Establishing Origin: Analysing the Questions Asked in Asylum Interviews.

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Psychology
• Law

Background:

• Asylum seeker interviews are crucial for assessing credibility in the absence of other evidence.
• Limited research exists on how interview question types impact the detail and accuracy of applicant responses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the style, type, and content of questions used in Dutch asylum interviews assessing claims of origin.
• To identify opportunities for improving information gathering in asylum interviews.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of question types (closed, open, fact-checking, cued recall) in 40 Dutch Immigration Service case files.
• Categorization of knowledge-based questions related to applicant background and origin.

Main Results:

• A high proportion of questions were closed-ended or fact-checking questions.
• Less than 20% of questions were open-ended or cued recall.
• Knowledge questions focused on immediate environment, flight, identity, country of origin, and personal background.

Conclusions:

• Current interview questioning strategies may not optimally elicit detailed and accurate information from asylum seekers.
• Further research is needed to confirm if truthful claimants possess extensive knowledge of their country and town of origin.