Asylum: what we do
Overview
UKLGIG provides one-to-one support and support groups for the most vulnerable LGBTQI+ asylum seekers and gives specialist legal advice on claiming asylum as an LGBTQI+ person. Please come to one of our monthly meetings to register your interest. Alternatively, please attend our legal advice surgery in Birmingham.
If you’d like advice on your case but can’t come to a monthly meeting or the surgery in Birmingham, you can speak to our legal officer by calling us on 020 7922 7811 or emailing admin@uklgig.org.uk. You can also read our guide on how to apply for asylum. We strongly recommend that you seek the help of a lawyer for your asylum claim. You can find a list of lawyers here.
If you are in a detention centre and would like emotional support or legal advice by phone or email, please contact us on 020 7922 7811 or by emailing admin@uklgig.org.uk. If you are in Yarl’s Wood, Harmondsworth and Colnbrook detention centres, we may be able to visit you in person.
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.
Address:
CAN Mezzanine – Borough: 7-14 Great Dover St, London SE1 4YR.
Entrance is behind Bus Stop (F) – Directions from Borough station
[Transport update]
Legal Information
If you cannot attend one of our monthly asylum meetings in London or attend our advice surgery in Birmingham, our Legal Officer may be able to help you by phone or email. Please call us on 020 7922 7811 or email admin@uklgig.org.uk. See also our webpage on how to apply for asylum.
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.
Address:
CAN Mezzanine – Borough: 7-14 Great Dover St, London SE1 4YR.
Entrance is behind Bus Stop (F) – Directions from Borough station
[Transport update]
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.