How to Brief a Country Expert for an Asylum or Immigration Case

When legal representatives consider instructing a country expert, the initial brief can help establish the factual background, relevant questions and scope of the expert's work.

A country expert may be asked to provide specialist opinion on matters relating to conditions, practices, events or circumstances in a particular country. The precise role will depend on the facts of the case, the expert's area of expertise and the requirements of the relevant proceedings.

A clear and focused instruction may help the expert understand what issues require specialist consideration while allowing the expert to reach an independent opinion.

What Should a Brief to a Country Expert Cover?

There is no single format that will be appropriate for every case. However, legal representatives considering expert witness services may wish to consider including several key areas.

The brief may cover:

• A concise summary of the relevant background
• The country, region or locality concerned
• Important dates and time periods
• The specific issues on which specialist country knowledge may be relevant
• Questions for the expert to consider
• Relevant documents and background material
• Any material factual disputes
• The relevant procedural context
• The expected timeframe for the report, where applicable
• Whether oral evidence may potentially be required

The information provided should be appropriate to the particular case rather than unnecessarily broad.

Start With a Clear Case Background

A short factual summary can give the expert useful context before they review the wider case material.

The summary may identify the circumstances that are relevant to the questions being asked. Where particular facts are disputed, it can be helpful to make this clear rather than presenting an allegation as an established fact.

For example, where an individual has described a particular incident but the circumstances are disputed, the brief could explain the different positions and ask the expert to consider any relevant country information within their area of expertise.

This allows the expert to distinguish between the factual information provided for consideration and matters on which they may be able to offer specialist opinion.

Set Out the Questions Clearly

The questions should be connected to the expert's particular area of expertise.

Depending on the circumstances, questions may concern:

• Conditions affecting a particular group
• Conditions in a particular region or locality
• Relevant social or cultural practices
• The position of particular organisations or institutions
• Access to relevant state institutions or protection
• Conditions that may be relevant to proposed internal relocation
• Whether particular circumstances are consistent with known country conditions

The appropriate questions will vary from case to case.

Questions can generally be framed in a neutral manner so that the expert is able to assess the available material independently rather than being directed towards a particular conclusion.

Distinguish Country Evidence From Legal Questions

A country expert may provide specialist information and opinion within their field of expertise. The legal significance of that evidence is generally a matter for the legal representatives and relevant decision-maker.

For this reason, care may be appropriate when framing questions that ask an expert to determine a legal issue.

Instead of asking an expert to decide whether a legal test has been satisfied, the instruction may focus on the country-specific circumstances that are relevant to that issue.

This can help keep the scope of the expert's work connected to their specialist knowledge.

Identify Relevant Locations

Country conditions can differ between regions and localities.

Where location is relevant to the case, the brief may therefore identify the relevant:

• Country
• Region or province
• City or district
• Rural or urban area
• Local community
• Area associated with the individual's circumstances

The level of geographic detail required will depend on the questions being considered.

Where a particular locality is important, country-wide information alone may not address every issue relevant to that location. See also our country expertise pages.

Explain the Relevant Time Period

Country conditions can change over time.

The brief may therefore identify the dates or periods that are relevant to the questions being considered.

This could include:

• The period in which relevant events are said to have occurred
• The period covered by existing country information
• The current position, where current conditions are relevant
• Significant changes that the legal representative is already aware of

Historical conditions may not necessarily reflect present circumstances, and current information may not describe conditions during an earlier period. The relevant timeframe should therefore be clear where it matters to the expert's assessment.

Provide Relevant Documents

The expert may need access to documents that are relevant to the questions they have been asked to consider.

Depending on the case, these could include:

• A personal statement or account
• Relevant correspondence
• Existing country information
• Documents concerning particular events
• Previous decisions or reports where relevant
• Information concerning the individual's location or circumstances

The documents supplied should be sufficient for the expert to understand the issues within the scope of the instruction.

It can also be useful to identify the purpose of important documents, particularly where the case file contains disputed or conflicting information.

Identify Disputed Facts

Country experts are not necessarily being asked to determine whether every disputed event in a case occurred.

Where important facts are contested, the brief may identify the dispute and explain the factual positions that need to be considered.

For example, an instruction might ask whether circumstances described by an individual are consistent with relevant country conditions, rather than asking the expert to determine as a matter of fact that the reported incident occurred.

The appropriate approach will depend on the expert's remit and the circumstances of the proceedings.

Avoid Leading Questions

A country expert's opinion should remain independent.

An instruction can explain why a particular issue is relevant without requiring the expert to reach a predetermined conclusion.

For example, rather than asking whether the evidence proves that a person would face a particular outcome, the instruction could ask what relevant country information indicates about the circumstances identified in the case.

Neutral questions can give the expert appropriate scope to identify supporting information, contrary information, uncertainties or limitations where relevant.

Consider the Expert's Area of Expertise

Not every country expert will have the same specialist background.

An expert may have particular knowledge of a country, region, community, political environment, social practice, security situation or another defined subject.

Before finalising the brief, legal representatives may therefore wish to consider whether each question falls within the expert's stated expertise.

Where a question extends beyond that expertise, it may require a different source of evidence or a separate form of specialist input. Our expert witness service and COI report service pages outline typical instruction scopes.

Provide Existing Country Information Where Relevant

Legal representatives may already have collected country of origin information relevant to the case.

Where appropriate, this material can be provided to the expert as part of the briefing documents.

The purpose is not necessarily to require the expert to adopt the conclusions of the material provided. Instead, the expert may consider relevant information alongside other sources identified during their own research.

Where sources conflict or information is limited, the expert may need to explain the basis for their assessment and any relevant limitations.

Allow Room for Independent Research

A country expert may identify additional sources while carrying out research.

Depending on the subject and the expert's methodology, relevant material may include official information, academic research, specialist publications, local sources and other material considered appropriate to the particular question.

The sources that are useful will vary according to the country, issue and period being examined.

Where an expert relies on particular information in reaching an opinion, the report may need to explain the basis for that opinion in accordance with the requirements applicable to the proceedings.

Explain the Scope of the Assignment

A focused instruction can help establish what the expert has and has not been asked to consider.

The brief may state:

• The questions requiring specialist opinion
• The relevant geographical area
• The relevant timeframe
• The documents provided
• Any important factual assumptions
• The intended use of the report
• Any known deadline
• Whether oral evidence may potentially be required

The precise requirements can differ between jurisdictions and types of proceedings, so the legal representative should consider the requirements applicable to the particular case.

Keep the Brief Focused

A large case file can contain information that is not directly relevant to the expert's task.

Providing a short explanation of the key issues may help the expert identify which material requires particular attention.

A practical structure could be:

1. Case background
2. Relevant country and location
3. Relevant dates
4. Issues requiring specialist consideration
5. Questions for the expert
6. Relevant documents
7. Disputed or uncertain facts
8. Procedural and timing information

This structure is only a practical example. The appropriate format will depend on the circumstances of the case.

Common Issues to Avoid

Asking the Expert to Decide the Legal Outcome

Questions that require a legal conclusion may fall outside the appropriate scope of country expertise.

It may be preferable to identify the country-specific facts or circumstances relevant to the legal issue and ask the expert to address those matters within their expertise.

Treating Allegations as Established Facts

Where an account is disputed, the brief should make that clear.

This may help the expert understand which matters are assumptions for the purpose of the instruction and which matters require independent assessment.

Asking Questions That Are Too Broad

A question such as "Would this person be at risk?" may require more context before an expert can determine whether it falls within their expertise.

A more focused question may identify the relevant country, location, circumstances and timeframe and ask what the available country evidence indicates about those matters.

Omitting Important Dates or Locations

Dates and locations can be significant when assessing country information.

Where they are relevant, providing this information can help the expert focus on the appropriate period and geographical area.

A Practical Briefing Checklist

Before sending instructions, a legal representative may wish to check that the brief includes:

• A concise case background
• The relevant country and geographical areas
• Important dates and time periods
• The specific issues requiring country expertise
• Clearly framed questions
• A distinction between disputed and undisputed information where relevant
• Relevant supporting documents
• Existing country information where appropriate
• The relevant procedural context
• Any applicable deadline
• Information about possible oral evidence, where relevant

The checklist is intended as a practical starting point rather than a universal procedural requirement.

Final Considerations

A country expert's role is generally connected to providing specialist knowledge and opinion within the limits of their expertise. A briefing document can help define the questions the expert has been asked to consider while giving them appropriate scope to conduct an independent assessment.

Clear factual context, relevant documents, appropriate geographic and temporal detail, and neutrally framed questions may help establish a workable scope for the assignment.

The appropriate approach will depend on the individual case, the expert's expertise and the requirements of the relevant proceedings. Legal representatives should consider the applicable rules and directions when deciding what evidence to obtain and how an expert should be instructed. Where further information about the instruction process is required, legal representatives can contact Asylum Country Expert.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information about briefing a country expert and is not legal advice. Requirements and appropriate practices may vary according to the facts of the case, jurisdiction, applicable procedural rules and the expert's area of expertise.

Last Reviewed: September 2026