Immigration

Lord Avebury
asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they allow officials from their embassies to interview foreign national asylum seekers for the purpose of documenting them only after the asylum seekers have exhausted their rights of appeal. [HL3243]

The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal)
No application for a travel document will be submitted to any foreign Government until any application for asylum has been refused. If the application has been refused, but an appeal is pending, then we would not delay applying for the travel document. For the purpose of satisfactorily establishing the nationality and identity of an individual, foreign government officials may interview the individual. However, Her Majesty's Government do not disclose information about the individual's asylum claim to other Governments.