Asylum
International protection granted to a person who has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion (1951 Refugee Convention, as applied by the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002).
Independent editorial summary — not the official statute text. Read the official version on legislation.gov.uk.
Government guidance is direct about who this route is for and the test that applies: 'You must apply for asylum if you want to stay in the UK as a refugee.' The eligibility condition turns on both flight and fear of return: 'To be eligible, you must have left your country and be unable to go back because you fear persecution.' Someone who wants to come to the UK for another reason, such as work, study or to join family, is directed instead to the ordinary visa system.
Timing and process matter in practice. Applicants are told to apply 'as soon as you think it would be unsafe for you to return to your own country', because 'Your application is more likely to be refused if you wait.' Every applicant has an initial 'meeting with an immigration officer (known as a "screening")'; after screening, the Home Office decides whether the claim can be considered in the UK and, if so, the applicant has 'an asylum interview with a caseworker.' A child can also claim without an accompanying adult: 'You can apply as a child on your own if you do not have an adult relative who is also claiming asylum.'
Example
Government guidance warns that dishonesty in the process carries a criminal penalty: 'You can get up to 2 years in prison or have to leave the UK if you give false information on your application.'
Related terms
Official sources
This explanation is drawn from the official sources below; every substantive statement is verified against them. For advice on a specific matter, see our find help page.