Quick answer
Claiming asylum means asking the UK government for protection because it is not safe for you to return to your own country. You must be in the UK to claim. We help you prepare your claim, statement and evidence. Our fee for an Asylum application is typically £1,500 – £2,000, excluding VAT. Legal aid may be available if you qualify.
On this page
What we do for you
- Listen to what has happened to you and explain how the asylum process works
- Help you prepare your written statement and gather the evidence that supports it
- Prepare the written arguments that set out why you need protection
- Advise you on the decision and what to do next
- If your claim is refused, go through the decision with you and your right of appeal (see refusals and appeals)
- Help with fresh claims, National Referral Mechanism matters, immigration bail and responding to deportation
Oliverta Mediu advises Albanian-speaking clients directly in Albanian. If you need an interpreter, tell us when you call.
What it costs
Typical ranges for our legal fee, excluding VAT:
| Asylum application | £1,500 – £2,000 excluding VAT |
|---|---|
| Fresh claim | £1,500 – £2,000 excluding VAT |
| National Referral Mechanism matter | £1,500 – £2,000 excluding VAT |
| Immigration bail application only | £1,500 – £2,500 excluding VAT. The barrister's representation fee for the hearing is separate. |
| Responding to deportation | £2,000 – £3,500 excluding VAT |
Typical ranges for our legal fees only. Home Office, tribunal, healthcare-surcharge, biometric, interpreter, translation, expert and barrister charges are separate. Where VAT applies it is charged at 20%; whether it applies depends on your residence and immigration status.
You get a written quote for your case before you instruct us. Every published fee range, and what it covers, is on our fees page.
Legal aid: the Home Office does not charge a fee to claim asylum, and legal aid can be available for asylum claims if you qualify. The fees above are our private fees. Check whether you qualify with GOV.UK's legal aid checker, or find an adviser who does legal aid work with Find a legal aid adviser.
How an asylum claim works
The Home Office sets the timing of each stage. It says claims are decided as soon as possible, and can take longer where documents need checking or more interviews are needed (GOV.UK, checked 8 October 2026). We cannot promise dates.
- Talk to us
Tell us what has happened and where you are now. We explain the process, what your claim needs and what our work will cost, in writing.
- Register your claim
At a first meeting, called a screening, the Home Office records your details, takes your fingerprints and photo, and asks basic questions about your journey and why you are claiming.
- Statement and evidence
We help you set out your account in a written statement and gather the documents and other evidence that support it.
- Your asylum interview
A Home Office caseworker asks you in detail why you cannot return. You can ask for an interpreter.
- The decision
If you are granted protection, you get permission to stay in the UK. If you are refused, you can usually appeal to the tribunal, within 14 days of the decision if you are in the UK. The decision letter states your deadline.
GOV.UK explains how to claim asylum, who is eligible and what happens at each stage.
Who handles your case
Immigration work is carried out by our team of solicitors, legal advisers and paralegals, supervised by Partner Oliverta Mediu.
Where we act
-
Leicester office 3rd Floor, St George's House, 6 St George's Way, Leicester LE1 1QZ 0116 393 0334
Immigration in Leicester
What clients say
Firm-wide reviews across all our services.
-
Regulated by the SRA SRA No. 605949, view our record
-
CQS accredited Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme
Questions people ask
Does it cost anything to claim asylum?
The Home Office does not charge a fee to claim asylum. Our legal fee for an Asylum application is typically £1,500 – £2,000, excluding VAT, and we confirm it in writing before you instruct us. Where VAT applies it is charged at 20%.
Can I get legal aid for an asylum claim?
Legal aid can be available for asylum claims if you qualify. The fees on this page are our private fees. To see whether you qualify, use GOV.UK's legal aid checker, and to find an adviser who does legal aid work, use Find a legal aid adviser.
Can I claim asylum from outside the UK?
No. You have to be in the UK to claim asylum. GOV.UK explains how to claim.
My asylum claim was refused before. Can I claim again?
You may be able to make a fresh claim if you have new evidence or new circumstances that the Home Office has not already considered. Our legal fee for a Fresh claim is typically £1,500 – £2,000, excluding VAT. Send us your previous decision and what has changed, and we will tell you whether it meets the test for a fresh claim.
How long will the Home Office take to decide?
The Home Office says claims are decided as soon as possible, and can take longer if they are complicated, for example where documents need checking or more interviews are needed (GOV.UK). It does not give a fixed time, so we cannot promise a date.
Do you advise in my language?
Oliverta Mediu advises Albanian-speaking clients directly in Albanian. If you need an interpreter, tell us when you call. At your asylum interview, you can ask the Home Office for an interpreter.
How do I get started?
Call our London office on 020 7063 9040 or our Leicester office on 0116 393 0334, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm, or send us a message. If you already have a letter from the Home Office, have it with you when you call.
Helpful guides
Need advice on an asylum claim? Talk to our immigration team.
Request a call backThis page is general information, not legal advice for your situation. Asylum rules change often: check GOV.UK or ask us before you act.