International Protection Act 2015

Internal protection

32. (1) An international protection officer may recommend or, as the case may be, the Tribunal may decide, that an applicant is not in need of international protection if in a part of the country of origin the applicant—

(a) has—

(i) no well-founded fear of being persecuted or is not at real risk of suffering serious harm, or

(ii) access to protection against persecution or serious harm,

and

(b) can safely and legally travel to and gain admittance to that part of the country and can reasonably be expected to settle there.

(2) An international protection officer or, as the case may be, the Tribunal, in examining whether an applicant has a well-founded fear of being persecuted or is at real risk of suffering serious harm, or has access to protection against persecution or serious harm in a part of the country of origin in accordance with subsection (1), shall have regard to the general circumstances prevailing in that part of the country and to the personal circumstances of the applicant in accordance with section 28 .

(3) An international protection officer or, as the case may be, the Tribunal, in complying with this section, shall ensure that precise and up-to-date information is obtained from relevant sources, such as the High Commissioner and the European Asylum Support Office.