My uncle lives in a country where there is a lot of political unrest and violence. He says he's getting afraid to leave the house, and wonders if he could come to the UK for a while until things calm down a bit

This information applies to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

The UK has signed a United Nations Convention on refugees, which means that it is committed to offering asylum to people who are at risk of persecution in their own country. The process of applying for asylum in the UK is extremely complex and you should seek specialist advice to find out whether your uncle might qualify for asylum at the present time. Only a small proportion of asylum applications are successful, so you should also consider whether your uncle could come to this country in another capacity. He may, for example, have family links with the UK that could give him rights to be here while things are unsettled in his home country.

UK immigration law is complex and getting it wrong has serious consequences. It is always advisable to consult a specialist adviser. To find out more, see Help with immigration problems.

To get information about applying for asylum in a language other than English, visit the Refugee Council's website at: http://languages.refugeecouncil.org.uk.

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Other Frequently asked questions about immigration:

• I'm a British citizen, and I want to marry my girlfriend who is from abroad and in the UK on a student visa. Do we need to do anything special about her status in this country?
• I came to the UK on a visitor's visa and would like to stay here to do a degree. Will I be allowed to do this?
• My mother is not a UK citizen and lives abroad. She lives alone and is getting quite frail and elderly. I've supported her for many years. Can I bring her to live with me in the UK?