Pakistani Man's UK Asylum Bid Collapses Over Faked Baby Docs

The right of a Pakistani asylum seeker to remain in the United Kingdom has been thrown into serious doubt after it was revealed he allegedly presented forged birth and death certificates to an immigration court. Sameer Khan, whose initial appeal to stay in Britain was granted, now faces a complete re-evaluation of his case after the Home Office uncovered compelling evidence that the crucial documents were fabricated.

Mr. Khan's claim to stay in the UK stemmed from an application under the European Union settlement scheme, where he asserted he had married an EEA citizen, identified in court as Ms. Rumenova, in Cyprus in August 2020. The Home Office initially rejected his application, citing "reasonable grounds for suspicion that the marriage was entered into for the purpose of securing leave to remain, and so was a marriage of convenience."

However, Mr. Khan appealed this decision, and at a First-Tier Tribunal hearing in November 2024, presided over by Judge Sarah Farmer, he presented what was described as a "wealth of reliable evidence." This evidence notably included a birth certificate for a child, "AK," purportedly born in Slough, Berkshire, on August 10, 2023, with Mr. Khan and Ms. Rumenova named as the parents.

In a dramatic turn during the November 2024 hearing, Mr. Khan and Ms. Rumenova did not attend. They informed the tribunal via email that their child, AK, had tragically died the week prior. Later the same day, a death certificate was submitted to the judge, stating the child had died on November 15, 2024, at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, due to epilepsy-related seizures. The death certificate was registered on November 18, 2024 – the very day of the hearing.

Based on this submitted documentation, including the birth and death certificates, Judge Farmer allowed Mr. Khan’s appeal, concluding that there was sufficient evidence to prove the relationship was genuine and not one of convenience.

However, the authenticity of these pivotal documents was subsequently challenged. Following checks by Home Office officials, the registry office confirmed that both the birth and death certificates were forgeries.

This revelation has led to a major reversal in the case. Upper Tribunal Judges Daniel Sheridan and Hannah Graves stated that there was "sufficient" evidence to establish "legitimate concerns about whether those documents are genuine and capable of reliance." They concluded that Judge Farmer was "led into error, albeit inadvertently," and that this error "infects the credibility assessment made by the judge, which was central to the findings of fact made and the outcome of the appeal."

As a result, the initial decision has been entirely set aside. Mr. Khan’s case will now be remitted to the First-Tier Tribunal for a fresh hearing before a different judge. The outcome of this new hearing will determine whether Mr. Khan can ultimately secure leave to remain in the UK, with the veracity of his presented evidence now under intense scrutiny.