CONTENTS
Glossary of Terms............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Executive Summary....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
1.Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................16
1.1 UNHCR’s work on statelessness............................................................................................................................................................................16
1.2 UNHCR Quality Protection Partnership (QPP)...................................................................................................................................................17
2. Legal framework.......................................................................................................................................................................................................18
2.1 International law..........................................................................................................................................................................................................18
2.2 UK law and policy on statelessness....................................................................................................................................................................18
3. Methodology.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 20
3.1 Scope of audit........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20
3.2 Sampling of cases.................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20
4. Assessing and determining statelessness...................................................................................................................................... 22
4.1 Burden of proof......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22
4.1.1 Cases engaging the duty to assist....................................................................................................................................................... 22
4.1.2 Provision of assistance due to applicant’s personal circumstances.........................................................................................24
4.1.3 The meaning of ‘reasonably available evidence’........................................................................................................................... 25
4.2 Standard of proof...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26
4.2.1 Application of the standard of proof.................................................................................................................................................. 26
4.2.2 Lack of evidence and analysis of application of the standard of proof.................................................................................27
4.3 The credibility assessment.................................................................................................................................................................................... 29
4.3.1 Gathering the evidence.......................................................................................................................................................................... 29
4.3.2 Determining the material facts of the claim.....................................................................................................................................36
4.3.3 Assessing the credibility of each material fact................................................................................................................................37
4.3.4 Application of credibility indicators......................................................................................................................................................41
4.3.5 A structured approach to decision-making......................................................................................................................................42
5. Admissibility................................................................................................................................................................................................................44
5.1 Admissibility under UNHCR’s Handbook on protection of stateless persons....................................................................................44
5.2 Home Office consideration of Palestinians as Stateless............................................................................................................................45
5.3 Home Office consideration of admissibility....................................................................................................................................................46
6. General Grounds for Refusal........................................................................................................................................................................49
6.1 Substantive consideration of statelessness................................................................................................................................................... 50
6.2 Consideration of human rights grounds.......................................................................................................................................................... 52
7. Procedural considerations..............................................................................................................................................................................53
7.1
Interviews and written enquiries.........................................................................................................................................................................53
7.2 Speed of decisions on applications................................................................................................................................................................. 56
7.3 Availability and impact of legal advice and representation..................................................................................................................... 58
7.4 Interpretation and translation services..............................................................................................................................................................61
7.5 Modern Slavery indicators................................................................................................................................................................................... 62
7.6 Administrative Reviews..........................................................................................................................................................................................63
8. Immigration detention........................................................................................................................................................................................67
9. Conclusion................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 69
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