Vijay Mallya seeks asylum in UK: Who can seek asylum, how to apply and other questions answered

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Seeking asylum is a fundamental human right but to seek refuge or protection in the United Kingdom, one must first produce evidence that they are fearing persecution in their motherland.

All asylum seekers need to follow a set procedure to claim refuge in the UK. The guidelines for the same are listed below:

Who is an asylum seeker?
Any person who has fled the country of origin fearing persecution and wants to seek refuge in another country.

Who is eligible to seek asylum in the UK?
It is not likely for persons residing in a country within the European Union (EU) to be granted asylum in the UK. Additionally, those who have already claimed asylum in an EU country before arriving in the UK may also not receive asylum.

The asylum seeker must be able to establish the risk of persecution in the home country. Not only should the reason behind the fear of persecution be well-founded, but it must be based on either race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership of particular social groups (which could also be associated with a person’s gender identity or sexual orientation).

The fear of persecution in the future could range from severe violation of basic human rights to denial of judicial redress.

How to apply for asylum?
One can seek asylum in the UK either immediately upon arrival or at a time a person feels it would be unsafe to return to their own country, while he or she may already be in the UK.

If one applies after arriving at an airport or seaport, a Border Force personnel must be informed immediately about the intention to claim asylum. They will then be screened, and the application will be registered.

If a person is already in the UK, he or she must arrange for screening the moment they become eligible to claim asylum. One can call the asylum intake unit to make an appointment.

What is the procedure?
The identity of each person seeking asylum will be verified by a screening officer, and the applicants will be asked to provide their personal details and proof of identification. Their photographs and fingerprints will also be taken.

After that, they will be interviewed, where they will have to justify the reason why they want to seek refuge. After the claim is registered, the asylum seekers will be given an Application Registration Card (ARC) to prove that their asylum claim is pending a decision.

After the screening, the claim is assigned to a caseworker, who decides if the person needs protection. Then comes the interview, which the applicant must attend along with the caseworker. Relevant documents (passport, birth certificate, medical records, school records, etc) and evidence must be carried in support of the application.

How long can one seek refuge in the UK?If a person is granted asylum in the UK, they will lawfully be able to stay there for a period of up to five years, following which they will have to apply for 'indefinite leave' if they wish to stay back.