A shadow industry of law firms and advisers is charging thousands of pounds to help migrants pretend to be gay to stay in the UK, an undercover BBC investigation has found.
Reporters posing as international students from Pakistan and Bangladesh whose visas were due to expire uncovered advisers giving fabricated cover stories and instructing clients how to obtain fake evidence—supporting letters, photographs and medical reports—to bolster asylum claims based on sexual orientation. Applicants then claim they would face persecution if returned to Pakistan or Bangladesh.
The Home Office said anyone found exploiting the system would “face the full force of the law, including removal from the UK,” and stressed the asylum system contains safeguards to ensure claims are rigorously assessed.
Key findings from the investigation
– One law firm charged up to £7,000 to bring a fabricated asylum claim and promised the chance of refusal was “very low.”
– Fake asylum seekers visited GPs pretending to be depressed to obtain medical evidence; one even lied about being HIV positive.
– An adviser claimed more than 17 years’ experience in bringing fake claims and said she could arrange for someone to pretend to have had a sexual relationship with a client.
– An undercover reporter was told he could bring his wife to the UK after obtaining asylum, and she could then be coached to make a false lesbian claim.
– A lawyer linked to another firm said he had helped people pose as gay or atheist to obtain asylum, offering to craft a fake claim for £1,500 and charge a further £2,000–£3,000 to create evidence.
“Nobody is gay here”
At a Worcester LGBT event in east London attended by more than 175 people, many admitted to an undercover reporter that most attendees were not actually gay. One man said, “Most of the people here are not gays.” Another said, “Nobody is a gay here. Not even 1% are gay. Not even 0.01% are gay.”
The undercover reporter first contacted Mazedul Hasan Shakil, a paralegal at Law & Justice Solicitors and founder/chairman of Worcester LGBT. After an initial call, the reporter received a WhatsApp message from “Tanisa” (identified as Tanisa Khan), an adviser to Worcester LGBT, who discussed applying for asylum on the basis of being gay. When the reporter said he was not gay, she replied: “There is only one way out in order to live here now and that is the very method everyone is adopting.”
A comprehensive package
Initial consultations took place in private settings, including Tanisa’s home. She outlined how applicants could be prepared for the Home Office substantive interview by memorising a crafted story and submitting a “comprehensive package” of evidence: photographs at clubs and events, tickets, organisational letters and letters stating personal relationships, including claims someone had engaged in sexual relations with the applicant. She said she had spent more than 17 years helping bring fake claims.
Tanisa quoted a fee of £2,500, with the caveat that costs would rise if the claim was refused and went to appeal. She advised attending organisation meetings to obtain membership letters Worcester LGBT could issue, saying such evidence was “very strong.” She also suggested that once an applicant’s wife was brought to the UK, advisers could “make her a lesbian.”
Legal connections and denials
Tanisa is not a regulated immigration adviser and it is illegal to offer immigration advice without regulation. She said she worked with lawyers who “show the way” while “we handle the fieldwork.” She used Law & Justice offices for meetings; Shakil later said he passed the reporter’s details to Tanisa without knowing she would offer to fabricate a claim. Law & Justice said Tanisa had no professional connection to the firm and it was investigating potential unauthorised access to its office.
At Connaught Law in London, senior legal adviser Aqeel Abbasi told the undercover reporter he could help him stay in the country, charging £7,000 and promising guidance on what evidence to produce and where to go—such as gay clubs—from which photos could be taken. Abbasi suggested finding someone to pose as a male partner and offered a prepared statement and cover story if the applicant had a wife abroad.
Legal and ethical concerns
Ana Gonzalez, an immigration lawyer with 30 years’ experience, said Tanisa was “clearly breaking the law, committing fraud by manufacturing a claim.” She warned such practices harm legitimate asylum seekers, particularly in cases based on sexual orientation, where evidence is often subjective and depends on how convincing an applicant appears.
Worcester LGBT and other community groups
Worcester LGBT’s website says only genuine gay asylum seekers are welcome. The group was promoted as “formally acknowledged by the Home Office,” a claim Tanisa repeated. Worcester LGBT said it was investigating Tanisa’s conduct and that she had no decision-making authority within the group. Other community groups, such as the Muslim LGBT Network, have been targeted by people seeking letters of support; its founder, Ejel Khan, said he was offered money to provide recommendations and that many approach him saying, “I’m not gay but I want to stay in this country.”
Scale and statistics
It is hard to know how many asylum applications are fabricated. Home Office data for 2023 shows there were initial decisions on 3,430 LGBT asylum claims and nearly 1,400 new asylum claims lodged on grounds of sexual orientation. Pakistani nationals made up 42% of those claims, although they accounted for just 6% of all asylum applications that year and were only the fourth most common nationality overall. Pakistani nationals accounted for the largest number of sexuality-based asylum claims in each of the previous five years. Home Office statisticians have noted a steep rise in asylum claims from Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Indian nationals on study or work visas in recent years. Nearly two-thirds of sexual-orientation claims were granted at the initial stage in 2023.
Personal accounts
One man, Ali (not his real name), arrived as a student in 2011 and says a lawyer advised him to claim to be gay when his visa expired. He was told to visit a GP and obtain medication to show depression tied to his visa situation. After a poor initial interview, costly appeals pushed expenses above £10,000. He attended Pride marches and gay clubs over multiple visits to collect photos as instructed, and tried unsuccessfully to obtain an HIV charity support letter by claiming to be positive. He returned to Pakistan in 2019. Three of his friends, he said, later obtained asylum by also lying about their sexuality and brought wives to the UK.
Home Office response and legal consequences
The Home Office said making an asylum application involving deception is a criminal offence; those convicted can face imprisonment and potential deportation. It described any misuse of protections designed for genuine persecution victims as “deplorable” and said protections are granted only to those who meet established criteria. The department added it actively uncovers abuse and reviews procedures to close down misuse.
After the BBC showed footage, Tanisa said communication difficulties led to a “misunderstanding,” denied advising falsification of claims or creating fabricated evidence and said she did not speak Urdu fluently. Shakil denied Worcester LGBT created or supported fabricated evidence and said the organisation was investigating. Law & Justice said the undercover reporter was never set up as a client.
Advisers appear to be capitalising on changes and pressure in the immigration system. Tanisa warned the undercover reporter not to delay applying, noting rules may change, and asked him to refer others in need of help.
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