A PIQ (preliminary information questionnaire for asylum claims) is a form that the Home Office might send to someone who has claimed asylum and already attended a screening interview, before their main asylum interview.

A lawyer’s help is normally needed to complete the questionnaire which must be returned by the deadline. It is possible to ask for more time for example if the asylum seeker needs to find legal advice. The PIQ is a chance to explain more about the asylum seeker’s background before their interview. It will include questions about why they are afraid of returning to their home country, what happened to them and when. It can also be used to explain why the asylum seeker might have said something in their screening interview that was wrong or could be used against them.