This page contains the contact details for our asylum support customer contact centre.

If you want to claim asylum and you are already in the UK, you should make an application at the screening unit in Croydon, south of London. You can either book an appointment in advance or attend the walk-in service. If you want to guarantee that you will be seen on a particular day, we strongly recommend that you book an appointment. Those who have long distances to travel should book an appointment.

We do not refund travelling costs or offer any monetary assistance for travelling to and from the screening unit. If you have not booked an appointment, you may be asked to return on another day.

The process of registering an asylum application can take up to 4 hours to complete. There is also a possibility that you may be detained. If we decide to detain you, we will give you a letter explaining why.

For further information on the process, see the How to claim asylum page.

Booking an appointment

We are currently piloting a change in the way that appointments are booked. We collect more information in advance, which allows us to complete some administration before you attend your appointment. This reduces the length of your screening interview at the unit. We hope that, by knowing more about you and your needs in advance, we can better meet any requirements that you may have.

The service uses an interpreter, and we carry the cost of the call.

When you phone to book your appointment, you should ideally be somewhere quiet and be free to speak for up to 30 minutes. We will ask for your name and your contact phone number, and whether you will need an interpreter to answer some questions. We will then phone you back, give you an appointment, and ask you some simple questions about yourself and your family. You will not be asked why you are claiming asylum.

Notice to legal representatives

If you are calling on behalf of a client you should do so in the presence of your client so they can answer our questions. As an interpreter will be made available there should not be any communication problems.