Research on interpreting in asylum hearings has largely been neglected in Translation Studies. However, the steadily increasing number of asylum seekers suggests that interpreting in such settings is by no means peripheral. In order to address this growing field, a research project has been based on a corpus of hearing transcripts. In presenting some of the research results, the concept of 'translation culture' is used to sketch some specific factors influencing the interactional structure of asylum hearings. The cornerstones of translation culture (cooperativity, loyalty and transparency) are discussed on the basis of empirical evidence.