21. April 2026
Who & Why is eligible to claim asylum in the UK?
The facts are clear. It is not illegal to claim asylum in the UK. Contrary to the incorrect and endlessly repeated falsehood, people arriving on British soil to claim asylum are not illegal immigrants.
Unfortunately, most nationalities do not have the ability to apply for refugee status from outside of the UK. There are currently a few exceptions that can apply for resettlement from abroad on special humanitarian grounds, including people from Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Hong Kong. For almost everyone else, you have to be on British soil to claim asylum in this country. This is why many asylum seekers arrive on our shores via questionable and dangerous routes and transportation.
However, most asylum seekers are desperate and frightened people who need to apply for refugee status, due to persecution in their own country. Under international law, the 1951 Refugee Convention, these individuals are eligible for asylum if they have a reasonable fear of imprisonment, danger, or death due to:
- race
- religion
- nationality
- political views
- social & cultural differences
- sexual orientation
- gender identity
- gender
The 1951 Refugee Convention, also known as the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or the Geneva Convention of 28 July 1951, details the rights of individuals who are granted asylum and the subsequent responsibilities of the nations that grant them asylum. These rules include forbidding a country from returning a refugee to a territory where their life or freedom is threatened. The convention also ensures that refugees are entitled to basic human rights, including housing, work, and an education.