Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 Explanatory Notes

Overview

19.The Act is divided into 10 parts:

  • Part I deals with various provisions to simplify the way in which the immigration control is to be operated, including to enable charges for travel documents and for after-entry applications to be levied in certain circumstances to be specified in secondary legislation; to clarify responsibility for the provision of facilities for immigration control at ports free of charge; to strengthen some existing powers regarding access to and exchange of information; to extend existing offences of deception, facilitation and the making of false statements; and to provide for the removal of certain persons unlawfully in the United Kingdom;

  • Part II deals with penalties for carrying clandestine entrants to the United Kingdom and also carriers’ liability for inadequately documented passengers. It also makes further provision with regard to forfeiture of transporters used in an offence of facilitation;

  • Part III deals with bail hearings for detained persons;

  • Part IV deals with immigration and asylum appeals;

  • Part V deals with the regulation of immigration advisers;

  • Part VI deals with support arrangements for asylum seekers;

  • Part VII creates powers for immigration officers to arrest and search and for the fingerprinting of certain persons;

  • Part VIII deals with the management and operation of detention centres;

  • Part IX deals with the marriage registrar’s certificates procedures; and

  • Part X contains miscellaneous and supplemental provisions and provisions on the making of subordinate legislation, interpretation, the title of the Act, commencement and extent.

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