Asylum Claim Processing Timeline In The UK

Awaiting A Decision

After the screening interview, the applicant will be told what they need to do while they wait for a decision on their application for asylum. One thing that needs to be done is that applicants will need to report to a caseworker regularly.

Additionally, applicants need to inform the authorities if their situation changes.

Be aware that asylum seekers are not allowed to work while a claim is being considered.

Getting A Decision

Applications are decided upon as soon as it is possible to do so. However, it can take longer than anticipated if there are complexities. Examples of issues that may increase the wait time include the following:

• The supporting documents provided need verification
• The applicant is required to attend more interviews
• The personal circumstances of the applicant need to be checked. This can happen if the individual has a criminal conviction or if they are currently being prosecuted

Permission or refusal will be granted in one of the following ways:

Granted Refugee Status

If the applicant is given refugee status, they are recognised as a refugee by the UK government. If an asylum seeker does not qualify for refugee status, then they may get humanitarian protection instead.

Those granted refugee status or humanitarian protection will have permission to stay in the UK for a minimum of five years. Refugees can also apply for refugee integration loans, and after five years in the UK, they can apply to settle.

Those who include their partner or children in their application as their dependents will find that these family members will typically also get permission to stay in the UK for five years, and they can also settle after five years.

Other Reasons To Stay: Permissions

Applicants may get permission to stay for other reasons if the reasons do not fall under refugee status or humanitarian reasons. The length of the stay depends on the individual situation.

No Permission Granted

Those who do not qualify for refugee status and whose caseworker decides there is no other reason for them to stay will be asked to leave the UK. However, it is possible to appeal against this decision.

If the applicant wishes to appeal, they must do so in the time allowed; if they do not, they will have to leave. If the appeal is unsuccessful, one of the following will happen:

• The applicant will have to leave, but they can get help with returning home.
• The applicant may be forced to leave. If this is the case, they will get a letter before this happens. They may then be detained at an Immigration Removal Center and removed.

Overview

The UK Home Office has shared data that states that the number of people awaiting asylum claim decisions doubled from 2020 to 2022. The number of cases that wait over 6 months for an initial decision has also doubled during this time, which suggests there is a backlog of cases for those claiming asylum.

The speed of asylum decision-making has slowed, and new applications to claim asylum have increased. The government has stated that it accepts this and that an increased number of those claiming asylum and a decrease in productivity among caseworkers have caused a delay.

It is also believed that the delays are due to larger inefficiencies in the process of decision-making.

This does impact those who claim asylum due to the negative mental and physical health consequences of prolonged delays. The health of asylum seekers can suffer due to the uncertainty over the status of their claims.

Delays in The Asylum Process

At the very end of 2022, 132,182 primary applicants were awaiting an initial decision, and 160,919 people were seeking asylum, including family members. 4,051 applications were waiting for further review. Of the primary applicants who were waiting for initial decisions, 67% had waited more than 6 months.

There is a massive asylum backlog, with many asylum applicants waiting for extended periods before being granted asylum through safe and legal routes.

There has been a massive increase in the asylum backlog since 2018 when the backlog was at 27,000 applications, which has increased fivefold in this time. This has left those who have fled conflict suffering with their mental health as they await political opinion and the legal process on their application.

Many applicants feel such fear of further delays. Many refugees live in countries neighbouring their own country, including pregnant women, and fear persecution. Ensuring speedier asylum application decisions can help eradicate the well-founded fear they feel each day.