Frequently asked questions about asylum

Question: What does it mean that I have a duty to disclose all material facts as an asylum seeker?
Answer: It means that you must appear to all interviews with the authorities and put all materials relevant to your case at their disposal as well as produce your passport, travel documents and other documents upon request. Furthermore, it is your duty to answer the questions posed to you. Although it can be difficult to talk about the things you have fled from, and even if you are suspicious of authorities and police, it is important that you explain truthfully, in detail and coherently about your motives for applying for asylum.
Your case is determined on the basis of your own information and explanations and the general information about your country of origin. If you change your explanation about your motive for applying for asylum during the duration of your case, the authorities may perceive you as unreliable and this can damage your case. If you, after an interview with the Danish Immigration Service, remember something that you should have informed them about, or if something occurs in your country of origin, which could be relevant to your case, it is important that you inform the Danish Immigration Service about this immediately.

Question: Do I have the right to legal assistance?
Answer: If your case is rejected by the Danish Immigration Service your case will automatically be appealed to The Refugee Appeals Board. To represent you in your appeal you will get a lawyer free of charge. On the Refugee Appeals Board’s homepage you can see a list of lawyers who can be appointed in asylum cases. Often this list is also accessible at the asylum centres.

Question: Where else can I get help?
Answer: Both during the entire asylum procedure and after a final rejection, you can contact the Danish Refugee Council and receive legal assistance. We visit the asylum centres as often as possible, and every Wednesday between 1pm - 3pm there is an open counselling session at our office in Borgergade in Copenhagen. If you don’t speak Danish or English you need to bring your own interpreter.

Question: What happens if my asylum application is rejected?
Answer: When you have received a final rejection to your asylum application, you will normally be requested to leave Denmark immediately unless you have a residence permit based on other grounds. You will be asked to sign a paper stating that you will leave the country voluntarily and cooperate in the deportation - for instance by providing the necessary travel documents. If you don’t want to leave the country voluntarily the police will in most cases be able to force you to do so.

Question: Can I appeal a rejection from the Refugee Appeals Board?
Answer: No. The decisions made by the Refugee Appeals Board are final and cannot be appealed. After the final decision you can apply for a reopening of your case if new information appears that may fundamentally change the assessment of your situation.

Question: Can I stay in the country while it is decided whether my case can be reopened?
Answer: Normally, you will not have the right to stay in the country while the Refugee Appeals Board reviews your petition for a reopening of your case unless there are very special circumstances. You can apply to stay in Denmark until a decision has been made simultaneously with the petition to the Refugee Appeals Board.

Question: What happens if, after a prolonged period of time, it is no longer possible to send me back to my country of origin?
Answer: If you can not be deported to your country of origin you can get a temporary residence permit , if you meet these requirements: 1) At least 18 months have passed where it has not been possible to send you back, 2) You have cooperated with the Danish National Police during this time and signed a document saying that you will cooperate to the deportation each time you are asked to do so, and 3) The Danish National Police assess that efforts to deportation you to the country of origin remain improbable.