Overview
- BBC reporters published the first part of their undercover investigation on Wednesday, exposing a network that coaches migrants to pose as gay to secure asylum.
- Undercover journalists were quoted fees up to £7,000 and told refusals were very rare, in a system where visa overstayers made about 35% of more than 100,000 claims in 2025.
- Advisers outlined staged photos at LGBT events, letters claiming relationships, and medical notes from coached GP visits, with some even suggesting false HIV claims.
- Worcester LGBT said it opened an internal probe into adviser Tanisa Khan on April 8 and removed her on April 13, while Connaught Law suspended Aqeel Abbasi and the SRA said it is urgently following up with named firms.
- The Home Office warned offenders face removal from the UK, and refugee advocates cautioned that fraud makes it harder for genuine LGBT asylum seekers to be believed.