Summary
A BBC investigation found that some legal advisers in the UK are helping migrants pretend to be gay to get asylum. These advisers charge large fees and teach migrants how to create false evidence, like fake letters and medical reports, to support their claims.
Key Facts
- Migrants whose visas are about to expire are being helped to make fake asylum claims based on being gay and fearing harm in their home countries.
- Legal advisers and law firms charge thousands of pounds for these services, sometimes up to £7,000.
- Evidence includes fake supporting letters, photos, medical reports, and even false personal stories.
- Some migrants visit doctors pretending to be depressed or HIV positive to get medical evidence.
- One adviser explained how to fake a gay sexual relationship for asylum claims.
- About 35% of UK asylum claims come from people whose visas have expired, not those arriving by illegal routes.
- The Home Office says anyone caught exploiting the asylum system will face legal consequences, including removal.
- At a meeting for gay asylum seekers, many attendees admitted they were not actually gay.
