What is an Asylum-Seeker?
An asylum-seeker is someone of any age who has fled his or her home country to find a safe place elsewhere.
Under the 1951 Convention on Refugees, an asylum applicant must be able to demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution in their country of origin for reasons of political opinion, religion, ethnicity, race/nationality, or membership of a particular social group.
The applicant must also be able to demonstrate that they are unable to obtain any protection or assistance from their own national authorities.
The essential parts of this Convention are reiterated in, and up-dated by, ‘The Refugee or Person in Need of International Protection (Qualification) Regulations’ 2006.
Asylum applications in the UK are sent to the Home Office for consideration.
A refugee is someone whose asylum application is successful.

