Refugee Action has made resources available to help those who have received one of the new asylum questionnaires as part of the Home Office’s simplified procedure. What to do with the questionnaire, how to fill it out, what to watch out for when asking a friend for assistance filling out the questionnaire, and how to locate legal support are all covered in greater detail here. By going to the FAQs home page and choosing the appropriate language, you can read the FAQs in other languages as well.
Moreover, materials have been produced to help non-profit caseworkers and volunteers who have been contacted by or are collaborating with people who have received questionnaires.
You should request a copy from the following address, if you or your legal representative have not received a questionnaire but believe you should have (for instance, if you have gotten a text message asking you to fill one out): asylumcustomercommunicationshub@homeoffice.gov.uk.
I Received A Questionnaire About Asylum
The government’s new expedited asylum procedure seeks to speedily resolve some asylum petitions. You will receive an asylum questionnaire to complete in English and return within 20 working days in order to assist them in doing this. The Home Office will decide your claim using the data you supply. You won’t be invited to interview if your responses are satisfactory.
If you can affirmatively respond to all four of the following inquiries, you ought to have gotten a questionnaire:
- Have you been given an asylum questionnaire to complete and return?
- Are you a national of Afghanistan, Eritrea, Libya, Syria or Yemen?
- Did you apply for asylum before 28 June 2022?
- Are you an adult?
The expedited asylum process should not be available to you if you are unable to affirmatively respond to each of these questions. This does not imply that a questionnaire won’t be sent to you. There have been rumours that other nationalities have received surveys.
Even if you are of a different nationality and have received a questionnaire, you should still fill it out otherwise your claim could be deemed withdrawn. Nevertheless, other elements of the simplified procedure, such as the potential for a quicker decision or a decision made without conducting an interview, might not apply to you.
There are some important things to keep in mind:
- If an asylum questionnaire is sent to you, you have 20 working days to respond.
- If you don’t take action, your claim could be considered withdrawn.
- Many advise getting assistance from a licenced immigration adviser to complete the questionnaire.
- If you are unable to locate a licenced immigration adviser, ask for a deadline extension.
- You can obtain an extension with the assistance of charities and refugee community organisations.
- Save a copy of the questionnaire you filled out, together with any other supporting documentation you provided, for your future use.
Because the Home Office’s timeline for granting refugee status or humanitarian protection is unknown, submitting this form is intended to hasten the procedure.
If the Home Office is uncertain about your eligibility, they should invite you to an interview and/or ask you for more supporting documentation. They may give you status following an interview, but they may also reject your application for asylum. No claim will be rejected prior to a meeting.
Requesting A Time Extension
The Home Office may decide to regard your claim as withdrawn if you do not properly complete and submit the questionnaire by the deadline. You will no longer have a pending asylum claim, you might no longer be eligible for asylum support, and you might lose any benefits you had because you applied for asylum before 28 June 2022 if your case is withdrawn.
If you require more time than the 20 working day deadline, you may request one.
The extension request needs a response from the Home Office. Check your phone, email, and post for any responses. If they respond, they might grant a shorter extension than you requested, and you might have to submit more than one request for an extension.
Hiring A Person To Assist You In Answering The Questionnaire
Although you can submit your questionnaire on your own, it is typically preferable to have a licenced immigration adviser assist you. There are dangers if you fill out the form incorrectly.
If you make a mistake, the Home Office could not trust your statement and might even doubt your nationality or need for protection. If your claim is approved, the answers you provide may also have an impact on any subsequent applications your family members may make to move to the UK with you.
Regardless of what the questionnaire states, it is typically a bad idea to ask a buddy to assist you in completing it. It’s possible that they don’t speak your language or English well enough. They might interpret or mistranslate the questions, which might lead you to provide inaccurate responses. Also, some of the questions’ legal principles may be beyond their comprehension. Generally speaking, they could be inaccurate or misinterpret you and present the incorrect facts. They might not be aware of what information is pertinent or significant.
Calls Or Requests For More Information On The Evidence
Every contribution should, whenever feasible, be made in writing or during a meeting with a regulated legal representative. The Home Office will frequently only ask you to elaborate or offer more details on your responses; nevertheless, if you supply any information that differs from what you previously disclosed in the questionnaire, your claim may be in jeopardy.
Making A Choice
Rapid case resolution is the goal of the simplified policy. About 95% of requests for refuge from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Libya, Syria, and Yemen were granted last year. Rejecting should be uncommon. Nonetheless, it is best to exercise caution until we start to see decisions being taken!
You have the right to appeal a denial of your asylum petition, so make sure the documents are submitted on time.
You do not have the right to appeal if your claim is deemed withdrawn because the questionnaire was not returned on time or because it was incomplete. The only options are to file a request for judicial review or to submit further information and submit a new asylum petition.
You can write to the Home Office and request that your claim be reinstated if you have missed the deadline for returning your questionnaire. Be sure to include a justification for your late delivery of the questionnaire.
Need Help?
Here at Law Lane Solicitors, we have the experience and expertise to advise you on Immigration and Asylum. If you would like to speak to one of our specialists, then please call us on 0207 870 4870 today.
Written by:
Salman Shah
Director