Witness statement

Write a witness statement for a UK immigration or asylum matter, then save it as a PDF to put in your appeal bundle. Use Plain mode for simple prompts, or Formal mode for the tribunal layout with a court heading and the full statement of truth.

🔒 Private. Everything you write stays in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.

Mode

This statement is

Who you are

Full name

Address

Occupation (or "none")

Date of birth (optional)

Your relationship to the person

How you know them

What this statement is for

This statement supports

Name of the person whose case it is

Case or appeal reference (optional)

Matter reference (other side's ref, optional)

How this statement was prepared

Your statement

Statement type (loads standard sections you can edit)

How to write each part

Write in your own words, in the order things happened. You do not need perfect English; the important thing is that it is clear and truthful.

For each important event, try to cover: when it happened (a date, even if approximate), where it happened, who was involved, what happened, and what happened next.

Show how sure you are: use "I saw..." or "I experienced..." for things you witnessed yourself; "I was told that..." for things you heard from someone else; and "I am not sure, but I think... because..." when you are estimating.

Give each part a short heading if it helps (for example "Background", "What happened", "After I arrived").

Points the other side may ask about

If any of these apply, it can help to deal with them in your own words rather than leaving them for the hearing:

why you left when you did, and any delay before leaving; whether you could have moved somewhere else in your country; why you are still at risk; who you fear and whether you went to the authorities; and which family members remain in the country and whether they are safe.

The most important thing

In a few sentences (what you most want the decision-maker to understand)

Statement of truth

Use the full Practice Direction wording (recommended for tribunal statements). When off, a short plain version is used.

A signature, your name, and the date are added at the end for you to sign by hand after printing.

Interpreter's declaration

Add an interpreter's declaration (if this statement was read back to you in another language).

Before you send it

Check your statement against your screening or asylum interview record and any documents you have already given, so the main facts line up.
Be clear about what you saw or did yourself, and when you are repeating what someone else told you.
Stick to what you know. Do not exaggerate. If you are not sure about a date or detail, say so.
If something differs from an earlier account because of stress, trauma, or translation, explain why rather than leaving a gap.
If you do not have a representative, think carefully before sending evidence to the Home Office. Sometimes evidence can weaken a case. This tool is a drafting aid, not legal advice.

Save a draft to come back to a long statement later. The draft and the PDF are created on your device and are never uploaded.