Pakistan, Bangladesh Migrants Pose As Gay To Access UK Asylum: Report

A network of advisers and legal professionals are suggesting migrants in the United Kingdom to present themselves as gay to stand a better chance at getting asylum, an investigation by BBC has revealed. These networks charge people thousands of pounds and offer “packages” that include fabricated personal stories, staged photographs, support letters and even medical records. 

Individuals whose work, study or tourist visas are nearing expiry are being guided to claim they face danger because of their sexual orientation, especially if they are from Pakistan and Bangladesh where same-sex relations are illegal, the report stated. While the UK offers asylum in such cases, the investigation found signs that the system is being misused.

In one case, a law adviser was said to have charged up to 7,000 Euros and also assured that the chance of refusal by the Home Office was “very low.” One lawyer linked to another firm offered to arrange fake evidence for 1,500 Euros, with additional costs for documentation.

At the centre of the investigation is Tanisa Khan who works as an adviser to Worcester LGBT. She is an unregulated immigration adviser who had spent more than 17 years helping bring fake claims. During meetings with an undercover reporter, she outlined a step-by-step process for building a false claim.

When the reporter said that he's not gay, she told him, “There is nobody who is real. There is only one way out in order to live here now and that is the very method everyone is adopting.”

She then described preparing applicants for Home Office interviews and assembling what she called a “comprehensive package” which would include photographs at LGBT events and letters asserting same-sex relationships.

"The main thing is what you say. You just have to tell them that 'I am a gay and it is my reality',” she said.

Tanisa also described the role of Worcester LGBT, referring to it as “our organisation”, which says on its website that it has been formally acknowledged by the Home Office for supporting LGBT+ asylum seekers. She told the reporter to attend one of its meetings to help strengthen his case.

When the reporter attended a gathering, some people there claimed that many attendees were not genuinely gay. “Most of the people here are not gays,” one man said, while another added, “Not even 0.01% are gay.”

The BBC later sought a response from Tanisa who denied any wrongdoing. Worcester LGBT said it had launched an investigation into her conduct.

After the investigation, the Home Office said those attempting to misuse the system could face strict action, including removal from the UK.