Expert witnesses in immigration proceedings must maintain impartiality. Their primary duty is to the tribunal, not the instructing party. Reports must comply with Immigration Tribunal Practice Direction paragraph 10 (2023).
The Expert Reports in the Immigration Tribunal guide (October 2025) by Adam Pipe of No.8 Chambers brings together relevant material to assist in preparing high-quality expert evidence. It covers report structure, letters of instruction, and standards for written and oral evidence.
A persecution expert report should contain: qualifications and methodology, sources used, country conditions relevant to the profile, persecution risk analysis, internal relocation analysis, the expert's opinion, and a statement of truth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a letter of instruction include?
The letter should set out the proceedings, the questions for the expert, relevant documents, the persecution ground, the appellant's profile, and any specific issues for analysis. The Adam Pipe October 2025 guide provides a template and best practice guidance.
Can the expert go beyond the CPIN?
Yes. The expert's role is to provide independent analysis that may go beyond the CPIN, particularly where it does not address the specific profile, conditions have changed, or individual facts require analysis the CPIN cannot provide.