Internal relocation may become relevant in asylum and protection proceedings where a person reports a risk in one part of their country of origin and it is suggested that they could live elsewhere in the same country.
Whether internal relocation is relevant to an individual case depends on the facts and the applicable legal framework. Country expert evidence does not determine whether relocation is legally available or whether a person qualifies for protection. Where instructed to address relevant country conditions, a country expert may provide evidence that helps a decision-maker understand the practical context.
For information about country of origin information and the areas in which country expert evidence may be relevant, visit the expertise page.
In Western Balkans cases, conditions can differ between countries, regions, municipalities, cities and rural areas. Country expert evidence may therefore need to consider local circumstances rather than relying solely on national-level information.
What Is Internal Relocation?
Internal relocation generally concerns whether a person who fears harm in one part of their country could potentially live in another part of that country.
Identifying a different location where the reported source of harm is less apparent may not, by itself, answer the wider questions involved. Depending on the circumstances, relevant country evidence may concern the proposed destination, accessibility, local conditions, social networks and the reported geographic reach of the risk.
These matters are case-specific. General country information may provide useful context, but it does not necessarily establish what would happen to a particular individual.
Why Local Conditions May Matter
National-level reports and statistics can provide important background. They may not, however, describe conditions in every locality in the same way.
Where relevant to the instructions, a country expert may therefore examine available evidence concerning the particular area proposed for relocation.
Geographic differences
Conditions can vary between regions and municipalities. Geography, infrastructure, population distribution, employment opportunities and access to public services may differ from one location to another.
For this reason, country conditions in a proposed destination may require separate consideration rather than being inferred solely from national-level information.
Family and social networks
Family and community connections may also be relevant in some cases.
Depending on the circumstances, country evidence may address how social networks operate locally, the significance of family relationships, and whether information about an individual may circulate within a particular community.
The relevance of these factors depends on the individual circumstances and the available evidence.
Urban and rural settings
A proposed relocation to a large city may present different circumstances from relocation to a smaller town or rural area.
Relevant country information could include housing, employment, transport, access to services, population characteristics and the nature of local communities. These factors do not, on their own, establish whether relocation would be appropriate for a particular person.
The Importance of the Proposed Destination
Internal relocation questions are generally more specific when the proposed destination is identified.
Depending on the instructions, country expert evidence may examine a particular city, municipality or region and consider issues such as:
- The characteristics and population of the proposed destination
- Transport connections and practical accessibility
- Local administrative structures
- Access to public services
- Housing and employment conditions
- Relevant family or community networks
- The reported presence or activities of the alleged source of risk
- Available information about whether relevant networks extend beyond the person's original locality
Not every factor will be relevant to every case. The scope of an expert's assessment should be determined by the questions asked and the evidence available.
For information about the countries covered by the service, visit the regional coverage page.
How the Nature of the Reported Risk May Affect the Analysis
The geographic character of a reported risk can be relevant when considering country conditions.
A concern connected primarily with a particular locality may require a different analysis from one involving individuals, organisations or networks that operate across multiple areas.
Localised disputes
Where a reported dispute involves particular families or community relationships, a country expert may examine relevant evidence about the geographic and social context.
This could include information about community structures, family connections and the extent to which relevant relationships may operate outside the original area.
Organised crime
Where organised criminal activity forms part of the factual background, country evidence may address the reported geographic reach of relevant groups or networks.
Depending on the available sources, an expert may examine reported areas of activity, links between local and wider networks, and relevant information about state responses.
Such evidence should be distinguished from a prediction about what would happen to a particular individual.
Trafficking-related concerns
In cases involving trafficking, relevant country information may include trafficking patterns, support services, reporting mechanisms and information concerning risks identified for people who have left exploitative situations.
General information about trafficking does not, by itself, establish the level of risk faced by a particular person. The relevance of the evidence depends on the circumstances of the case.
State Protection and Internal Relocation
Internal relocation questions may also involve consideration of access to state protection.
Where this falls within the expert's remit, country expert evidence may provide information about relevant institutions, including police and other public authorities.
Depending on the instructions, this may include:
- Police structures and responsibilities
- Reporting mechanisms
- Access to public authorities
- Institutional capacity
- Information about reported patterns of state response
- Differences between national and local conditions
- Relevant support services
The purpose of such evidence is to provide country context. It is not to determine whether the authorities would protect a particular individual or to reach a legal conclusion about the adequacy of protection in an individual case.
What Sources May Be Considered?
Country expert evidence may draw on different types of reliable country information, depending on the question being addressed.
Sources may include official publications, international organisations, reputable research, academic material, recognised human-rights reporting and other relevant evidence.
The value of a source can depend on its date, methodology, geographic scope and relevance to the particular question. Recent information may be particularly important where conditions have changed, while older material may provide useful historical context.
An expert may also need to distinguish between information describing established conditions and information that is limited, disputed or subject to change.
Why Case-Specific Instructions Matter
Clear instructions can help a country expert identify the country questions that require analysis.
Depending on the circumstances, relevant background may include:
- The person's place of origin
- The proposed relocation destination
- The nature of the reported risk
- Relevant family or community connections
- Any reported links extending beyond the original locality
- Specific country conditions requiring clarification
The expert should remain within their area of expertise and distinguish country evidence from matters that fall outside that expertise.
What Country Expert Evidence Cannot Establish
Country expert evidence has important limits.
A country expert does not normally determine whether an individual is telling the truth, whether a particular event occurred, or whether a person meets the legal requirements for protection.
An expert should also avoid presenting country conditions as a guarantee or prediction of an individual's future experience following relocation.
Instead, the report can provide relevant country evidence and explain conclusions that fall within the expert's area of expertise.
A Regional Approach to Internal Relocation
The Western Balkans comprises countries with different political, social, economic and institutional circumstances. Conditions can also vary within individual countries.
Internal relocation questions may therefore require consideration of the particular country and proposed destination rather than broad assumptions about the region.
A country expert's analysis may distinguish between:
- National conditions, providing broader country context.
- Regional conditions, identifying relevant geographic differences.
- Local conditions, concerning the proposed destination.
- Case-specific factors, determining which country evidence is relevant to the question being examined.
This structure can help keep country expert evidence focused without turning general country information into a conclusion about an individual case.
Conclusion
Internal relocation can raise detailed questions about conditions beyond a person's original locality.
Where country expert evidence is relevant, the assessment may consider the proposed destination, local conditions, social and family networks, the reported geographic reach of a risk, access to services and other country-specific factors.
The precise issues will depend on the circumstances of the case, the available evidence and the questions within the expert's remit. Country expert evidence can provide country context for these issues, but it does not replace the legal assessment made by the relevant decision-maker.
For information about providing instructions for country expert evidence, visit the instruction page.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information about the potential role of country expert evidence in internal relocation issues. It is not legal advice and does not determine whether internal relocation is legally available or appropriate in any individual case.
Last Reviewed: September 2026