On 9 July 2026, the government published a Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules. A Statement of Changes is a formal document that is used to amend the Immigration Rules, which explains the changes being made and specifies what date the new rules start.

There are several changes in this statement, including those  affecting children, family members of people with protection status, people on immigration bail, and some EU Settlement Scheme applications.

There is one major change to asylum interviews and decision-making, which you will find halfway down the page, under the heading “Other Minor Changes”, with the title: “Asylum Interviews: Additional circumstances when interviews may be omitted”

This is not a minor change. It could mean some people are refused asylum without a separate substantive asylum interview.

The full details are not yet available. The Home Office says further guidance will be published when the rules come into force. This should include guidance on which claims may be treated as “clearly unfounded” and which countries may be treated as “manifestly safe”.

Here’s what we know so far.

Changes to asylum interviews: “merged registration”

From 3 August 2026, the Home Office is changing the way it handles some asylum claims.

Under the new rules, some people may have one combined interview instead of a screening interview and a later substantive asylum interview. This is called merged registration.

At the moment, if you claim asylum, you usually have a screening interview first. This is where the Home Office asks basic questions about who you are, your journey, and your claim.

Later, you usually have a substantive asylum interview. This is the longer, main asylum interview where the Home Office asks detailed questions about why you need protection. Some people wait weeks, months, or even years for this interview.

Under the new rules, some people may not get a separate substantive asylum interview.

Instead, the Home Office may use one merged registration interview to register your asylum claim, ask screening questions, and ask questions about why you are claiming asylum, why you need protection, and why you should not be removed from the UK.

After this interview, the Home Office will decide what happens next.

The Home Office may:

• continue your case through the usual asylum process, with a substantive asylum interview later;
• give you a positive decision, which means the Home Office agrees that you need protection; or
• give you a negative decision, which means your claim is refused.

Why might the Home Office refuse some cases without a main asylum interview?

The Home Office says this process may be used for claims it thinks can be decided quickly.

For example, this may include claims the Home Office believes are “clearly unfounded.” This means the Home Office thinks the claim is very weak and would not realistically succeed.

It may also include claims from countries that the Home Office claims to be “safe”, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and the USA.

The UK also already has a legal “safe country” list. This is in section 94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

If you are from a country on this list, the Home Office may start from the position that your claim is clearly unfounded. This means the Home Office may think your claim is very weak unless there are individual reasons showing you are at risk.

Can you appeal?

If the Home Office refuses your claim, you may usually have a right to appeal.

But if the Home Office refuses your claim and certifies it as clearly unfounded, you may not have a right to  appeal to the Tribunal.

It means you could be refused without a full asylum interview and without the right to  appeal.

Why is this important?

This change is very concerning because it means that some people may have fewer chances to explain their asylum claim before a decision is made. 

The Home Office says you will still have the chance to get legal advice, give evidence, and explain why you cannot be removed from the UK. However, we know that many people do not haved access to legal advice early in their asylum case. Many people also struggle to get legal advice later.

This is especially concerning for people from countries the Home Office says are “safe”. A country being called “safe” does not mean it is safe for you. You may still be at risk because of your sexuality, gender identity, religion, politics, ethnicity, family, community, disability, experience of trafficking, domestic abuse, or other personal circumstances. Every asylum claim should still be looked at individually.

What next? 

We will keep you updated when more guidance and information is published.

For now, it is important to prepare early. This means organising paperwork, creating timelines, gathering evidence, reading the Right to Remain Toolkit with someone you trust, and making a plan in case of detention.

If you support people in the asylum system, this is a time to step up. People may need help understanding letters, organising documents, finding legal advice, and preparing evidence.

The Home Office is trying to move faster, and the amount of change feels exhausting. As a community we need to move carefully, collectively and early, so we can prepare for these changes and respond to the direction the government is moving in.