What we do
The Tribunal for Asylum and Returns Appeals was established in June 2026, in accordance with section 242 of the International Protection Act 2026. The Tribunal is a statutorily independent body and exercises a quasi-judicial function.
The functions of the Tribunal, appeals officers and staff are set out in Part 13 of the 2026 Act.
The Act, especially Part 8, sets out the various legal rules within which the Tribunal operates when dealing with the appeals within its jurisdiction. These legal rules have been supplemented by the European Union – The Asylum and Migration Management Regulation (AMMR) 2024/1351. The Tribunal also determines appeals pursuant to the European Communities (Reception Conditions) Regulations 2018-2021.
The Tribunal’s current legislative remit is to determine appeals from first instance decisions in respect of:
- International Protection
- Inadmissibility of an application for International Protection
- Restriction of freedom of movement
- Implicit withdrawal
- Transfer decisions
- Unfounded and manifestly unfounded applications
- Reception conditions for applicants in the international protection process.
The Tribunal is inquisitorial in nature and independent in the performance of its functions. The appeals officers must ensure that the appeals assigned to them are managed efficiently and determined within statutory deadlines. The Tribunal produces decisions that are fair and consistent with natural justice.