• Asylum Seekers and Refugees
• How to Claim Asylum
• Useful websites

Who is an asylum seeker and refugee?

An Asylum Seeker is an individual who has entered the UKto claim asylum and has registered this fact with the UK Border Agency.Those who have their asylum claim accepted become a refugee and are given "leave to remain" or they are rejected and required to leave. Other forms of leave to remain include Humanitarian Protection or Discretionary Leave to Remain.

A refugee has been give permission to stay in the country by the UK Border Agency. A refugee is entirtled to the same rights and support as any other foreigner who is a legal resident, including the right to work. Refugees are no longer given Indefinite Leave to remain, and most people allowed to stay in the UK must reapply after 3 or 5 years

To be recognised as a refugee, you must have left your country and be unable to go back because you have a well-founded fear of persecution because of your:

• race
• religion
• nationality
• political opinion
• membership of a particular social group

The criteria for the granting of asylum and hence the recognition of a person as a refugee can be found in the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. The UK is a signatory to the convention, and thus has a legal obligation to protect refugees

How to claim asylum

Full details for claiming asylum can be found on the UK Border Agency website. It explains

• who may be given asylum in the United Kingdom
• how applications for asylum are processed
• what an asylum applicant can expect while the application is considered
• what happens after the decision has been made.

Useful websites for Asylum Seekers and Refugees

See also Recent Reports

The Home Office UK Border Agency (section for Asylum) at ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/asylum/. This site describes how to claim asylum, how the application is processed and what happens after the decision has been made. See also

www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html for Home Office Stats on Asylum

www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/contact/contactspage/complaints for Home Office complaints procedures

International Crisis Group at www.crisisgroup.org which includes reports from all countires where confilict occures

Refugee Action Liverpool at www.refugee-action.org.uk/liverpool/ (part of Refugee Action UK). Refugee Action on Mount Pleasant, Liverpool offers a range of services for asylum seekers, refugees and other agencies working with asylum seekers

Merseyside Network for Change -Section for local information for asylum seekers and refugees at www.merseysidenetworkforchange.org/directory/letter_all.html. These pages comprise a directory of agencies relevant to asylum seekers and refugees with brief details as to what they offer

The Refuge Council Online at www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/. which offers support and help to refugees and asylum seekers and makes information and advice available to them directly

National Association of Anti-Deportation Campaigns at www.ncadc.org.uk/. The NCADC is a voluntary organisation, which provides practical help and advice to people facing deportation on how to launch and run anti-deportation campaigns.

Bail for Immigration Detainees at www.biduk.org. BiD is an independent charity that exists to challenge immigration detention in the UK and works with asylum seekers and migrants, in removal centres and prisons, to secure their release from detention

AVID - The Association of Visitors to Immigration Detainees at www.aviddetention.org.uk. AVID supports individuals and groups of visitors to detainees

Websites for destitute asylum seekers

www.asaproject.org.uk - providing free legal advice on support for destitute asylum seekers

www.boaztrust.org.uk - working with destitute Asylum Seekers in Manchester

Asylum Aid at www.asylumaid.org.uk. Asylum Aid offers free legal advice through their advice line and also publishes "Women's Asylum News"

For finding you MP or Ombudsman use:

www.theyworkforyou.com/ to find and contact your MP

www.ombudsman.org.uk to find out how to make a complaint

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