Asylum 'Screening Interview' query...

[gollywood]

Sorry folks, I cant for the life of me find a section where I should be posting this (if indeed one exists at all) - feel free to move etc

Just a quick question.

A contact of mine has received a date to go to Croydon Asylum Screening Unit, where he & his family will be interviewed (1st time) as part of their Asylum Claim.

Husband/Wife + 2 toddlers

Just a couple of issues:

Basically they asked me to book their appointments being a resident

1) I tried to contact Croydon a week before their visitor visa expired, and continued for 7 days without joy - sometimes redialling for nearly 3 hours!!! Eventually got through on the day that it actually expired

2. They didnt claim Asylum upon arriving - as they had no intention of doing so, hoping their issue might be resolved in their home country, which it hasnt.

They say they didnt want to upset/annoy their sponsors with whom they were living whilst in the UK.

I only know a little about Visitor visas & Appeals procedure, but am sure Croydon will ask why they didnt claim Asylum upon arrival/ask to explain leaving it to the final day.

How best should they approach this?

As ever, your responses are most welcome & highly appreciated.

[Greenie]

Anyone claiming asylum should seek advice from a competent solicitor or immigration advisor before doing so. You should encourage them to seek legal advice.

If asked why they didn't claim earlier they need to be honest. Delay in claiming can cause ukba to doubt the credibility of the claim whatever their reason. It is not really possible to comment any further without knowing more information and a public forum is not really the place for such sensitive issues.

[gollywood]

Anyone claiming asylum should seek advice from a competent solicitor or immigration advisor before doing so. You should encourage them to seek legal advice.

If asked why they didn't claim earlier they need to be honest. Delay in claiming can cause ukba to doubt the credibility of the claim whatever their reason. It is not really possible to comment any further without knowing more information and a public forum is not really the place for such sensitive issues.

Thanks for that. They will be meeting with a solicitor in a short time.

On a side note, what is the 'screening process' like? Do they interview the family together, or seperately? Can they take someone with them to look after toddlers who difficult to control in environment they may not be familiar with etc?

[IMMIGRATION LAWYER]

I sometimes take the asylum cases and attend the interviews with clients.

They will be interviewed separately of course. They will have to sign their statements, too. Then there will be a substantial interview. Mind, though, that they may be detained.

While you are seeing a lawyer, this may be useful, in between: http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/policy ... msuppbull/

Anyone claiming asylum should seek advice from a competent solicitor or immigration advisor before doing so. You should encourage them to seek legal advice.

If asked why they didn't claim earlier they need to be honest. Delay in claiming can cause ukba to doubt the credibility of the claim whatever their reason. It is not really possible to comment any further without knowing more information and a public forum is not really the place for such sensitive issues.

Thanks for that. They will be meeting with a solicitor in a short time.

On a side note, what is the 'screening process' like? Do they interview the family together, or seperately? Can they take someone with them to look after toddlers who difficult to control in environment they may not be familiar with etc?

[gollywood]

Just a follow up question, slightly unrelated...

If an Asylum Seeker after exhausted his/her appeals, if served notice to leave the country..

1) What happens if he/she is not able to afford the cost of air tickets?

2) If the UK authorities pay for it, do they in turn reclaim them from the applicants 'home country'?

3) Is he/she expected to repay this to the authorities in his/her own country? (Some of the authorities 'back home' can be unforgiving!)

Many thanks

[Greenie]

Just a follow up question, slightly unrelated...

If an Asylum Seeker after exhausted his/her appeals, if served notice to leave the country..

1) What happens if he/she is not able to afford the cost of air tickets?

2) If the UK authorities pay for it, do they in turn reclaim them from the applicants 'home country'?

3) Is he/she expected to repay this to the authorities in his/her own country? (Some of the authorities 'back home' can be unforgiving!)

Many thanks

1) UKBA will pay for tickets via enforced return, or the individual can apply for voluntary return which includes the ticket and integration assistance if eligible.

2) No

3) No because they don't try to reclaim the money.

[gollywood]

Many thanks