Legal advisers help migrants pose as gay to get asylum, undercover BBC investigation finds

Undercover Investigation Reveals Migrants Pay Thousands to Pretend Gay for Asylum

The BBC has uncovered a hidden network of law firms and immigration advisers who charge substantial fees to assist migrants in fabricating gay identities to secure asylum in the UK. In a groundbreaking undercover inquiry, the BBC reveals how individuals with expiring visas are provided with fabricated narratives and coached to present forged documents, such as letters, photographs, and medical reports, to support their asylum claims.

How the Process Works

Those with visas set to expire are directed to create convincing cover stories, often involving detailed preparation for interviews with the Home Office. The goal is to claim asylum based on fears of persecution in their home countries, such as Pakistan or Bangladesh, by asserting they are gay and face threats upon return.

In response to our findings, the Home Office stated:

“Anyone found trying to exploit the system will face the full force of the law, including removal from the UK.”

The Hidden Network

The UK’s asylum process provides protection for individuals unable to return home due to danger. However, the BBC News investigation highlights how this system is being systematically exploited by legal advisers, who extract fees from migrants seeking to stay. These cases often involve people with expired student, work, or tourist visas, rather than those arriving through irregular means.

This demographic now accounts for 35% of all asylum claims, which exceeded 100,000 in 2025. The undercover reporters’ journey began in late February when they approached Mazedul Hasan Shakil, a paralegal at Law & Justice Solicitors, an immigration firm based in Birmingham and London. Shakil, also founder of Worcester LGBT, used the group’s website to promote his services.

During a brief phone call, Shakil assured the reporter they needed to fear persecution to qualify for asylum, but the conversation quickly shifted. A woman named Tanisa, speaking in Urdu, became more enthusiastic, urging the reporter to apply on the grounds of being gay. She insisted:

“Listen to me. There is nobody who is real. There is only one way out in order to live here now and that is the very method everyone is adopting.”

Behind the Scenes

Later that evening, the reporter met Tanisa at her home in Forest Gate, East London. She emphasized the necessity of memorizing a made-up story for the interview, claiming:

“At the moment there is only one route from where you can get a visa and it is open… it is the asylum visa… it is on human rights and it is called gay case or same sex. There is no hope for any other visa.”

Meanwhile, at a community center in Beckton, East London, over 175 individuals gathered for an event organized by Worcester LGBT, which describes itself as a support group for gay and lesbian asylum seekers. While the group’s website claims to welcome only genuine LGBTQ+ applicants, attendees outside the building readily admitted to the undercover reporter that the situation was less authentic. One man, Fahar, noted:

“Most of the people here are not gays.”

Another, Zeeshan, added:

“Nobody is a gay here. Not even 1% are gay. Not even 0.01% are gay.”

Tanisa’s WhatsApp profile and first name matched Tanisa Khan, an adviser linked to Worcester LGBT. This suggests a coordinated effort to leverage the asylum process for those seeking to prolong their stay in the UK, regardless of their actual sexual orientation.