Streamlined Asylum Course of for Youngsters: Eligibility & Key Updates

By Isabella Reynard – Immigration Barrister

17 Feb 2025

In This Article

1. Overview of the Streamlined Asylum Course of for Youngsters
2. Eligibility Standards Underneath the Streamlined Asylum Course of
3. Streamlined Asylum Course of: Key Variations for Excessive-Grant Charge Nations
4. Notification and Preliminary Evaluation within the Streamlined Asylum Course of
5. Preliminary Data Assembly: What to Count on
6. The Preliminary Data Assembly: Subsequent Steps and Outcomes
7. When a Substantive Interview is Wanted within the Streamlined Asylum Course of
8. What If I Am Not Match to Be Interviewed?
9. Streamlined Asylum Course of for Adults: Key Steps and Eligibility
10. Contact Our Immigration Barristers
11. Continuously Requested Questions
12. Glossary

1. Overview of the Streamlined Asylum Course of for Youngsters

In an effort to clear the asylum backlog, a streamlined asylum course of was introduced in initially in 2023. In essence, this includes youngsters who’re searching for asylum having a ‘Preliminary Data Assembly’ initially to see if the declare might be positively determined with out the necessity for a substantive asylum interview. It’s with the hope that the method might be sped up. 

For kids, the Streamlined Asylum Course of was launched in March 2023. For adults, the asylum declare course of differs. 

2. Eligibility Standards Underneath the Streamlined Asylum Course of

This can solely apply to youngsters searching for asylum from high-grant fee international locations. They’ll, most often, not have substantive asylum interviews and can as a substitute have shorter interviews referred to as preliminary data conferences underneath the streamlined asylum course of.

Candidates of different nationalities can be thought-about underneath the conventional asylum course of.

This coverage applies to accompanied and unaccompanied (these within the UK and not using a dad or mum or guardian) asylum-seeking youngsters.

It’s going to additionally apply to youngsters who’ve turned 18 while awaiting a call on their asylum utility as long as the appliance was made previous to turning 18 years outdated. 

3. Streamlined Asylum Course of: Key Variations for Excessive-Grant Charge Nations

Since grant charges fluctuate, these international locations change. At the moment, these included are Afghanistan, Eritrea, South Sudan and Sudan. The Migration Statistics present additional data on this. Notably, Vietnam has lately been faraway from this record. 

4. Notification and Preliminary Evaluation within the Streamlined Asylum Course of

The related Dwelling Workplace group ought to initially determine applicable asylum claims and inform the applicant that they’re eligible. A notification letter can be despatched informing the consumer, their authorized consultant if relevant and the Accountable grownup that their case is being thought-about underneath the streamlined asylum course of. This can embrace some introductory questions, together with household background particulars.

5. Preliminary Data Assembly: What to Count on

This can be a assembly attended by the asylum-seeking little one, a Dwelling Workplace consultant and a Accountable Grownup. An interpreter ought to be supplied if required. When you have a authorized consultant, they’ll additionally attend.

The steering states that these conferences ought to sometimes not happen till not less than 2 weeks have handed from when an accompanied little one has lodged an asylum declare or 2 weeks after an unaccompanied little one has been taken into native authority care.

These conferences are sometimes carried out remotely however in-person conferences might be requested. The situation is to be non-public and might be, for instance, an workplace space inside a neighborhood authority.

The choice-maker ought to initially verify some particulars and there ought to be a written transcript, of which the applicant ought to obtain a duplicate afterwards. Questions will then be requested regarding the idea of the asylum declare, any proof submitted as a part of the declare and to determine whether or not household tracing checks ought to be carried out.  The kid applicant can request a break, if wanted.

6. The Preliminary Data Assembly: Subsequent Steps and Outcomes

As soon as the Preliminary Data Assembly has been carried out, the choice maker will think about if asylum ought to be granted or whether or not additional data is required, for instance, if there are points to be clarified in a substantive interview. 

Following the assembly, the kid can be notified concerning subsequent steps. If profitable, a refugee standing grant letter ought to be issued. 

7. When a Substantive Interview is Wanted within the Streamlined Asylum Course of

It’s not assured {that a} substantive asylum interview won’t happen. If, nevertheless, as soon as a Preliminary Data Assembly has taken place, it’s thought-about {that a} choice to grant refugee standing might be made on the idea of the proof accessible at this stage, then no substantive asylum interview can be deemed needed underneath the streamlined asylum course of.

It ought to be famous that if following the Preliminary Data Assembly, it’s thought-about that there’s ample proof just for the lesser grant of Humanitarian Safety, then a substantive asylum interview will observe. 

The aim of this streamlined asylum course of pertains to the Dwelling Workplace’s obligations underneath part 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009, requiring them to hold out capabilities in a approach that takes under consideration the necessity to safeguard and promote the welfare of youngsters. 

8. What If I Am Not Match to Be Interviewed?

Along with this course of, paragraph 352 of the Immigration Guidelines individually units out that the place a toddler is unfit or unable to be interviewed, it’s potential for a optimistic choice to be made and not using a substantive interview. 

9. Streamlined Asylum Course of for Adults: Key Steps and Eligibility

Sure, there’s a separate streamlined course of for adults. This course of differs from the method set out above for youngsters. 

For grownup streamlined claims, a screening course of will first happen which is a sometimes temporary interview. Following this, the choice maker can grant safety standing, that means refugee standing or humanitarian safety, if potential and not using a substantive interview. If additional data is required, an asylum questionnaire can be despatched. Checks will then be carried out, together with assessing whether or not any referrals are wanted on account of vulnerabilities. 

The high-grant fee international locations presently are nationals of Afghanistan, Eritrea, Libya, Syria and Yemen who claimed asylum earlier than 7 March 2023 and Sudanese claims made on or after 28 June 2022 and earlier than 7 March 2023. This is because of their high-grant fee of safety standing.

The steering makes clear that there are circumstances the place private interviews will nonetheless be required. It’s inspired that these interviews are focused and brief.

Streamlined asylum processing doesn’t apply to inadmissible claims.

It’s value noting that the grownup course of will usually apply the place the primary claimant and any dependent youngsters have the identical grounds of alleged persecution which might be thought-about as a part of a single asylum choice. Due to this fact, the place it’s applicable, Household asylum claims might be processed by means of the Streamlines Course of. Data concerning the dependent youngsters can be gathered in the course of the course of.

For professional recommendation and help in relation to asylum functions and appeals contact our immigration barristers in London on 0203 617 9173 or by way of the enquiry kind beneath.