The Home Office's asylum information booklet, updated on 28 September 2026, explains the Single Protection Interview, which combines screening and asylum interview for nationals of listed countries.
Key facts
- Who: People registering or considering registering an asylum claim in the UK; nationals of the listed countries may be invited to a Single Protection Interview
- From: Updated 28 September 2026
- Source: Information booklet for asylum applications
The Home Office's booklet for people who have registered, or are considering registering, an asylum claim was updated on 28 September 2026. It sets out information about the Single Protection Interview. The booklet is guidance only and is not a legal document.
What the booklet says
Most people claiming asylum attend a screening appointment and, later, an asylum interview. The booklet says that nationals of an EU country, an EEA country, Switzerland, the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia or New Zealand may instead be invited to a Single Protection Interview.
Anyone invited will receive a letter saying so, with details of when and how the interview will take place. The interview combines the screening appointment and the asylum interview into a single appointment. The person is asked questions to register the claim. They are also given the opportunity to explain why they are seeking protection in the UK, including why they left their country and why they believe they cannot safely return.
The interview may take place face to face or by video conference. The booklet says it is very important to attend: if a person does not attend, their asylum claim will not be registered.
The decision-maker conducting the interview is specially trained and will conduct it as sensitively as possible, giving the person the opportunity to explain their circumstances in their own words. The booklet says it is important to provide as much relevant information as possible, including what happened in the person's country, why they left and what they fear on return. It also says to provide any documents or evidence the person wants taken into account. A decision on the claim may follow the interview.
Related points in the booklet
The booklet also says claimants are expected to claim asylum at the earliest possible opportunity, and that failing to do so may affect the credibility of a claim. It says that failing to attend an asylum interview without a good reason, or failing to keep contact details up to date, may result in a claim being treated as withdrawn. It also says that, unless exceptional circumstances apply, an EU national's asylum claim must be declared inadmissible on the basis that their country of origin is generally safe.
What this means for people claiming asylum
The booklet explains that some nationals may be invited to a Single Protection Interview instead of a separate screening appointment and asylum interview, and that a letter will give the details. It says that not attending means the claim will not be registered.
For anyone who cannot attend an asylum interview, the booklet says to tell the Home Office as soon as possible and to provide evidence of the reason, such as a letter from a GP. The booklet also says that anyone who does not understand its information can contact the support services it lists or seek legal advice.
Sources
- Home Office, UK Visas and Immigration: Information booklet for asylum applications (Information booklet about your asylum application, updated 28 September 2026)