6. ATTEND A SCREENING INTERVIEW WITH THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT

To answer any questions the Immigration Department has about your Non-refoulement Claim form. It is also an opportunity to explain further why you cannot safely return to your home country. Tell the interviewing officer what you are afraid of and why you think it will happen to you.

Screening interviews usually take a half or full day, starting in the morning or the afternoon. Sometimes, it can take more than one day.

You, your Duty Lawyer or Pilot Scheme Lawyer, your interpreter (if needed) and any of your family members if they are a part of your USM claim.

This is a short meeting before the interview begins. It is for you, your Duty Lawyer or Pilot Scheme Lawyer and your interpreter to explain each other’s roles and explain how the interview will work.

The interviewing officer will ask you some questions.

The answers will be typed by the officer to reflect every word you say - so speak slowly and carefully.

The officer may show you information about your home country and ask you to respond.

They may provide you with examples of support services that are available including services from your government, or suggest other cities where you could move to and suggest you can live safely.

At the end of the interview, your answers will be read out and you can clarify what you said or meant.

When answering questions:

It is important to be truthful.

If you do not know the answer to a question, simply state that you do not remember.

Explain things in detail and provide background information. Do not assume that the interviewing office knows about your country or culture.

If you do not understand a question, ask for it to be repeated or rephrased.

Take your time to think before answering any questions. There is no rush to answer. When you answer too quickly, you might misunderstand the question and/or make mistakes.

If there are any issues, inform the interviewing officer politely and clearly. For example, you should speak up if:

You cannot understand the interpreter, or you think that the interpreter is not translating properly.

You are not being allowed to answer questions or respond fully.

You feel uncomfortable or intimidated by the way the interviewing officer is talking to you or behaving.

If you have a child, think about whether they should be interviewed. It might be important for your child’s voice to be heard and the information they have can be very compelling. However, it might be difficult for your child to give evidence - it might affect them emotionally and mentally. Ask your child whether they want to give evidence. Consider what is best of your child. You may wish to consult your Duty Lawyer and Pilot Scheme Lawyer about this.