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Apply for asylum to stay in the UK as a refugee - eligibility, documents you need, how to apply, screening, asylum interview, help you can get, children

• Overview

  You must apply for asylum if you want to stay in the UK as a refugee. To…

• Eligibility

  To stay in the UK as a refugee you must be unable to live safely in any…

• Documents you must provide

  You’ll need documents for yourself and your dependants (partner and…

• Attend an asylum screening

  You register your asylum claim at a ‘screening’. This is a meeting with an…

• After your screening

  After your screening, the Home Office will review your case and decide…

• Asylum interview

  Your asylum interview will usually take place soon after your screening.…

• Get a decision

  Your application will be decided as soon as possible. It may take longer…

• Help you can get

  You can get help from asylum helplines run by charities. They can help…

• If you're under 18

  This information is for children applying on their own. If you have an…

Form to give UK Visas and Immigration more information about claim for asylum, humanitarian protection or discretionary permission to be in UK.

National Insurance contributions you can choose to pay when you have a gap in your National Insurance record.

• Overview

  If you do not pay National Insurance you may have gaps in your National…

• Check which National Insurance contributions you can pay

  Find out if you can pay voluntary National Insurance contributions based…

• Rates

  The rates for the 2025 to 2026 tax year are: £3.50 a week for Class 2…

• How and when to pay

  If you live in the UK, find out how to: pay Class 2 voluntary…

This guide provides information about being arrested in Oman and what conditions are like in prison there.  

• Updated: 25 June 2025

Form A63: Application for an order to annul a Convention adoption or Convention adoption order or for an overseas adoption or determination under section 91 to cease to be valid. Section 89 Adoption and Children Act 2002.

What you need to do to buy, sell or hire out items made of or containing ivory in the UK.

• Updated: 29 August 2025

This guide provides information about being arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and what conditions are like in prison there.

• Updated: 20 October 2023

Compendium of re-offending annual statistics

• Updated: 3 February 2014

This guide provides information about being arrested in Venezuela and what conditions are like in prison there.

• Updated: 22 September 2025

Guidance primarily aimed at local responders covering some humanitarian issues that may arise during the recovery phase of an emergency in the UK.

• Updated: 20 February 2013