Glossary
Adjourn
To put off the hearing of an appeal to a later date.
Allow
To decide an appeal in favour of the person making the appeal, the appeal succeeds.
Appeal
A challenge to the decision made by the Home Secretary and his officials on a matter of immigration, nationality or asylum.
Appellant
A person who has made an appeal.
Asylum
The protection given to a person by a country other than his or her home country because of persecution or the threat of persecution in that home country.
Immigration and Asylum Chamber (of both the First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal) An independent appeal tribunal that hears appeals against decisions on immigration, nationality and asylum matters made by the Home Secretary and his officials.
Case management review hearing CMR
A short hearing to check if any more information is needed from the appellant or the Home Office before the full hearing.
Centre manager
An official whose job is to make sure that a hearing centre runs properly.
Court clerk
A person who assists an immigration judge by preparing the courtroom and making sure that all people involved in an appeal are present at the hearing centre.
Court of Session
The supreme civil court of Scotland.
Customer Enquiry Unit
A team of people who help customers over the telephone who have questions about their appeal or about the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal and its hearing centres. Staff at the Enquiry Unit have had no legal training and will not be able to advise you on legal matters.
Customer service officer
A person with special telephone training who helps customers with their appeal matters
Deport
To remove a person from the United Kingdom by means of a deportation order.
Determination
The decision made by an immigration judge on an appeal or an application.
Direction
An instruction or set of instructions that must be followed in preparation for an appeal hearing or otherwise in connection with the appeal.
Dismiss
To decide an appeal against the person making the appeal; the appeal fails.
Evidence
Any document, recording, photograph or statement to be presented to the Tribunal for the purpose of deciding an appeal.
First-tier Tribunal (FTT)
The First–tier Tribunal is a new generic tribunal established by Parliament under the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007. The First–tier Tribunal’s main function is to hear appeals against decisions of the Government where the tribunal has been given jurisdiction. It has jurisdiction throughout the United Kingdom for some purposes.
First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) or FTTIAC
A chamber of the First–tier Tribunal with responsibility for hearing and deciding appeals against decisions made by the Home Office in matters of immigration, asylum and nationality.
Full hearing (or substantive hearing)
The main hearing of an appeal. Evidence is presented, witnesses are heard and both the appellant and the respondent put their case to the immigration judge.
Hearing centre
A building with several hearing rooms where hearings take place.
Hearing room
A room where appeals and case management reviews are heard.
Home Office
The United Kingdom government department with responsibility for immigration, nationality and asylum matters.
Home Office presenting officer
The Home Office representative in an appeal. They speak for the Home Secretary and his officials against whose decision the appeal is made.
Home Secretary
Also known as the Secretary of State. The government minister in charge of the Home Office. The Home Secretary is responsible for maintaining the United Kingdom's asylum and immigration policies.
Immigration
Entering a country for the purpose of settling there on a temporary or permanent basis.
Immigration Acts
The collective Acts of Parliament dealing with immigration matters.
Immigration judge
The title for a person appointed by the Lord Chancellor to decide appeals made to the First-tier Tribunal. They are independent members of the judiciary. They make their decisions according to the law and without bias.
Interpreter
A skilled person used by the Tribunal to translate during an appeal hearing those things that are said in English into the appellant's preferred language and those things that are said by an appellant in their preferred language into English so other people in court can understand.
Legal representative
A qualified solicitor or immigration advisor who acts for an appellant in an immigration, nationality or asylum appeal. They can help an appellant to prepare their appeal and to present it during the appeal hearing. They usually charge for their work.
Listing
The process of giving a date and time for an appeal hearing at a particular hearing centre.
Lord Chancellor
A Government minister with responsibility for the administration of justice. Amongst other duties, the Lord Chancellor appoints members of the FTT and the UT.
Non legal member
A member of the Tribunal appointed to hear cases with an immigration judge or judges. They have a range of non legal experience.
Notice of hearing
The document sent to the parties to an appeal giving the date, time and venue of the appeal. It also gives instructions to the parties.
Respondent
In the FTT, the person whose decision is being appealed. In the UT, it is the party who is not appealing the against the determination of the FTT.
Secretary of State
See Home Secretary.
Sponsor
A person resident in the UK who is prepared to provide support and accommodation to someone who wishes to come to the United Kingdom.
Substantive hearing
See full hearing.
Upper Tribunal
The Upper Tribunal is a superior court of record with jurisdiction throughout the United Kingdom. It has been established by Parliament under the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007.
Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) or UTIAC
A chamber of the UT for the purpose of hearing and deciding appeals against decisions made by the First-tier Tribunal in matters of immigration, asylum and nationality.
Visa
A document giving a person permission to enter the United Kingdom. They are often conditional and expire on a specified date. They can be obtained from UK embassies, high commissions and consulates.
Witness
A person who gives evidence at a hearing.
