Okuzeka
Immigration & Visas vocabulary · Asylum & Refugees

Claim asylum

Meaning in immigration & visas, with examples

phraseCommon term

In immigration & visas, claim asylum means: To formally ask a country's authorities for protection because you fear serious harm if you return to your own country.

In Turkish: iltica talep etmek, sığınma başvurusu yapmak, uluslararası koruma talebinde bulunmak

How it is used

British English often says claim asylum; American English prefers apply for asylum; journalists also write seek asylum. A claim can be made at the border or inside the country, and it is followed by a screening and a detailed interview.

Example sentences

  1. He claimed asylum at the airport and was given an appointment for a screening interview.

  2. People who claim asylum are usually asked to explain why they cannot return home.

Common collocations

  • claim asylum
  • apply for asylum
  • seek asylum
  • asylum claim
  • screening interview
  • asylumProtection that a country gives to a person who has left their own country because they fear serious harm or persecution there.
  • asylum seekerA person who has asked for protection in another country and is waiting for the authorities to decide on the claim.
  • refugee statusThe legal recognition, given by a country or by the UN refugee agency, that a person is a refugee and has the rights that come with it.
  • persecutionSerious harm or cruel, unfair treatment that a person suffers or fears because of who they are or what they believe.

More terms: Asylum & Refugees

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.