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Immigration Act 1971
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- UK Public General Acts
- 1971 c. 77
- SCHEDULE 4A
- PART 3
- Search for nationality documents
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Changes over time for: Cross Heading: Search for nationality documents
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Immigration Act 1971, Cross Heading: Search for nationality documents is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 25 April 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 10(1A)(1B) inserted by 1999 c. 33 Sch. 14 para. 47(3)
- s. 24(1)(fa) inserted by 2023 c. 37 s. 10(2)
- s. 24C-24F inserted by 2016 c. 19 s. 44(2)
- s. 26A(1)(b)(ia) inserted by 2016 c. 19 Sch. 11 para. 25
- s. 27(1)(aa) inserted by 2023 c. 37 s. 10(3)(a)
- s. 27(1)(ba) inserted by 2023 c. 37 s. 10(3)(b)
- s. 28CA(1)(bb) substituted for word in s. 28CA(1)(b) by 2016 c. 19 s. 44(5)
- Sch. 2 para. 27B(4A) inserted by 2004 c. 19 s. 16
- Sch. 2 para. 26(4) inserted by 2016 c. 19 s. 74(1)
- Sch. 2 Pt. 1A inserted by 2016 c. 19 Sch. 13
- Sch. 2 para. 11A inserted by 2023 c. 37 s. 10(4)
[F1Search for nationality documentsU.K.
Textual Amendments
F1Sch. 4A inserted (31.5.2016) by Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), s. 94(1), Sch. 14 para. 8; S.I. 2016/603, reg. 2(d)
28(1)The relevant officer may require a person found on the ship to produce a nationality document.U.K.
(2)The relevant officer may search a person found on the ship where the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that a nationality document is concealed on the person.
(3)The power conferred by sub-paragraph (2) may be exercised—
(a)only if the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that a nationality document is concealed on the person; and
(b)only to the extent that it is reasonably required for the purpose of discovering any such document.
(4)Subject as follows, the officer may seize and retain a nationality document for as long as the officer believes the person to whom it relates will arrive in the United Kingdom by virtue of the exercise of the power in paragraph 24.
F2(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(6)[F3A nationality document that has been seized and retained by a relevant officer] must be passed to an immigration officer as soon as is practicable after the ship has arrived in the United Kingdom.
(7)The power conferred by this paragraph to search a person does not authorise a relevant officer to—
(a)require the person to remove any clothing in public other than an outer coat, jacket or gloves, or
(b)seize and retain any document the officer has reasonable grounds to believe to be an item subject to legal privilege.
(8)In this paragraph a “nationality document”, in relation to a person, means any document which might—
(a)establish the person's identity, nationality or citizenship, or
(b)indicate the place from which the person has travelled to the United Kingdom or to which the person is proposing to go.
(9)A power conferred by this paragraph may be exercised on the ship or elsewhere.]
Textual Amendments
F2Sch. 4A para. 28(5) omitted (28.6.2022) by Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (c. 36), s. 87(1), Sch. 7 para. 18(a); S.I. 2022/590, regs. 1(2), 2, Sch. 1 para. 22 (with Sch. 2 para. 8)
F3Words in Sch. 4A para. 28(6) substituted (28.6.2022) by Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (c. 36), s. 87(1), Sch. 7 para. 18(b); S.I. 2022/590, regs. 1(2), 2, Sch. 1 para. 22 (with Sch. 2 para. 8)
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