Guidance on remote interviews : April 2025

This guide provides an overview of the legal framework for remote interviews and presents procedural and technical standards that can contribute to high-quality remote interviews. Guidance is also provided on the process of deciding when to conduct a remote interview, and when to avoid doing so. Separate chapters provide more hands-on guidance regarding communication and interview techniques in the remote context. The annexes provide checklists that can support case officers in their day-to-day work. This guidance should be used in conjunction with the practical guide on the personal interview, the Practical Guide on the implementation of the Dublin III regulation in the context of the personal interview and evidence assessment and the Practical Guide on Interpretation in the Asylum Procedure. This guidance focuses exclusively on the specific circumstances of the remote interview. This guidance builds on the European Union Agency for Asylum's (the EUAA) practical recommendations on conducting the personal interview remotely and on remote/ online registration (lodging), which were developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The guide draws on practices, guidelines and evaluation reports provided by EU Member States and Schengen associated countries. In addition, the guide notes two procedural and practical considerations from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in this field.