Asylum Support Work
Overview
UKLGIG provides one-to-one support and peer support groups for the most vulnerable LGBTQI+ asylum seekers. Please come to one of our monthly meetings to register your interest. You will hear from us within two weeks of the meeting if we are able to help.
UKLGIG also visits LGBTQI+ asylum seekers in Yarl’s Wood, Harmondsworth and Colnbrook immigration removal centres. If you would like a visit, please email admin@uklgig.org.uk with your phone number, or call 020 7922 7811.
We strongly recommend that you seek the help of a lawyer for your asylum claim. You can find a list of lawyers here. You can also attend one of UKLGIG’s monthly meetings to hear information on the asylum process from volunteer lawyers.
Information on the asylum process is also available on our asylum overview and asylum procedure pages.
Monthly asylum meeting
If you are claiming asylum because you are LGBTQI+ or are thinking of doing so, you are welcome to our monthly asylum meeting. The dates and location are below. Please arrive at 6 pm. If you arrive after 6.30 pm, you may not be allowed to enter. There is no need to book in advance. All UKLGIG services are free and nobody should charge you money for attending.
These meetings are open to LGBTQI+ asylum seekers and their friends or supporters only. We do not allow journalists or researchers to attend.
Volunteer lawyers will talk about the asylum process. There may also be time to ask the lawyers questions or speak to a UKLGIG support worker.
LGBTQI+ asylum seekers can attend more than once and we encourage you to do this if your claim has reached a new stage and you want to understand more about what happens next. You do not need to attend more than once if you do not need to hear the information again or your situation has not changed.
From 9th May, 2019 our office and meeting rooms will be located at:
CAN Mezzanine – Borough: 7-14 Great Dover St, London SE1 4YR [Map]
(Nearest tube: Borough – Northern Line) [Transport update]
The new location is a 10 minute walk from Loman Street
Legal Information
If you have a question about your asylum case which has not been answered at one of our monthly meetings or you are not able to attend a meeting, our Legal Officer and volunteer lawyers provide a free limited legal advice service by telephone providing one-off advice. See here for more details.
Birmingham legal advice surgeries
We usually visit Birmingham LGBT on the last Monday of each month (except public holidays) to give free legal advice and information about the asylum process. This is a drop-in service: please arrive between 10.30 am and 2.30 pm. Please check the calendar below for confirmation.
Birmingham LGBT Centre
38/40 Holloway Circus
Birmingham B1 1EQ [Map]
Legal workshops for women and trans people
We offer free interactive workshops for LGBTQI+ women and trans people who are seeking asylum. These workshops are lead by our legal officer who will discuss evidence, statements and the interview process. This is a safe space for women and trans people only, where people can ask questions and share their experiences.
The dates for the workshops are below. Just come to our office at 2.00 pm – no booking needed.
Women and trans people are also welcome to attend our monthly asylum meetings in London – which are open to all LGBTQI+ people seeking asylum.
From 9th May, 2019 our office and meeting rooms will be located at:
CAN Mezzanine – Borough: 7-14 Great Dover St, London SE1 4YR [Map]
(Nearest tube: Borough – Northern Line) [Transport update]
The new location is a 10 minute walk from Loman Street
Training
Over many years we have run courses for lawyers in the UK on representing asylum seekers claiming on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. These courses are often run in partnership with the Immigration Law Practitioner’s Association (ILPA) or other partner organisations. These courses are highly rated and are the leading source of training for lawyers.
We have also delivered the courses or bespoke versions in-house for individual law firms where the demand is sufficient as a cost-effective alternative.
In the UK and internationally we have been involved in training judges and lawyers on best practice in asylum for LGBTQI+ asylum seekers.
From time to time we provide training to groups of non-lawyers, especially in the voluntary sector, who work with LGBTQI+ asylum seekers and refugees on the asylum process and supporting LGBTQI+ asylum seekers.
If you are interested in having training from UKLGIG please contact us.
Our Legal Officer is able to give some second tier advice to Legal Representatives seeking advice on any aspect of an asylum case based on sexual orientation or gender identity. They can also provide advice to other organisations which are supporting an LGBTQI+ asylum seeker. Please contact the office and leave a message for the Legal Officer to call you back for more information.