Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) country guidance cases establish binding precedent for how African asylum claims are assessed across the UK. Leading cases include MOJ Somalia, MA Eritrea, and RN Zimbabwe.
Expert evidence in country guidance and departure cases must meet the highest evidential standards. Experts address whether existing guidance remains current, identify material changes since the leading decision, and provide the granular country analysis the UT requires.
Solicitors instructing experts for UT work should identify whether the case is a country guidance application, a departure from guidance, or a CG review - each requiring different expert scope and methodology.
Frequently asked questions
What is a country guidance case?
A country guidance (CG) case is an Upper Tribunal decision designated as providing authoritative guidance on how claims from a particular country should be assessed. CG decisions are binding on First-tier Tribunals until departed from or superseded.
Which African country guidance cases are most significant?
MOJ & Ors (Return to Mogadishu) Somalia CG [2014] UKUT 00442; MA (draft evaders) Eritrea CG [2019] UKUT 272; and RN and Others (Returnees) Zimbabwe CG [2008] UKAIT 00083 are the leading African CG cases in UK immigration law.