Pakistan, Bangladesh students 'becoming' gay to seek asylum in UK

An undercover probe has uncovered a shadowy network in the UK where immigration advisers are allegedly charging migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh thousands of pounds to falsely claim they are gay in order to secure asylum. The investigation, carried out by BBC reporters, found advisers offering ready-made stories, fake evidence and coaching sessions to help applicants pass official scrutiny.

Undercover reporters reveal pay-to-claim system

Journalists posing as students from Pakistan and Bangladesh approached immigration advisers after their visas were about to expire. Without any valid asylum grounds, they were offered “packages” costing up to £7,000 to build a false case based on sexual orientation.

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“There is no check-up to find out if the person is gay. The main thing is what you say. I will give you a letter from someone along with which we will take a few photographs, and that person will write that they have engaged in physical sex with you.”

The interaction suggests that personal testimony and supporting documents can be manipulated to create a convincing claim.

‘A successful application would be worth it’

Advisers did not just stop at paperwork. They also pitched the long-term benefits of a successful claim.

“A successful application would be worth the work involved,” the adviser, a woman, said. “You can live here and work and you are also eligible to claim benefits.”

In one instance, the adviser even suggested extending the strategy to family members, proposing that a wife could also file a similar claim.

Stories, photos, and staged proof

The network allegedly offers end-to-end fabrication, right from scripting personal histories to arranging visual proof. Reporters were told they would be given tickets to LGBTQ+ events and photographed at clubs to support their claims.

Applicants would then argue that returning home would put their lives at risk, as same-sex relations remain illegal in both Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Inside support groups, a different story

The investigation also took reporters inside meetings organised by Worcester LGBT, a group that supports asylum seekers.

Several attendees privately admitted they were not gay. One man, identified as Zeeshan, said: “Nobody is a gay here. Not even 1% are gay. Not even 0.01% are gay.”

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Another attendee described the interview process bluntly: “When you go for your home office interview, you have to be really shameless.”

Rising claims raise questions

The findings come at a time when asylum applications from Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals in the UK have been rising sharply, particularly among those on student or work visas.

Data cited in the report shows Pakistan recorded the highest number of asylum claims based on sexual orientation, followed by Bangladesh in 2023.