Some unforgettable experiences from my asylum application in the UK

​We are so grateful to the author of this piece.  Although the asylum process does not always go so smoothly, we hope you appreciate this moving account as much as we do and we wish the author all the very best for his new life here. 
 
"​I am from Tibet. Before 1959, Tibet was an independent country with a rich history of more than a thousand years of religious culture, language, and writing. I am proud to be Tibetan.
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In 1959, China invaded Tibet and took control of our land by force. More than 3,000 monasteries were destroyed, and tens of thousands of monks and civilians were killed. From that moment on, we lost our country. In a situation of no choice, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual leader of Tibet, was forced to flee to India, where he established the Tibetan Government-in-Exile and appealed to the United Nations about China’s invasion and occupation of Tibet. China’s occupation of Tibet has continued for seventy years. These conditions have made it extremely difficult for Tibetans to survive in our own homeland.

Flag of Tibet Image Credit: Wikipedia

​Generation after generation, countless Tibetans have been forced to risk their lives crossing the Himalayas on foot to flee into Nepal. From there, many continue their journey to India through Tibetan refugee reception centres to apply for political asylum.
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About five years ago, I applied for political asylum in India and successfully passed all the required investigations and assessments.

However, from the perspective of personal safety, I could not have complete security in India. This was the main reason why I later came to the United Kingdom to apply for asylum again. Around the end of 2024, I came to the United Kingdom on a short-term tourist visa. When I left London Heathrow Airport, I had only £60 with me. I decided to go directly to the Home Office Asylum Office to apply for asylum. The airport staff were very patient and explained the route to me, and I took the subway to the Asylum Office. On the way, I felt extremely anxious because I had no money and feared that without proper accommodation, I would be homeless.

Map of Tibet Image Credit: Medium.com

​About two hours later, I arrived at the Home Office Asylum Office and was then directed to a waiting room for an initial interview. The officer conducting my interview was very polite and highly professional. During the initial interview, she asked whether I had a place to stay or any money, and I answered all her questions honestly.
 
Around midnight that same day, I was taken to a hotel in Hertfordshire. The hotel conditions were very good, and free meals were provided daily, far exceeding my expectations. I was deeply impressed by how this great country takes care of every asylum seeker so well.
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A few days later, several volunteers from Herts Welcomes Refugees visited the hotel. They offered assistance within their capacity, such as helping asylum seekers find free legal representation, providing clothing and SIM cards, and arranging free haircuts. All their help was completely free and without any expectation of return. I was especially touched by Lynne and Alex, who provided enormous support and comfort throughout my journey from applying for asylum to obtaining refugee status. Their care was warm and thoughtful, just like that of a mother.

About two months after submitting my asylum application, I received a notification from the Home Office to attend a second in-person interview at the scheduled time. The Asylum Caseworker who interviewed me that day was a British woman. Her voice had a compassionate and warm tone, which gave me a bit of comfort during the tense interview.

Lynne had previously reminded me to bring lunch to the interview because it usually lasts a long time, sometimes even a whole day. I had prepared lunch from breakfast, including a banana, eggs, bread, and a glass of water.

During the interview, my answers went smoothly overall. But when the Asylum Caseworker asked about my parents, I couldn’t control my emotions and started to cry. My feelings became extremely complicated in that instant, because I had not been in contact with my family for the five years since fleeing Tibet. If I tried to contact them, they might be threatened.

The interviewer gave me about five minutes to compose myself before we continued the interview. She mentioned that the interview would soon be over and asked me to be patient. About two hours later, the interview ended. The process was much faster than I had anticipated, perhaps because I hadn’t made any mistakes in my answers. Regardless of the outcome, the interview had gone smoothly. The interviewer also expressed hope that I would receive a positive result soon.

When I walked out of the Home Office Asylum Office building, I couldn’t help crying again. I missed my parents very much and felt sadness: why is the fate of us Tibetans so difficult? Where are our basic human rights? Where is our freedom of speech?

But after crying, I felt much lighter somehow, and for some reason, a sense of relief filled my heart. On the subway ride back to the hotel, I received an email from the Home Office Asylum Office. Oh my God, my asylum application had been approved! Was it approved so quickly? I could hardly believe it, really.
When I received confirmation of my refugee status, the first thing I should have done was share this good news with my parents. But I couldn’t. The reality of the Chinese government’s repression of Tibetan people is so harsh that I am unable to tell anyone at home about this.

Instead, I shared the news with Lynne and Alex and thanked them deeply. Truly, without their support, I might not have obtained my refugee status so quickly. When the Home Office asked me to provide a translated version of one of my evidential documents, I simply couldn’t afford the translation fee, nor could I find a certified translation company registered with the UK government. In the end, everything was resolved thanks to Lynne and Alex’s help. I am so grateful to them.
 
After being granted asylum, another major challenge I faced was housing. I had no friends in the UK, let alone any relatives. In the end, with Alex and Lynne’s help, I submitted a housing request to the local Council. On the day my hotel stay finally reached its limit, Alex personally took me to the Council office to ask for accommodation. The interviewer agreed to arrange housing for me on the spot. I knew I had done nothing wrong, and my housing difficulties were real, so I truly believed that the Bodhisattvas had been protecting me. I am deeply thankful to the Council, and to Alex and Lynne.
 
After the appointment, Alex was so kind and thoughtful. When it was time to say goodbye, Alex drove away slowly. I waved at her, and she kept looking back at me until she turned out of sight. In that moment, I felt an unexpected sadness. Perhaps I had grown used to relying on her help. The scene reminded me of my mom seeing me off at a bus or train station, watching me leave for somewhere unknown. It is a moment I will never forget.

After I moved into my new accommodation, I started working hard in a warehouse. After living there for just under three months, I decided to return the housing that the Council had provided for me. At the same time, I also requested to close my Universal Credit claim, because by then I was able to support myself independently. I felt that I should give the housing back to the government so that they could offer it to other refugees or people in need, just like I once was.

The UK government is truly remarkable, not only does it accept refugees, but it also takes such thorough care of every asylum seeker throughout the process. From now on, the UK will always be my second home. Thank you, UK. Thank you, Home Office."