Citizenship Areas
Advice and representation for people seeking protection in the UK, with support throughout the claim and its next stages.
Advice for people who fear persecution and need their protection claim assessed in the UK.
Assessment of serious harm on return where refugee status may not be the appropriate outcome.
We consider your personal account, immigration history and the circumstances in your country of origin. Protection cases need an individual assessment of the risks you face.
An asylum claim is made in the UK. It is not an overseas visa application, and you should seek advice promptly if you fear returning to your country.
We support you through the protection process, from the initial assessment to the decision and any appropriate next steps.
Discuss your circumstances, protection concerns and any immediate issues requiring attention.
Help present your account and assess the supporting evidence relevant to your claim.
Prepare you for the relevant interview arrangements and provide representations on your case.
Review the outcome and advise on permission, family matters or available challenges.
The Home Office may use separate screening and substantive interviews or a Single Protection Interview. We explain the arrangements relevant to your case.
We help you explain what has happened, why you fear return and the issues the Home Office needs to consider. Advice includes reviewing earlier statements and addressing any discrepancies or gaps.
We explain the interview process and discuss interpretation, health concerns and other needs that may affect your participation. Where appropriate, we raise these matters with the Home Office.
We advise on correspondence, reporting requirements and changes in your circumstances. Work is generally restricted while an asylum claim is being considered; any exception needs a separate assessment.
An eligible partner and children under 18 who are with you in the UK may be included as dependants. We assess the appropriate arrangements.
Each family member’s circumstances matter. We consider whether a separate protection claim or other application is needed.
Children’s own protection needs must be considered. We approach family cases with attention to welfare, safeguarding and any support needed during the process.
A dependant grant does not automatically confer refugee status or humanitarian protection. Relatives outside the UK require a separate assessment of the family routes available to them.
A successful claim may result in refugee status or humanitarian protection. The Home Office may instead grant permission on another basis, depending on the circumstances.
We explain the outcome and its implications for your permission and any dependants.
We assess the refusal reasons, whether there is a right of appeal and the applicable time limit. Where an appeal is available, we can advise on preparation and representation.
If you have new information after an earlier refusal, we can assess whether further submissions are appropriate. This requires a separate review of the previous case and the new material.
The length and conditions of permission depend on the applicable rules, including when the claim was made and whether the applicant is an unaccompanied child.
We review your decision and advise on renewal where continued protection is needed. Settlement must be assessed under the provisions applying to your particular case; it should not be assumed to follow automatically after a fixed period.
We can advise on the appropriate future application when eligible. British citizenship is a separate application with its own assessment.
Discuss your circumstances with our team for advice on your protection claim, a decision or the next stage of your case.