Internal relocation (internal flight alternative) analysis asks whether the appellant could relocate safely within their country of origin. The test has two limbs: is relocation viable (safe from persecution) and is it reasonable (not unduly harsh)?
Persecution experts assess whether the appellant's persecutors could locate them in the proposed area, whether the Convention ground-based risk persists nationwide, and whether societal or state persecution would follow relocation.
For LGBTQ+ claims, gender-based violence, and ethnic persecution, internal relocation analysis requires particular care. Persecution experts provide profile-specific assessment rather than generic country-level conclusions.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I instruct an expert on internal relocation?
Instruct when the Home Office raises internal relocation as a reason for refusal, or when the viability or reasonableness of relocation is contested. Persecution experts provide profile-specific analysis that generic CPIN summaries may not address.
What makes internal relocation unreasonable?
Factors include unduly harsh conditions, lack of support networks, inability to earn a living, and continuation of persecution in the proposed area. Persecution experts assess reasonableness in the context of the appellant's specific profile and the Convention ground.
