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Immigration Act 1971

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Immigration Act 1971 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 27 April 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Help about Changes to Legislation

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  1. Introductory Text

  2. Part I Regulation of Entry into and Stay in United Kingdom

    1. 1. General principles.

    2. 2. Statement of right of abode in United Kingdom.

    3. 2A.Deprivation of right of abode

    4. 3. General provisions for regulation and control.

    5. 3A. Further provision as to leave to enter.

    6. 3B. Further provision as to leave to remain.

    7. 3C. Continuation of leave pending decision.

    8. 3D.Continuation of leave following revocation

    9. 4. Administration of control.

    10. 5. Procedure for, and further provisions as to, deportation.

    11. 6. Recommendations by court for deportation.

    12. 7. Exemption from deportation for certain existing residents.

    13. 8. Exceptions for seamen, aircrews and other special cases.

    14. 8A. Persons ceasing to be exempt.

    15. 8B. Persons excluded from the United Kingdom under international obligations.

    16. 9. Further provisions as to common travel area.

    17. 10. Entry otherwise than by sea or air.

    18. 11. Construction of references to entry, and other phrases relating to travel.

  3. Part II Appeals

    1. The appellate authorities

      1. 12. Immigration Appeal Tribunal and adjudicators.

    2. Appeals to adjudicator or Tribunal in first instance

      1. 13. Appeals against exclusion from United Kingdom.

      2. 14.Appeals against conditions.

      3. 15. Appeals in respect of deportation orders.

      4. 16. Appeals against validity of directions for removal.

      5. 17. Appeals against removal on objection to destination.

      6. 18. Notice of matters in respect of which there are rights of appeal.

      7. 19. Determination of appeals by adjudicators.

    3. Appeals from adjudicator to Tribunal, and review of decisions

      1. 20. Appeal to Tribunal from determination of adjudicator.

      2. 21. Reference of cases for further consideration.

    4. Supplementary

      1. 22. Procedure.

      2. 23. Financial support for organisations helping persons with rights of appeal.

  4. Part III Criminal Proceedings

    1. 24. Illegal entry and similar offences.

    2. 24A. Deception.

    3. 25. Assisting illegal entry, and harbouring.

    4. 25B. Assisting entry to United Kingdom in breach of deportation or exclusion order

    5. 25C. Forfeiture of vehicle, ship or aircraft

    6. 25A. Detention of ships, aircraft and vehicles in connection with offences under section 25(1).

    7. 26. General offences in connection with administration of Act.

    8. 26A. Registration card

    9. 26B. Possession of immigration stamp

    10. 27. Offences by persons connected with ships or aircraft or with ports.

    11. 28. Proceedings.

    12. 28A. Arrest without warrant.

    13. 28AA. Arrest with warrant

    14. 28B. Search and arrest by warrant.

    15. 28C. Search and arrest without warrant.

    16. 28CA. Business premises: entry to arrest

    17. 28D. Entry and search of premises.

    18. 28E. Entry and search of premises following arrest.

    19. 28F. Entry and search of premises following arrest under section 25(1).

    20. 28FA. Search for personnel records: warrant unnecessary

    21. 28FB. Search for personnel records: with warrant

    22. 28G. Searching arrested persons.

    23. 28H. Searching persons in police custody.

    24. 28I. Seized material: access and copying.

    25. 28J. Search warrants: safeguards.

    26. 28K. Execution of warrants.

    27. 28L. Interpretation of Part III.

  5. Part IV Supplementary

    1. 29. Contributions for expenses of persons returning abroad.

    2. 30. Return of mental patients.

    3. 31. Expenses.

    4. 31A. Procedural requirements as to applications.

    5. 32. General provisions as to Orders in Council, etc.

    6. 33. Interpretation.

    7. 34. Repeal, transitional and temporary.

    8. 35. Commencement, and interim provisions.

    9. 36. Power to extend to Islands.

    10. 37. Short title and extent.

  6. SCHEDULES

    1. SCHEDULE 1

    2. SCHEDULE 2

      Administrative Provisions as to Control on Entry etc.

      1. Part I General Provisions

        1. Immigration officers and medical inspectors

          1. 1.(1) Immigration officers for the purposes of this Act shall...

        2. Examination by immigration officers, and medical examination

          1. 2.(1) An immigration officer may examine any persons who have...

        3. Examination of persons who arrive with continuing leave

          1. 2A.(1) This paragraph applies to a person who has arrived...

          2. 3.(1) An immigration officer may examine any person who is...

        4. Information and documents

          1. 4.(1) It shall be the duty of any person examined...

          2. 5.The Secretary of State may by order made by statutory...

        5. Notice of leave to enter or of refusal of leave

          1. 6.(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (3) below, where a person examined...

        6. Power to require medical examination after entry

          1. 7.(1) This paragraph applies if an immigration officer examining a...

        7. Removal of persons refused leave to enter and illegal entrants

          1. 8.(1) Where a person arriving in the United Kingdom is...

          2. 9.(1) Where an illegal entrant is not given leave to...

          3. 10.(1) Where it appears to the Secretary of State either—...

          4. 10A.Where directions are given in respect of a person under...

          5. 11.A person in respect of whom directions are given under...

        8. Seamen and aircrews

          1. 12.(1) If, on a person’s examination by an immigration officer...

          2. 13.(1) Where a person being a member of the crew...

          3. 14.(1) Where it appears to the Secretary of State that...

          4. 15.A person in respect of whom directions are given under...

        9. Detention of persons liable to examination or removal

          1. 16.(1) A person who may be required to submit to...

          2. 17.(1) A person liable to be detained under paragraph 16...

          3. 18.(1) Persons may be detained under paragraph 16 above in...

          4. 19.(1) Where a person is refused leave to enter the...

          5. 20.(1) Subject to the provisions of this paragraph, in either...

        10. Temporary admission or release of persons liable to detention

          1. 21.(1) A person liable to detention or detained under paragraph...

          2. 22.(1) The following, namely— (a) a person detained under paragraph...

          3. 23.(1) Where a recognizance entered into under paragraph 22 above...

          4. 24.(1) An immigration officer or constable may arrest without warrant...

          5. 25.The power to make rules of procedure conferred by section...

        11. Entry and search of premises

          1. 25A.(1) This paragraph applies if— (a) a person is arrested...

        12. Searching persons arrested by immigration officers

          1. 25B.(1) This paragraph applies if a person is arrested under...

        13. Searching persons in police custody

          1. 25C.(1) This paragraph applies if a person—

        14. Access and copying

          1. 25D.(1) If a person showing himself— (a) to be the...

          2. 25E.Section 28L applies for the purposes of this Schedule as...

        15. Supplementary duties of those connected with ships or aircraft or with ports

          1. 26.(1) The owners or agents of a ship or aircraft...

          2. 27.(1) The captain of a ship or aircraft arriving in...

        16. Supplementary duties of the Concessionaires

          1. 27A.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

        17. Passenger information

          1. 27B.(1) This paragraph applies to ships or aircraft—

        18. Notification of non-EEA arrivals

          1. 27C.(1) If a senior officer, or an immigration officer authorised...

      2. Part II Effect of Appeals

        1. Stay on directions for removal

          1. 28.(1) Where a person in the United Kingdom appeals under...

        2. Grant of bail pending appeal

          1. 29.(1) Where a person (in the following provisions of this...

        3. Restrictions on grant of bail

          1. 30.(1) An appellant shall not be released under paragraph 29...

        4. Forfeiture of recognizances

          1. 31.(1) Where under paragraph 29 above (as it applies in...

          2. 32.Where under paragraph 29 above (as it applies in Scotland)...

        5. Arrest of appellants released on bail

          1. 33.(1) An immigration officer or constable may arrest without warrant...

        6. Grant of bail pending removal

          1. 34.(1) Paragraph 22 above shall apply in relation to a...

    3. SCHEDULE 3

      Supplementary Provisions as to Deportation

      1. Removal of persons liable to deportation

        1. 1.(1) Where a deportation order is in force against any...

      2. Detention or control pending deportation

        1. 2.(1) Where a recommendation for deportation made by a court...

      3. Effect of appeals

        1. 3.Part II of Schedule 2 to this Act, so far...

      4. Powers of courts pending deportation

        1. 4.Where the release of a person recommended for deportation is...

        2. 5.(1) On an application made— (a) by or on behalf...

        3. 6.(1) In this Schedule “the appropriate court” means, except in...

        4. 7.(1) A constable or immigration officer may arrest without warrant...

        5. 8.(1) A person arrested in England or Wales or Northern...

        6. 9.(1) A person arrested in Scotland in pursuance of paragraph...

        7. 10.Any justice of the peace or court before whom a...

    4. SCHEDULE 4

      Integration with United Kingdom Law of Immigration Law of Islands

      1. Leave to enter

        1. 1.(1) Where under the immigration laws of any of the...

        2. 2.Notwithstanding section 3(4) of this Act, leave given to a...

      2. Deportation

        1. 3.(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) below, where under the immigration...

      3. Illegal entrants

        1. 4.Notwithstanding anything in section 1(3) of this Act, it shall...

    5. SCHEDULE 5

      The Adjudicators and the Tribunal

      1. Part I The Adjudicators

        1. 1.There shall be such number of adjudicators as the Lord...

        2. 2.(1) Subject to the following provisions of this paragraphAn adjudicator...

        3. 3.[(1)] The Lord Chancellor shall pay— (a) to the adjudicators,...

        4. 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

        5. 5.The adjudicators shall sit at such times and in such...

      2. Part II The Tribunal

        1. Members

          1. 6.The Tribunal shall consist of such number of members as...

          2. 7.The president and such number of the other members of...

          3. 8.(1) Subject to the following provisions of this paragraphA member...

          4. 9.[(1)]The Lord Chancellor shall pay— (a) to the members of...

          5. 10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

        2. Proceedings

          1. 11.For the purpose of hearing and determining appeals under Part...

          2. 12.Subject to rules of procedure, the Tribunal shall be deemed...

          3. 13.The Lord Chancellor may appoint members of the Tribunal who...

          4. 14.The president or, in his absence, the member qualified as...

      3. Part III Staff and Expenses

        1. 15.The Lord Chancellor may appoint such officers and servants for...

        2. 16.The remuneration of officers and servants appointed as aforesaid, and...

    6. SCHEDULE 6

      Repeals

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