Asylum and Human Rights Applications
where return may place your safety or protected rights at risk
Asylum and human rights applications require a careful review
of the feared harm, events leading to the claim, risk on return,
immigration history, personal or family circumstances and the
evidence available to support the case.
Important events, dates, risks, medical or family circumstances and supporting evidence should form one consistent account.
Route Overview
How asylum and human rights applications
work in the United Kingdom
An asylum claim may be made by a person at the UK border or
already in the United Kingdom who says they cannot return safely
because they fear persecution.
The claim should explain who or what is feared, why the person
is at risk, whether the risk is connected to a protected reason
and why effective protection or safe internal relocation is
unavailable.
Human rights applications may instead concern serious harm,
medical circumstances, private or family life, children,
dependency or other exceptional circumstances. The appropriate
procedure should be identified before evidence is prepared.
Confirm the applicant’s current position and claim stage
Prepare a complete chronology of events and feared risk
Identify the protection or human rights basis relied on
Dates, locations, events, immigration records and supporting documents should agree.
Route Snapshot
Possible protection and human rights grounds
These categories provide a general overview only. The correct basis depends on the feared harm, personal circumstances, available evidence and the procedure through which the claim is raised.
01
Refugee Convention claim
A person may seek refugee status where they fear persecution for a Convention reason and cannot obtain effective protection in their country.
02
Humanitarian protection
A person who does not qualify as a refugee may still raise a protection claim where return would expose them to a real risk of serious harm.
03
Article 3 and serious harm
A human rights claim may rely on a real risk of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, including evidence concerning serious medical or personal circumstances.
04
Private and family life
Article 8 issues may arise where removal would interfere with established private or family life and the individual circumstances require careful assessment.
Important Route Check
Asylum claim or other human rights application?
An asylum claim focuses on fear of persecution and the need for international protection. It is registered through the asylum process while the person is in the UK.
Other human rights claims may arise through a different immigration application or claim and can involve serious harm, medical circumstances, or private and family life.
Eligibility for asylum and human rights applications
depends on the individual facts
Eligibility depends on the feared harm, reason for the risk,
protection available, personal and family circumstances,
immigration history and the particular protection or human
rights basis relied on.
01
Fear of persecution
A refugee claim requires a detailed account of why the person fears persecution and why effective protection or safe return is not available.
Identify the feared actor, events and Convention reason
02
Risk of serious harm
Humanitarian protection may need to be considered where the person does not qualify as a refugee but says return would expose them to serious harm.
Explain the nature and likelihood of the serious harm
03
Article 3 and medical circumstances
A human rights claim may rely on a real risk of prohibited treatment, including evidence about health, vulnerability, access to treatment and conditions on return.
Support the claimed risk with specific evidence
04
Private, family life and exceptional circumstances
Private or family life, a child’s welfare, dependency or other exceptional circumstances may need assessment under the relevant immigration rules and Article 8.
Identify relationships, dependency and practical impact
Main Requirements
Requirements for asylum and
human rights applications
The application or claim should identify the legal basis relied
on and present a complete, chronological account of the feared
harm and relevant human rights circumstances.
The assessment may involve credibility, country information,
protection available, medical or family circumstances,
immigration history and the supporting evidence submitted.
01
Personal account and chronology
The account should explain important events, dates, places, people involved, attempts to obtain protection, departure and the reasons the person fears return.
ReviewEvents, dates, locations and sequence of the account
02
Persecution or serious harm
The claim should explain who is feared, why the person is at risk, whether the harm is connected to a protected reason and why effective protection is unavailable.
ReviewFeared actor, reason, protection and internal relocation
03
Human rights and vulnerability
Medical issues, trauma, disability, trafficking indicators, family relationships, a child’s welfare and other human rights matters should be explained with specific evidence.
ReviewMedical, welfare, family and return circumstances
04
Immigration history and procedure
Travel routes, previous claims or applications, decisions, documents used, criminal matters and all relevant immigration history should be disclosed accurately.
ReviewTravel, claims, decisions, documents and current status
Protection claims require an individual assessment
The nature of the feared harm, credibility, vulnerability, country information, previous decisions and the evidence available can affect how the claim is assessed.
Supporting Evidence
Evidence for asylum and human rights applications
should support one consistent account
Documents should support identity, immigration history,
important events, the claimed risk on return and any medical,
family, dependency or other human rights circumstances.
Check the chronology before submission
Names, dates, locations and key events should agree across the evidence.
Evidence Groups
Organise documents by purpose
The evidence required depends on the protection or human rights basis and individual circumstances. These groups provide a practical starting structure.
01
Identity, travel and immigration history
Confirm identity, nationality, travel route, current position and previous immigration or asylum history.
Passports, identity records and available travel documents
Evidence of current or previous immigration status or claims
Applications, decisions, screening records and correspondence
02
Personal statement and chronology
Prepare a detailed account explaining the relevant events, feared harm, departure, travel and reasons return is said to be unsafe.
A clear personal statement arranged in date order
Records, messages, photographs or reports linked to key events
Evidence explaining gaps, delays or apparent inconsistencies
03
Risk and country evidence
Support the claimed risk with evidence concerning the feared actor, relevant events, protection available and current country conditions.
Police, court, organisational or official records where available
Medical records, witness statements or communications linked to events
Reliable country material relevant to the individual risk
04
Medical, family and human rights evidence
Support health, vulnerability, family life, dependency, children’s welfare or other human rights matters with evidence specific to the person.
Medical, psychological, safeguarding or welfare evidence
Evidence concerning treatment, support, dependency or care needs
Records showing the likely effect of return on affected people
Review translations and document quality
Evidence should be complete and readable. Documents not in English or Welsh may require an appropriate certified translation.
Application Process
Process for asylum and human rights applications
from initial review to decision
A structured process helps keep the legal basis, personal
chronology, screening or application information, interview
evidence and supporting documents consistent throughout the case.
Confirm the correct protection or human rights basis
Review the personal account and evidence together
Keep copies of records, evidence and correspondence
Review the feared harm, current safety, vulnerabilities, family circumstances, immigration position, previous decisions and any urgent procedural deadlines.
02
Claim Registration
Register the claim through the correct process
An asylum claim is registered through screening at the border or by appointment from within the UK. Other human rights claims may require a different application or procedure.
03
Evidence Preparation
Prepare the statement and supporting material
Prepare a detailed chronology, identify supporting evidence, address gaps or inconsistencies and follow any directions for providing documents or further information.
04
Interview or Further Information
Complete the stages requested for the individual claim
Follow instructions for screening, interview, questionnaires,
biometrics, document submission or further information. Raise
interpreting, medical, trauma, disability or safeguarding needs
as early as possible.
05
Decision
Keep the case record and review the outcome
Retain copies of the statement, interview record, evidence and
correspondence. When the decision is received, review the status
granted, conditions, reasons and any available
appeal or refusal options
promptly.
Follow the instructions issued for the individual application
Screening, interview, document-submission, biometric and further-information requirements can depend on the type and stage of the claim.
Common Questions
Asylum and human rights applications
frequently asked questions
General answers about claiming asylum in the UK, eligibility,
screening, interviews, supporting evidence, human rights
applications and possible outcomes.
Individual Circumstances
Need a more specific review?
Prepare a short summary of the feared risk, important events, current status, family or medical circumstances, previous claims and evidence available.
Official guidance says a person should claim on arrival or as soon as they believe return would be unsafe. Delay can raise questions, so the reasons for any delay should be explained accurately.
Screening registers the claim and checks identity, nationality, family details, medical needs and basic information about why protection is sought. Fingerprints and a photograph are normally taken.
The interview is an opportunity to explain what happened, why return is feared and the evidence relied on. The person should raise everything they want considered and explain any difficulties affecting their account.
Many claimants are invited to explain their protection claim
during a substantive asylum interview. The person should explain
the relevant events, feared risk and evidence and raise any
interpreting or vulnerability needs.
Asylum concerns international protection from persecution. Other human rights claims may concern serious harm, medical circumstances or private and family life and may follow a different application or claim process.
Asylum concerns international protection from persecution.
Human rights applications may instead concern serious harm,
medical circumstances, private life, family life, children,
dependency or exceptional circumstances.
The person should follow all interview, identity and document instructions. A successful claim may result in refugee status, humanitarian protection or another form of permission; a refusal should be reviewed promptly for any appeal or other next step.
A successful claim may result in refugee status, humanitarian
protection or another form of permission. The decision notice
should be checked for the status granted, its duration,
conditions and any required next steps.
Discuss your asylum or human rights application
before deciding how to proceed
Discuss the feared harm, personal chronology, immigration
history, medical or family circumstances, current claim stage,
supporting evidence and the procedure that may apply before
moving forward.
