Last updated: 02 January 2026

What is evidence?

In all types of asylum, immigration or human rights claims, you will need evidence to support your application.

Evidence is information which is used to prove your legal case. There are many different times in which you will need evidence in an asylum or immigration case. For example, you will need to submit evidence to the Home Office to support your application, and also to the courts if you are appealing a refusal. Evidence is used to show that you are telling the truth. This may be to prove that you need to be in the UK, that you can’t live elsewhere, that you would be in danger somewhere else, or simply that you meet the requirements of the application you are making.

The evidence you need to make your case stronger will be specific to your individual situation. There are, however, some standard rules and principles that need to be met. Keep on reading to find out more about how to meet them. 

If you have a lawyer, make sure you show any evidence to them before deciding to send it to the Home Office. It is important that your lawyer has the chance to review it and agree that it should be submitted. 

If you do not have a lawyer, you should think very carefully before sending evidence to the Home Office. Sometimes, evidence can weaken your case. Whether or not you have a lawyer, you can read this page to better understand how to prepare strong evidence in support of your case. 

You can watch our Evidence video below for more information.

When do you need to provide evidence?

For some applications, such as asylum applications, there may be several points at which you can submit evidence to support your case. In other applications, you may only get one opportunity to submit evidence. 

For example, for immigration applications that do not have a right of appeal, you will need to submit all the relevant evidence at the beginning when you make the application. 

The evidence you should submit will depend on the rules you are trying to show you meet and maybe where in the application process you are. For example, if you have had a refusal from the Home Office and you have an opportunity to provide more evidence, your evidence should try to address the reasons the Home Office has given for their refusal. Can you show that you do, in fact, meet the rules or requirements? When possible, you should try and pre-empt (this means to take action to stop it happening) the Home Office refusal and provide evidence for areas they commonly refuse applications on, or areas of your application that appear to be weak or vague.

What is good evidence?

For some kinds of applications, there are very specific types of evidence that are allowed (and in some cases, in a very specific format).

The Home Office has lists of what it considers to be acceptable evidence in its internal guidance documents, but the courts may not always agree with the Home Office position.

If your evidence comes from outside the UK, you may need to prove its genuineness (that it is real) and how you received it. You need to think about where the evidence comes from and if that source will be considered as trustworthy by the Home Office and/or the courts.

If any documents you want to use as evidence are in a different language, you must have them translated by a certified translator. The translator must include their name and contact details, sign and date sign the translation and certify that it is accurate to the best of their knowledge.

Types of evidence

Testimony

At the early stages of an asylum claim, your evidence may mainly be your testimony. Testimony means your story, in your own words. It is what you say has happened to you, what you fear may happen if you return, why it is not safe for you to go back, and why you need protection in the UK.

Your testimony is usually recorded in two main places:

• your Home Office interviews (screening interview and substantive interview), and
  
• your witness statement (a written statement in your own words).
  

In an asylum claim, you need to show that you would not be safe if returned to your home country (or the country where you normally lived). This may include explaining harm that happened to you, or harm that happens to people in a similar situation to you. You can read more about this on the What is Asylum? page of this guide.

The Home Office will look closely at what you said in your interviews and what you write in your statement. They may look for anything they think is unclear, does not match, or does not make sense. Try to keep your evidence as consistent as you can. If something is different because your situation has changed, or because there was a misunderstanding or mistake earlier (for example stress, translation problems, or confusion), you can explain that in your statement.

Read more about these interviews on the Screening Interview page of this guide and the Substantive Interview page of this guide.

What is a witness statement?

A witness statement is a written account in your own words. It is your chance to explain important facts clearly and in one place. It becomes part of your evidence for the Home Office or for an appeal.

A statement can be helpful because you can write it in your own time, check important dates and details, and explain anything that was missed or misunderstood in an interview. You do not need perfect English. What matters most is that it is clear and truthful.  You can see more about how to write a statement further down the page here.

Documentary evidence

This is a term used to describe official documents that establish aspects of your account. This might include a political party membership card, an arrest warrant, a birth certificate, or newspaper articles about you or about persecution of people like you. Documentary evidence is often hard to get because of the circumstances in which you had to leave your country. If possible, it can be very helpful to submit documentary evidence to support your story. However, you must be certain that the document is genuine. 

The Home Office is often suspicious of documentation from outside of the UK. If the Home Office determines that evidence you have provided isn’t genuine, this is generally very damaging to your case.

You must be able to show how you were able to get access to the documentary evidence. For example, if a friend posted the document to you from your country of origin, you should provide the Home Office with the envelope to show it was posted to you.

Getting copies of Home Office documents (SAR) Sometimes you need documents you do not have, for example an old Home Office decision letter, an interview record, or other information from your Home Office file. One way to ask for your personal information is a Subject Access Request (SAR). SARs are usually free, and you do not need a lawyer to make one. A SAR cannot give you proof of immigration status, but it can help you get copies of records you were never sent or no longer have. Read more further down this page here.

Evidence of medical or psychological problems

You can read about this kind of evidence in our blog post here.

You may require an expert to provide you with a medico-legal report. This is an assessment carried out by a medical or psychological professional which they then write up in a report that documents the psychological and/or physical result of torture and other forms of ill-treatment which an individual has been subjected to. To learn more about what a medico-legal report is, read this blog by Free Movement.

To find out how a medico-legal assessment and report should be written – including common mistakes to avoid – read this blog by Free Movement.

Objective evidence

If your asylum claim has been refused by the Home Office, you may need objective evidence to prove to the judge in the court (the First-tier Tribunal) that your asylum claim should be granted. 

Objective evidence may be general information about the situation in your country, from reliable sources such as human rights organisations or trusted media sources. It could also include an expert statement on your country or situation.

Objective evidence is especially important if your credibility (this means how believable you are) has been questioned by the Home Office, because the evidence isn’t based on what you say happened or could happen. Read more about objective evidence here.

New evidence

If your asylum claim is “appeal rights exhausted” and you have new evidence, you may want to consider a fresh claim.

The basis of a fresh claim might be new evidence about the original reason you claimed asylum; or it might be that your situation has changed since you claimed asylum and had an appeal heard and dismissed; the situation in your country may have changed; or recent case law might have changed the way cases are dealt with or decided.

The evidence you submit to be considered as a fresh claim might be emphasising a point already made, or providing a new source of evidence for an issue that has previously been disputed. The evidence may be on an entirely new matter that hasn’t been raised with the Home Office/courts before. Read more about fresh claims on the Fresh Claims page of this guide.

Applications based on a partner

If you are a British citizen or someone with Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK and you wish to apply for your spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner to come and live with you, you will in most circumstances have to meet income or savings criteria. 

If you wish to sponsor a partner to come to the UK, you will need to be earning a minimum (before tax) of £29,000 per year or equivalent in cash savings. You will need to provide evidence that you meet this criteria – this might be through payslips, tax documents and/or bank statements.

The Home Office has information about proving your income on their website here.

In any application based on a relationship, you will need to prove that the relationship exists.

If you are applying to stay in the UK based on your family life, and this is because you have a partner in the UK but cannot meet the income/savings criteria mentioned above, you will need to prove that:

• you have a “genuine and subsisting relationship”
• with a partner who is in the UK and they are a British citizen, or have Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), or Refugee Status or Humanitarian Protection, and
• there are insurmountable obstacles to your family life with your partner continuing outside of the UK.

A “subsisting” relationship is one that is long-lasting. 

“Insurmountable obstacles” means very serious difficulties. 

If you are married or have a civil partnership with your partner, you will need to provide evidence of this. To prove that your relationship is subsisting, you may need to prove that you and your partner have been living together. Read our Family Members page for more information on the documents that may help to prove this. The Home Office has a list of information you may need to have ready when making an application based on family members in the UK. If you have a lawyer helping you with your application, you will need to provide the information to them.

Applications based on a child

For applications based on being a parent of a child in the UK, you will need to prove that they are in fact your child.

If your child is a British citizen, you will need to provide proof of that. If you are applying on the basis that your child has been in the UK for seven years, you will need to submit evidence to prove this. For example, school reports and health records over the entire 7 year period. 

Applications can be refused if you do not speak English, or if you are not financially independent. If you do speak English and are financially independent, you should provide evidence of this in your application.

You may also need to demonstrate the extent of the life your child has in the UK, and why it would be unreasonable to expect them to leave the UK. Read more about this on the If You Have Children page of this guide. The Home Office has a list of information you may need to have ready when making an application based on family members in the UK. If you have a lawyer helping you with your application, you will need to provide the information to them.

Proving time spent in the UK

For some applications, you will need to prove how long you have been in the UK (and maybe, the length of time you have been outside of the UK since you arrived).

For example, to successfully apply for EU Settled Status you need to prove that you (as an EEA national) have been living in the UK for five years. Most people will just be able to provide their National Insurance number and there will be an automated check of tax and some benefits records. You can find out more about EU applications here. 

For proving long periods of residence in the UK, the Home Office suggests:

• annual bank statements or account summary, showing at least 6 months of payments received or spending in the UK
• employer letter confirming employment and evidence that the employer is genuine, for example, their Companies House number
• council tax bill
• letter or certificate from your school, college, university or other accredited educational or training organisation showing the dates you enrolled, attended and completed your course
• invoice for fees from your school, college, university or other accredited educational or training organisation and evidence of payment
• document showing a UK address from a student finance body in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland or from the Student Loans Company
• residential mortgage statement or rental agreement and evidence of payment
• letter from a registered care home confirming your residence there
• employer pension contributions
• annual business account of a self-employed person
• a P60 for a 12-month period – your P60 shows the tax you’ve paid on your salary in the tax year (6 April to 5 April).
• a P45 showing the length of your previous employment. You should get a P45 from your employer when you stop working for them.

For proving shorter periods of time spent in the UK (that might not be captured in the documents mentioned above), the Home Office suggests:

• bank statement showing payments received or spending in the UK
• payslip for a UK-based job
• water, gas or electricity bill showing a UK address
• landline or mobile telephone, TV or internet bill showing a UK address
• domestic bill, such as for home repairs, vet’s services or insurance, and evidence of payment
• card or letter from your GP, hospital or other healthcare professional confirming appointments you have made or attended
• letter from a government department, public service or charity that show you dealt with them on a particular date or for a particular period (for example Job Centre Plus or Citizens Advice)
• passport stamp confirming entry at the UK border
• used travel ticket confirming you entered the UK from another country
• invoice for work you have done in the UK and evidence of payment

Read more about applications based on your time in the UK on the Long Residence page of this guide.

Get your information: how to make a Subject Access Request (SAR)

A Subject Access Request (SAR) is a request you make to get your personal information from an organisation.  Making a SAR can be a good first step to collect information and documents before a new application, appeal, or other legal step. A SAR lets you ask what information they hold about you, how they use it, and who they share it with. You can also ask for copies of your personal information.

A SAR can be really useful because it can help you build a clearer timeline of your life or immigration case by showing what a single organisation recorded about you over time. It’s the history of your contact with that specific organisation. You might see key dates in order, what decisions were made, what letters were sent, and what staff wrote down at different times. SARs can be helpful when you’re trying to remember dates, check what was recorded, or understand how a decision was reached.

You can make a SAR to any organisation that holds information about you. For example, a SAR to your Local Authority (social services or housing) might include a timeline of assessments, plans, meetings, support offered, and key decisions. A SAR to the police can show what they have on record about incidents, calls, or reports involving you, and when those records were made. People also make SARs to UKVI, the NHS (GP/hospital), schools/colleges, employers, landlords or housing providers, banks, and phone or internet companies.

Sometimes the organisation may remove (black out) parts of the information before they send it to you. This is usually to protect someone else’s information, or because the law allows them to withhold certain types of information (for example, in some policing or legal situations).

Making a SAR is normally free. The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) is the UK regulator for data protection. If the organisation does not reply, takes too long to respond, or refuses without a good reason, you can complain to the ICO

This section is specifically about making a SAR to UKVI (Home Office). You can read about how to make a SAR to other organisations and your rights here:

What information can I get from a SAR to UKVI (Home Office)

You cannot use a SAR to get proof of immigration status or UKVI account registration. People use a SAR to understand their case history, check what is on file, or get documents that may help with a complaint or legal case. The Home Office Subject Access Request Unit (SARU) deals with these requests.

You can make 3 types of requests for information: 

1. Basic request: UKVI provides digital information recorded about you since the year 2000, including immigration history (applications and decisions), landing cards, and some visa applications from outside the UK.
   
2. Specific request (if you need one document): You can ask for up to 5 single documents, for example a decision letter, appeal outcome, interview record, or detention progress report.
   
3. Detailed request: You get an electronic summary first (like basic). You can also ask for paper records from your Home Office file if needed

How long does it take?

UKVI says they will usually reply to your SAR within 1 month once they have all the supporting documents they need. If they contact you to ask for more information, the “1 month” time starts when they receive everything. The ICO also explains that if your request is unclear, the organisation can pause the time limit while they wait for you to explain what you want, and if they ask for ID, the clock usually starts when they have the ID they need. Because of this, it helps to write down two dates: the day you sent your SAR, and the day you sent your supporting evidence. It’s also a good idea to set a calendar reminder for one month after you sent the supporting evidence, so you remember to chase if you’ve heard nothing.

Even if you make a SAR, it’s best not to rely on it as your only way to get the documents you need. A SAR can take time, and it may not include everything you expected the first time. Try to keep your own paperwork as you go, especially copies of every application you submit and every key decision letter you receive. Save them in one clear place (like a folder on your phone) and back them up somewhere else (email or cloud storage) or send them to a trusted friend. A SAR can still be really useful because UKVI may hold documents or notes you were never sent (for example, internal case notes or records of contact) but you should try to keep copies of your main case papers throughout the process. 

Different ways to make a SAR to UKVI/Home Office

You can make a SAR to UKVI/the Home Office in three ways: using the online form, by email, or by post. When you apply, you will need to provide  some basic details so they can find your records, such as your full name, date of birth, nationality, and any Home Office reference numbers you have. It also helps to say what you are asking for (for example a basic request or a list of specific documents) and any important dates.

You can also include extra details if you have them. This is not always necessary, but it can help UKVI find all your records. Sometimes the Home Office may have admin errors (like spelling mistakes), and sometimes a person’s details may appear differently in records because information was written down wrongly, translated differently, or recorded at a stressful time. If you think this might apply, you can include any other names you have used, different spellings of your name, and any other dates of birth or addresses that might appear on file. This can reduce the risk of missing records, without suggesting anyone did anything wrong.

For a UKVI/Home Office SAR, you normally need to send supporting evidence so they know they’re sending the information to the right person. UKVI says they need (1) photo ID, (2) a letter of authority, and (3) proof of relationship if you’re applying for a child under 12.

That “letter of authority” (you might also hear it called a permission letter or consent letter) is basically permission in writing. It is used in two common situations:

• when someone else is making the SAR for you or helping you (for example, a lawyer, caseworker, trusted person) and you want UKVI to send the information to them; or
• when you want UKVI to send the SAR to a different email or postal address.

UKVI says the letter should clearly give permission, and it must include your signature and a date from the last 6 months.

How to make a SAR by online form

You can make a SAR to UKVI  by using the online form. You will need an email address (yours, or someone you trust who can help) because UKVI may contact you and send your response by email. Each stage of the application form explains what information is required and the next steps you need to take. 

If you do not have your own address, you can use a trusted person’s UK address as a c/o (care of) address as long as it is a safe address where you can reliably receive post, and you have their permission – for example a friend, family member, support worker, or organisation. If you do not have any UK address (for example you are outside the UK), UKVI says you should email your SAR instead.

After you submit the form, you must send your supporting evidence (for example ID or a recent photo if you have no ID, and a signed permission/authority letter). UKVI says your SAR is not accepted until they receive this, and your request can be automatically rejected if you do not send the evidence within 15 days. After you send your ID and permission letter, you should get an email confirmation with a SARU reference number. Keep this number safe. You can use it if you need to chase your SAR or make a complaint.

How to make a SAR by email

You can email your SAR to subjectaccessrequest@homeoffice.gov.uk.

In your email, include:

1) A clear subject line
For example: “Subject Access Request (SAR) – [Your full name] – DOB [dd/mm/yyyy]”

2) Your basic details (so they can find your records)
Include:

• full name (and any other names used)
• date of birth, nationality (and any other dates of births or nationalities that may have been recorded by the Home Office for you)
• Home Office reference numbers if you have them (UAN/Port Ref/HO Ref) 
• contact details (email and phone)
• your UK address, or a c/o address if you have no fixed address

3) What information you want
Say whether you want:

• a basic request, or
• a specific request (up to 5 documents), or
• a detailed request

Add any helpful details like document type and dates (for example: “decision letter dated…”, “appeal determination around…”, “interview record on…”).

4) Attach your supporting evidence
UKVI says they need:

• a clear colour copy of photo ID, or a recent photograph if you do not have ID
• a signed letter of authority (permission), dated within the last 6 months
• proof of relationship if applying for a child under 12

How to make a SAR by post

You can make a SAR by post by writing a letter and sending it to: Subject Access Request Unit (SARU), 2 Ruskin Square, Dingwall Road, Croydon, CR0 2WF

In the letter, clearly say you are making a “Subject Access Request (SAR)” and include the same key information you would put in an email: your full name (and any other names used), date of birth, nationality, any Home Office reference numbers (if you have them), and what you are asking for (for example a basic request, or specific documents with dates). UKVI says being clear helps them process your request, and if you do not use the online form they may need to ask you for more information, which can delay things.

With your letter, include copies of your supporting evidence. UKVI says they need photo ID (or a recent photograph if you do not have ID) and a letter of authority/permission signed and dated within the last 6 months. Do NOT send originals. You are asked to provide a good-quality, clear colour photocopy, and photo evidence does not need to be certified. Certified means a trusted professional signs and dates a copy/photo to confirm it is a true copy/true likeness.

Making a SAR by post will be slower and letters can go missing. If you decide to do it by post, try to use tracked/recorded delivery and keep the receipt. Also keep a copy of everything you sent (your letter and all documents). If you want the response by email, include your email address clearly in the letter too.

Common problems with making a SAR

No response in 30 days: UKVI says they usually respond to a SAR within 1 month once they have all the supporting documents they need to process it. If they write to you to ask for more information, the “1 month” starts when they receive everything. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) also explains that if an organisation needs you to clarify what you’re asking for, they can pause the deadline while they wait for your reply. So if you haven’t heard back, first check the date you sent your ID/photo and permission letter (and any clarification). If it’s now over a month from that point, it’s okay to chase UKVI and say that if you don’t get a response, you will complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

SAR was rejected: This often happens because UKVI did not receive the supporting evidence they need (your ID or recent photo, and your permission/authority letter). UKVI says your request is not accepted until they have these documents, and it can be automatically rejected if they do not receive them within 15 days. If this happens, you may need to submit the SAR again and send the evidence straight away.

Important documents are missing: It’s common for people to receive a SAR and realise key papers are missing (for example a decision letter they never received, or an interview record). If this  happens, reply and ask for the missing documents as clearly as possible — name the document and give the date (or an approximate date). UKVI says giving clear details helps them process your request. You may need to do this more than once to get everything you need, and it is okay to be persistent.

The SAR only shows computer records (IT records): Sometimes the SAR response looks like an IT record: a printout or list from UKVI computer systems showing dates, short notes, and case updates. It can be useful for building a timeline, but it may not include the full documents you expected, like decision letters or interview records. UKVI says you can make a specific request for particular documents (up to 5) if you need them. If you get an IT-style response but documents are missing, it’s okay to go back and ask for the exact document by name and date.

Big parts are blacked out (redacted): Sometimes UKVI will remove (black out) parts of the information before they send it to you. This is often to protect other people’s information, or because the law allows certain information to be withheld. If you think too much has been removed, you can ask them to explain why, and if needed you can complain to the ICO.

Evidence the Home Office doesn’t like

The Home Office says that evidence should “be from an official or impartial source” and does not consider the following as evidence to be used to prove residence:

• photos and videos
• letters or references from family and friends
• greeting cards, for example birthday cards 
• postcards sent or received; or 
• personal scrapbooks

If you can find the stronger evidence detailed in the lists above, then you should use that.

However, when more official evidence isn’t available, people do use photos, videos, letters etc, especially in applications around relationships. The Home Office considers this to be weaker evidence and may not grant an application if this is the only evidence submitted, but a judge may view that evidence differently if you are appealing a Home Office refusal.