Private asylum: Hire an asylum lawyer
The asylum system can be difficult to navigate, it is highly recommended that you seek the assistance of a professional immigration lawyer to help you with your claim. Find out more about hiring a specialist asylum lawyer.
To get started on your asylum claim, contact our lawyers today on 0333 455 3524.
Private asylum in the UK
If you wish to stay in the UK as someone with refugee status, then you will need to make a claim for asylum. The right to claim asylum was established under the 1951 Refugee Convention.
You can be eligible to claim asylum in the UK if you have left your home country and cannot return due to fear of persecution. This fear of persecution can be due to your race, religion, nationality, political opinion or anything else that puts you at risk because of the social, cultural, religious or political situation in your country, for example, your gender, gender identity or sexual orientation.
You can only apply for asylum once you have arrived in the UK and you should apply as soon as possible, waiting before making your asylum claim will mean that your asylum application will have a higher chance of rejection.
If you are successfully granted asylum by the Home Office, you will be given refugee status and leave to remain in the UK for 5 years. After this time, you may be able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
Page contents
- Claiming asylum in the UK
- Can I still get the assistance of a lawyer if I do not qualify for legal aid?
- Why should I hire a lawyer to help me with my asylum claim?
- How much does it cost to hire an asylum solicitor?
- How can IAS help?
- Do you need a lawyer for asylum?
- What do asylum lawyers do?
- How much does an asylum case cost?
- How do you win an asylum case?
- How long do asylum cases take?
- Can I stay in the UK if I am not eligible to receive refugee status?
- What is the difference between private asylum assistance and legal aid?
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Can I still get the assistance of a lawyer if I do not qualify for legal aid?
Legal aid is the provision of free assistance to people who are unable to afford legal representation for certain issues. Legal aid can help to cover the costs of legal advice, family mediation and representation in a court or tribunal. An asylum seeker can qualify for legal aid, however if you wish to receive legal aid when applying for asylum you must meet the financial requirements. You would need to prove that you cannot afford to pay for legal costs.
If you do not meet the financial requirement for legal aid you can still hire an asylum lawyer privately. Even if you do qualify for legal aid, it may still be beneficial for you to hire a private immigration lawyer. This is because the time a legal aid lawyer can spend on your case is limited. There are many types of services that could assist your case that legal aid funding doesn’t cover. By hiring an immigration lawyer for a private asylum case, you will have access to a vast amount of services and unrestricted assistance.
Why should I hire a lawyer to help me with my asylum claim?
Claiming asylum is an incredibly complex legal process, after you make your initial claim for asylum you will have to undergo a screening interview as well as a substantive interview, you will also be required to provide documents and detailed information about your situation.
The asylum system can be overwhelming and difficult to go through alone. This is why it is highly recommended that you seek legal advice and the assistance of a professional immigration lawyer when making an asylum claim.
Asylum solicitors are knowledgeable about the complex asylum process and will greatly increase your chances of a successful claim whilst making the process less stressful. A professional immigration lawyer can use their extensive knowledge of asylum law to support your claim and ensure your application is completed to the highest standard possible.
Going through the asylum system can be an emotional experience, you may be required to give details about sensitive subjects and events, having a professional to support you can help to make you feel more at ease. A lawyer will be there to answer any questions that you may have, can offer you advice about your situation and will make sure that you are prepared for any interviews.
How much does it cost to hire an asylum lawyer?
The circumstances for asylum seekers varies and ever case comes with its own complexities, this means that it’s difficult to predict exactly how much it will cost to hire an immigration lawyer to assist you with your claim.
However, here at IAS we are dedicated to transparent pricing, this means that there are no hidden fees to our costs. We offer free consultations in which a member of our team can find out more about your situation, after which we will be able to provide you with a quote for our services.
Our services are tailored to your individual needs and the quote that you receive will cover the cost of all of the services that you will require for your case. This quote will not change once you have received it and you will not be required to pay an additional hidden fees.
To receive your quote today, simply contact our team on 0333 305 9375.
How can IAS help?
Here at IAS, our lawyers are experts in immigration and asylum issues, they have been highly trained in all areas of immigration law and are experienced in providing assistance with asylum claims.
If you choose to hire one of our lawyers to assist you with your asylum claim you will be assigned a caseworker who will be dedicated to assisting you throughout every step of the process. Our immigration lawyers can:
- Assess your eligibility for asylum in the UK
- Help you to make an appointment to claim asylum
- Assist you with writing formal statements for the Home Office
- Help you to prepare for the asylum interview
- Apply for you to be released if you are held in immigration detention
- Be there to answer any questions you may have about the asylum process of your case
- Help to gather any documents you may require as evidence for the Home Office, such as medical reports
- Check any supporting documents for accuracy and provide high-quality translations of documents
- Prepare a Letter of Representation, using their knowledge of UK immigration law and international human rights law to support your claim for asylum
- Liaise with the Home Office on your behalf to receive updates about the progress of your claim
- Help you to submit an appeal or make a fresh claim for asylum if your application has been refused
Asylum claims are a time-sensitive and serious issue, which is why our lawyers offer urgent legal advice sessions in which they can discuss your case with you and advise you on the next steps that you need to take.
To find out more about our asylum support services, contact us today on 0333 455 3524 or use the chat function to speak to one of our expert advisers about your asylum case today. You can contact us at our offices in London, Manchester, or Birmingham, or use our office finder to find your closest branch.
Last modified on February 14th, 2023 at 5:53 pm
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Frequently Asked Questions
The process of making an asylum claim or any other type of human rights application is very complicated. Whilst you are not obligated to seek the assistance of a professional immigration lawyer, doing so will significantly increase your chances of a successful claim.
Specialist asylum solicitors have a deep understanding of UK immigration law and they asylum system, they can use that knowledge to support claims for asylum.
Specialist asylum lawyers are experts in immigration and asylum law and are there to assist their clients throughout the entire asylum application process.
Asylum solicitors offer a wide range of services including:
- Professional legal advice
- Document and application checks
- Immigration detention and bail assistance
- Legal representation
- Assistance with official paperwork
Asylum seekers do not have to pay any application fees when making a claim for asylum in the UK. There is also no application fees for family members who are included as dependents on an asylum claim.
The only costs involved in an asylum case is the cost of hiring an immigration lawyer if you choose to do so. The cost of this varies depending on your specific circumstances and the services that you will require.
For more information about the cost of hiring an asylum solicitor, contact our immigration lawyers today on 0333 305 9375.
To win an asylum case you must show that you meet the requirements for leave to remain in the UK as a refugee. You will need to prove to the Home Office that you have a genuine fear of persecution in your home country because of one or more of the protected grounds, which include your race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.
The most important part of an asylum application is the evidence that you submit to prove that you are eligible. The evidence you will need will vary depending on your situation, an immigration lawyer can offer further advice on the types of supporting documents you will need to provide in order for your claim to be successful. A lawyer can also provide evidence that you may not be able to gather yourself, such as evidence in relation to technical legal arguments or case law.
By applying as soon as you enter the UK, providing adequate evidence and using the assistance of an immigration lawyer, your asylum case will have the highest chance of success.
The Home Office states that once you have claimed asylum and completed the application process, you should receive a decision about your asylum claim within 6 months. However, in recent years the processing time for asylum cases has increased and the majority of asylum seekers now wait more than 6 months to receive their decision from the Home Office.
Whilst you are waiting for your claim to be processed, you may be eligible for asylum support from the Home Office. You could get housing and cash support for you and your family members if you meet the requirements.
If you do not qualify for asylum but you still require protection in the UK, then you may be able to apply for Humanitarian Protection under the European Convention on Human Rights.
Humanitarian Protection will grant you leave to remain in the UK until you are able to get back home.
Our immigration lawyers are experienced in assisting with human rights issues and also provide assistance with applications for humanitarian protection, for more information contact us now on 0333 305 9375.
Legal aid is provided to asylum seekers who are unable to cover the costs of legal advice and services. To receive legal aid as an asylum seeker you must me able to prove that you meet the financial requirements.
Although legal aid will provide you with an immigration lawyer who can offer legal advice and some assistance with your asylum claim, there are many services that it does not cover the cost of.
If you choose the private asylum option of hiring an immigration lawyer to assist you with your case, you will benefit from having access to a wider range of services and being able to receive more time from a dedicated immigration lawyer.