COI vs CPIN: What Is the Difference and How Are They Used in UK Asylum Cases?

What Is Country of Origin Information?

Country of Origin Information refers broadly to information concerning conditions in a particular country.

Depending on the issue being examined, COI may cover matters such as:

• Political and security conditions
• Treatment of particular groups
• Relevant laws and their implementation
• Treatment by state authorities
• Access to state institutions and protection
• Conditions in particular regions
• Social or community attitudes
• Conditions affecting people returning to the country

COI can come from a range of sources. The relevance of a particular source may depend on factors such as its date, methodology, geographic scope, subject matter and the question being examined.

For more information about how country information can be researched and assessed, see the COI Experts methodology.

What Is a CPIN?

A Country Policy and Information Note, commonly referred to as a CPIN, is a Home Office publication concerning a particular country and subject.

CPINs generally bring together country information with relevant policy material. Different notes address different countries and issues, meaning that the scope of one CPIN may differ considerably from another.

A CPIN should therefore be understood as a particular source of country information and policy material, rather than as a synonym for all available COI concerning a country.

COI and CPIN: What Is the Difference?

The basic distinction is straightforward:

COI is a broad category of country information, while a CPIN is a specific Home Office publication dealing with a defined country and subject.

The two should therefore not be treated as interchangeable.

How Are CPINs Used in UK Asylum Cases?

CPINs may be relevant to the consideration of asylum and human rights claims because they contain country information and policy material concerning particular issues.

Depending on the subject, a CPIN may discuss matters such as:

• Conditions affecting a particular group
• Treatment of people with a particular profile
• Security or political developments
• Internal relocation
• State protection
• Specific forms of harm or persecution

The relevance of a particular CPIN will depend on the issues being considered. Its publication date, sources, geographic coverage and subject matter may also be relevant.

A CPIN is not necessarily intended to provide information about every aspect of conditions within a country. Its scope is connected to the particular topic it addresses.

How Can Other COI Be Relevant?

Other country information may provide additional material about issues that are not addressed, or are not addressed in detail, in a particular CPIN.

For example, further country research may examine:

Regional differences

Conditions can vary between different parts of a country. Country information may therefore need to be considered at an appropriate geographic level where the location is relevant to the issue being examined.

Particular profiles or groups

Some sources focus on particular groups, occupations, political activities, ethnic or religious communities, or other characteristics.

Changes over time

Country conditions can change. The date of a source and the period to which its information relates may therefore be relevant when assessing its usefulness for a particular question.

Additional sources

Other reputable sources may contain information that is relevant to a factual issue not covered in detail by a particular CPIN.

The existence of additional COI does not, by itself, mean that a CPIN is inaccurate or contradicted. Differences should be examined in context, including differences in date, geography, methodology and subject matter.

Does a CPIN Represent All Available COI?

No. A CPIN is one source of country information and policy material.

A particular country may have a range of available material from different sources. Those sources may address different subjects, periods, regions or groups.

For that reason, it can be useful to consider whether the existing country material actually addresses the factual question arising in a particular case.

This is one reason that a COI research report may sometimes involve examining sources beyond a single published document.

Can Other COI Differ From a CPIN?

Different sources can contain different information or perspectives. That does not necessarily mean that one source is correct and the other is incorrect.

When comparing material, it may be useful to ask:

• Are the sources discussing the same period?
• Do they concern the same geographical area?
• Are they addressing the same group or profile?
• Do they rely on different underlying sources?
• Are they answering the same factual question?
• Has the situation changed between publication dates?
• Do the sources have different methodologies or purposes?

Examining these factors can help distinguish a substantive difference in evidence from a difference caused by timing, scope, geography or methodology.

How Do Country Guidance and CPINs Differ?

Country guidance decisions should also be distinguished from both COI and CPINs.

Broadly:

• COI refers to information about conditions in a country.
• CPINs are Home Office country policy and information publications.
• Country guidance decisions are tribunal decisions that may provide guidance on particular issues within the applicable legal framework.

These forms of material have different functions and should be considered according to their nature and relevance to the issue being examined.

When Might Further Country Research Be Relevant?

Further country research may be considered where an important factual question is not sufficiently addressed by the material already available.

Examples may include circumstances where:

• The issue concerns a particular region that receives limited attention in general country material.
• The relevant profile is more specific than the subject addressed by existing material.
• Conditions may have changed since earlier information was published.
• Different sources appear to contain materially different information.
• A particular factual question requires more detailed country-specific research.

Whether additional research is appropriate depends on the facts and issues of the individual case.

COI Experts provides COI research and report services covering country-specific questions and evidence assessment.

A Practical Approach to Reviewing COI and CPIN Material

When reviewing country evidence, it can be useful to consider six basic questions.

1. What question does the source address?

Identify the specific factual issue before assessing whether the material is relevant.

2. What period does it cover?

Check the publication date and, where possible, the period to which the underlying information relates.

3. What geographical area does it cover?

Determine whether the material concerns the country generally or a particular region, city or locality.

4. Who does it concern?

Consider whether the information relates to the relevant group, profile or circumstances.

5. What sources does it rely on?

The underlying sources and methodology can help explain the scope and context of the information.

6. How does it compare with other available material?

Where differences appear, examine the reasons for those differences before drawing conclusions.

For country-specific work, the appropriate evidence will depend on the country and issue being researched. COI Experts' country coverage provides further information about the geographic scope of its research.

Conclusion

COI and CPINs are related but should not be treated as the same thing. Country of Origin Information is a broad category of information about conditions in a country, while a CPIN is a specific Home Office publication concerning a defined country and subject.

A CPIN may be relevant to a UK asylum case, but its scope, date, sources and subject matter should be considered. Other country information may also be relevant where a particular factual question requires additional or more specific research.

A careful distinction between different types of country evidence can help legal representatives identify what the available material addresses and whether further country-specific research may be relevant to the issues in an individual case.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information about Country of Origin Information and CPINs. It is not legal advice and does not determine how any particular asylum, human rights or immigration case should be assessed.

Last Reviewed: September 2026