person would apply for asylum on the grounds that returning to his or her country of origin will lead to persecution on account of race, religion, nationality or political belief. Someone is an asylum seeker as long as the application is pending. Given that not every asylum seeker will be recognised as a refugee, it is important to note the distinction between refugee and asylum seeker. A vital part of being recognised as a refugee is the legal process through which the UK Government will determine whether the application is successful or not. The process can be lengthy and complicated and we aim to help our clients through this journey.

What are the challenges to seeking asylum in the United Kingdom?

The UK asylum seeker system is complex and one of the challenges is to provide the evidence required to be granted protection. Many people’s claims are rejected. The initial Home Office decision making is still poor and on many occasions asylum seeker cases are allowed by the courts rather than by the Government. The proportion of asylum appeals allowed in the year ending June 2019 was, according to the Refugee Council, 40%, and therefore it is important to get assistance from an immigration and asylum solicitor.
At Danielle Cohen Solicitors we are particularly skilled and motivated in assisting with women’s claims. We provide an open and supportive environment for women to give full details of their experiences and to make a successful claim.