The Home Office has published new guidance about the ‘single interview process’ explaining when a protection claim can be decided after a single interview, instead of through two: a shorter ‘screening interview’, and a longer ‘substantive interview’. We wrote about the new process when the changes were announced in July, originally called “merged registration”.  The new Home Office guidance now gives more detail about how this process should work in practice.

The single interview process has been part of the law since 3rd August 2026, but was not used before the guidance was published on 28th September 2026. It does not affect everyone and will only apply to some new asylum claims. In this blog, we explain the important things to understand about this new process and who it may affect. 

Why has the Home Office introduced the Single Interview Process?

The Home Office guidance says that the single interview process is to make decisions more quickly on claims which it thinks do not require international protection. The guidance says it intends to help make decision-making faster for other claims, but also echoes the Home Office’s continued focus on enforcement.

The new process appears to only be aimed at countries that the Home Office considers ‘safe’ – we list these below. As always, the Home Office has been unclear and confusing but as we understand it, this new process will only apply to people from the listed countries, whose claims have been assessed under specific criteria.

Who does this change affect?

Not all asylum claims  will be considered under the new process. 

It only applies to asylum claims made on or after 3 August 2026. Even then, the Home Office will only consider your case under the new process if: 

1. You are  claiming asylum from one of these countries:

• Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, United States
• If you are an EU national, the Home Office will first consider whether your claim is inadmissible. If your asylum claim continues, it may then be considered under the new process.

2. The Home Office thinks that your case is ‘clearly unfounded’. This means that the Home Office thinks there is no real possibility of your case succeeding.
3. The Home Office thinks there is enough information to make a decision on your case or whether there should be another interview or more information is needed. 
4. The Home Office does not think it needs to test whether or not what you’ve said is true (test your credibility) It can consider your claim ‘at the highest’ which means a decision can be made on the assumption that your case is based on a true and honest account.
5. You are “fit and well” enough to be interviewed. For example, your physical or mental health does not stop you from effectively taking part in your interview. 
6. The Home Office thinks that the process is appropriate for you. It should not be used if there are safeguarding concerns or you have vulnerabilities that mean you need extra support. This can include:

• Unaccompanied children or people whose age is disputed
• A specific vulnerability (this could be related to mental health, physical health or your individual circumstances)
• A safeguarding concern that means extra support is needed
• An Article 8 claim that has a chance of success

The Home Office must consider anything that could present a risk to the person when deciding whether the single interview process is suitable. This is positive for certain groups, like children who are in the UK without adults, but for others it may be more difficult to show concerns or vulnerabilities. 

The Guidance says that if someone might have experienced trafficking or modern slavery, this does not automatically mean that their case won’t be considered under the single protection interview process. This appears to be an attempt from the Home Office to separate out the NRM process and protection process. There might be information about your situation that is important for both processes, so try to make sure that you have explained this for each case.

If the Home Office decides that a case should be considered under the single protection interview process, then it must give 5 full working days after the interview for any evidence or information to be submitted. This is the same as the timeframe given after a long ‘substantive’ interview under the standard asylum process. It may also be possible to ask for extra time if you are trying to get a report from a medical expert for your case.

It is unclear how this process will work in practice, but if the Home Office wants to use the single interview process for your case, then it should tell you this, ideally in writing so that it is clear what is happening. We will provide further updates as we learn more. 

How will a decision be made under the process?

If the Home Office decides that your case will be considered under the single interview process, then it will make a decision in writing after your interview. 

The guidance suggests that this process will mostly be used where the Home Office plans to refuse a case. It also suggests that cases that are considered under this process are likely to be considered ‘clearly unfounded’, which means that there would be no right of appeal against the refusal decision. There may be other legal challenges that can be made which you can read about here.

The Home Office might also decide that more information is needed, or there is something about your specific circumstances that means the process is not appropriate. In this case, the Home Office might decide to follow the standard process, and ask you to attend another interview. You would then receive a decision letter confirming whether your case has been accepted or refused, and why.

You can read more about what happens after a decision is made on an asylum claim in our Toolkit here. 

What should I do if the Home Office says my claim will use the Single Interview Process, or I am worried it might?

There is still a lot we don’t know about the process but some steps you may find it helpful to:

• Ask the Home Office to confirm this in writing – check why they think the process is suitable for you. If you have health problems, safeguarding concerns, trauma, communication needs or other vulnerabilities, tell the Home Office as soon as possible and send any evidence you have
• Ask for a copy of the interview records so you can check if any information is missing or wrong. Think about whether there is anything you want to explain after your interview. If you don’t think you can do this in 5 working days, you might want to ask for an extension and explain why. 
• Think about writing down your story with a timeline to submit this information as evidence. You can do this before or after an interview.
• Look for local support organisations and community groups in your area. Finding people you trust in your community can be really helpful when you are navigating the complex immigration system and trying to make sense of documents and processes.
• Read the Right to Remain toolkit to try and understand the immigration and asylum system. You can read through this in your language, or ask someone you trust to read it with you.