Asylum & Protection Advice
Expert, confidential help with UK asylum claims, refusals and appeals, fresh claims and refugee settlement – from IAA Level 3 regulated advisers.
Last updated: 12 November 2026
If you are afraid to return to your home country, you may be able to claim asylum in the UK. The asylum system is changing faster than at any time in recent years, and the decisions you make early on – what you say at your interview, what evidence you provide and when – can decide the outcome of your claim.
Baya Immigration gives expert, confidential asylum and protection advice. We help people make strong asylum claims, challenge refusals, make fresh claims and plan their route to settlement under the new rules. If your claim has been refused, read about appealing a Home Office decision.
Confidential first call – tell us what has happened and we will explain your options and our fees before you commit to anything.
How we can help with your asylum or protection case
1. Making an asylum claim
We help you prepare for your screening and substantive asylum interviews, write a detailed witness statement, gather supporting evidence such as country information, medical and expert reports, and make written representations to the Home Office explaining why you qualify for protection.
2. Asylum refusals and appeals
If the Home Office refuses your claim, you usually have only 14 days to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal if you are in the UK. We prepare your appeal bundle, skeleton argument and witnesses. See our appeals service and other ways to challenge a refusal.
3. Fresh claims and further submissions
If your appeal rights are exhausted but something has changed – new evidence, a change in your home country or a change in your personal circumstances – we can prepare further submissions asking the Home Office to treat them as a fresh claim under paragraph 353 of the Immigration Rules.
4. Human rights claims (Article 3 and Article 8)
Where you do not qualify as a refugee, you may still be protected from removal because of a real risk of serious harm (Article 3) or because of your family and private life in the UK (Article 8). We advise on these claims alongside, or instead of, an asylum claim.
5. Protection reviews, extensions and settlement
Refugees granted status under the new rules are reviewed every 30 months. We help you prepare for reviews, extend your permission on time and plan the quickest route to Indefinite Leave to Remain – including whether switching to another route could get you there sooner.
6. LGBTQ+ asylum claims
Claims based on sexual orientation or gender identity need careful, sensitive preparation. Read our guide to LGBTQ+ immigration and asylum claims.
UK asylum rule changes in 2026: what you need to know
The government has made major changes to refugee protection and has more on the way. In summary:
- 30-month refugee status: people who claimed asylum on or after 2 March 2026 and are recognised as refugees now receive 30 months’ permission, reviewed at the end of each period, instead of five years. Unaccompanied children continue to receive five years.
- “Core protection” and settlement: under the government’s earned settlement plans, refugees on core protection would need to wait 20 years for settlement, with longer periods for people who entered illegally. A new Protection Work and Study route is planned, with a 10-year path to settlement. Detailed rules are expected from December 2026 onwards.
- Family reunion: the refugee family reunion route closed to new applications in September 2025 and no replacement scheme has yet been confirmed.
- The Immigration and Asylum Bill 2026: currently going through Parliament. It would replace refugee status and humanitarian protection with a single protection status, remove “upgrade” appeals, change how Article 8 family and private life claims are assessed and, from late 2027 at the earliest, create a new Independent Immigration Appeals Authority. It is not yet law.
Because the rules are changing so quickly, it is important to get advice based on the law as it stands on the day you apply or appeal.
Why choose Baya Immigration for asylum advice?
- We are regulated at the highest level – Level 3 – by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA), registration number F201800106.
- We are rated 4.9 on Google and 5.0 on Review Solicitors.
- Our advisers – Jocelyn, Owain, Jon and Joseph – are all regulated at Level 3 and bring more than 20 years’ experience of Home Office applications. Meet the team.
- Confidential, non-judgemental advice from advisers who understand how stressful the asylum process is.
- Clear fees agreed in writing before any work starts.
Speak to an asylum adviser
Tell us briefly about your situation and we will contact you within one working day. Everything you tell us is confidential.
Prefer to talk? Call 0330 118 0393. If you have a deadline – for example an appeal or removal date – please tell us straight away.
Asylum and protection: frequently asked questions
People who claimed asylum on or after 2 March 2026 and are recognised as refugees are granted 30 months’ permission, which is reviewed at the end of each period. Refugees granted under the earlier rules normally received five years. Unaccompanied children continue to receive five years.
If you are in the UK, you usually have 14 days from the date the refusal decision was sent to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal. Deadlines are strict, so contact us as soon as you receive a refusal.
The refugee family reunion route closed to new applications in September 2025. Family members may be able to apply under other routes, such as the family rules in Appendix FM, but the requirements are much stricter. We can advise on the options.
Under the current rules, refugees with five years’ permission can usually apply for settlement at the end of that period. Under the government’s earned settlement plans, people on the new core protection route would wait 20 years, with shorter periods for those who move onto the planned Protection Work and Study route or other routes. The detailed rules have not yet been published.
If your asylum claim and any appeal have been refused, you can send further submissions to the Home Office. If they contain significantly different material that creates a realistic prospect of success, the Home Office must treat them as a fresh claim under paragraph 353 of the Immigration Rules, which normally gives a new right of appeal if refused.
Refugee status is for people who have a well-founded fear of persecution for a Refugee Convention reason, such as race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group. Humanitarian protection is for people who face a real risk of serious harm for other reasons. The Immigration and Asylum Bill 2026 would combine them into a single protection status.
Get expert asylum advice today
Whether you are about to claim asylum, have been refused or need to plan your route to settlement, we can help you understand your options.
This page provides general information and is not legal advice. Immigration rules change regularly. Advice on your personal circumstances is only given once we have reviewed your case.
What our clients say
Rated 5.0 on Google
Jocelyn has been simply amazing and extremely efficient when it has come to the application of all of my visas for staying in the UK. From the time of my Fiancé visa application a few years ago right until my most recent ILR visa application, Jocelyn has been highly professional,...
Namita Gokal
It was the greatest help I could ever imagine to get through quite stressful visa process. Greatly appreciated your help, I truly don’t know where I would have been sitting without your help.
Veronika P
Absolutely highly recommended. Straight forward and direct to the point. All you need is to explain your situation.
Yahya Abueidah
Jocelyn is a fantastic immigration lawyer. She is experienced, professional and very friendly. I have known her for a few years and would trust her with the most complex immigration matters.
Ruba Huleihel
Joss was extremely helpful and professional. She advised us on EU law regarding family settlement at a time when rules had recently changed following Brexit.
Daniel Thompson
Both Joss and Owain were helpful, reassuring and patient in our spouse visa process. Highly recommend as they will guide you through the application process and give detailed instructions on what documentation is needed. 10/10 would use again.
Danielle
Jocelyn’s service was completely amazing. From the beginning she was really helpful, clear, supportive and efficient especially when outlining what was required for my application and how to proceed.
JohnPaul K
I strongly recommend Joss, because of her amazing approach and support throughout the whole process of my visa application, she is very professional and confident that makes you feel safe and positive while waiting for the whole process.
Elaine Magrath
I thoroughly enjoyed my time as a client of Jocelyn and came to know her vast knowledge and expertise in Immigration services.
Harmeet Oberoi
