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Emigration and immigration

Afghan Asylum Seeker's Age Ruled 15 Years Old Despite Grey Hair

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

An Afghan asylum seeker, who arrived in the UK with grey hair, has been declared 15 years old by an upper immigration tribunal after being initially assessed as an adult. The tribunal rejected the assessment, considering the migrant's physical appearance as an unreliable basis for determining his age. Judge Matthew Hoffman stated that the migrant's grey hair may have been caused by stress during his journey to the UK.

Key Takeaways:

  • The asylum seeker, who came to the UK via a small boat after three failed attempts, was initially assessed as an adult by East Sussex County Council.
  • The council's social workers conducted an age assessment due to doubt over the migrant's claimed age of 16.
  • The assessors observed grey hair on the sides of the migrant's head, an established jawline, and a lack of youthful glow, which led them to believe he was older than 16.
  • However, the upper immigration tribunal overturned this decision, ruling that the migrant was 15 years old.
  • Judge Hoffman stated that physical appearance is a notoriously unreliable basis for determining a person's age.
  • The migrant's mother had told him his age when he was younger, which he remembered accurately, leading the court to conclude that he was telling the truth about his age.
  • The court found it more likely than not that the migrant was born during Ramadan in 2006, making him 15 years old when he arrived in the UK.

Statistics:

  • The migrant traveled through 8 countries, including Iran, Turkey, Greece, Serbia, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, and France, before arriving in the UK.
  • He made 3 unsuccessful attempts to enter the UK before arriving by small boat on October 10, 2022.
  • 2 weeks after his arrival, he was placed with a foster carer by East Sussex County Council.

Sources:

  • [A judicial review Upper Tribunal ruled that an Afghan migrant was 15 years old, despite initial assessment as an adult by East Sussex County Council.]
  • [The migrant traveled through 8 countries, including Iran, Turkey, Greece, Serbia, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, and France, before arriving in the UK.]
  • [The court found it more likely than not that the migrant was born during Ramadan in 2006, making him 15 years old when he arrived in the UK. (No date)]

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