The Danish Asylum system
The Danish Asylum System requires that the applicant fills out an asylum application and afterwards the applicant will be requested to participate in an initial informational interview and finally an asylum interview. The asylum interview can often have a duration of multiple hours. These steps are the foundation for the Danish Immigration Service's decision regarding if the applicant can obtain asylum in Denmark on the basis of the Danish Immigration Law §7, art. 1, 2 or 3.
If the Danish Immigration Service denies the applicant asylum, a written justification will follow. Simultaneously, the case will be transferred to the Danish Refugee Appeal Board which is the appeals body in relation to asylum. Here the applicant has the right to a court-appointed lawyer at one's choice. The representation is free of charge for the applicant.
Even though the asylum interview can be demanding, it is important to make use of one's right to go through one's explanation in collaboration with the interpreter.
Denial of asylum
There can be various reasons for a denial of asylum. Most commonly a considerable part of the reasoning behind the denial is based upon deviating information received from the applicant regarding the flight, conflicts, family relations, dates, etc. during the initial steps of the process being 1) the asylum application form, 2) the initial interview and 3) the asylum interview.
The system is built that way to ensure coherence in the applicant's explanation and to ensure that the applicant does not try to embellish the circumstances of the conflict. Even though the asylum interview can be demanding, it is important to make use of one's right to go through one's explanation in collaboration with the interpreter.
Even though this method can seem harsh, it is developed as a check function since applicants often arrive to Denmark without other proof of the conflicts constituting basis for the asylum than their own statements. Therefore, it is crucial that applicants as early on as possible are aware of this fact. It is commonly believed that coming from a war-torn or unstable country will constitute basis for the asylum - however, this is rarely the case.
In shorter periods of time countries, such as Syria and Somalia, have been considered exceptions to this main rule as a result of the intense fighting, evident acts of intense violence and premediated murders of civilians as an act of warfare where the mere presence in these countries posed an immediate safety hazard.
However, in most cases it is a requirement for asylum that the applicant is persecuted in their home country, e.g. as a result of ethnicity, religion, political beliefs, sexuality or other conflicts which the local authorities cannot or will not provide protection against.
The Danish Immigration service
If the Danish Immigration Service denies asylum on the grounds of unreliable statements, it becomes a challenge for the court appointed lawyer to compensate for this during the Danish Refugee Appeal Board's processing of the case. However, if you remember the essence of the above, you will be able to improve your prospects for asylum significantly - both in the applicant to the Danish Immigration Service and in the instance of denial where the case is processed by the Danish Refugee Appeal Board.