The asylum process
This section explains our process for considering applications for asylum and what you can expect while we are considering your application and after we have made our decision. It also tells you about your rights and responsibilities as an asylum applicant.
Since March 2007, all new asylum applications are being managed by a system which places them with a single person who will deal with every aspect of the application from beginning to end. This person is known as a case owner.
For more details of how cases are managed by case owners, you should read Process overview.
Some older applications are also being handled in this way by our teams in regional offices around the country. Others, sometimes known as 'legacy cases' are being handled separately. For more details of how we are handling these cases, see Older cases
As an asylum applicant, you have rights and you also have responsibilities that you must keep to while you are in the United Kingdom. For more details, see Rights and responsibilities.
At any stage of the process, you are free to leave the United Kingdom voluntarily, either by making your own travel arrangements or by applying to the Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programme.
For the full, technical details of the policy and process our case owners follow, see Law and policy .
