The effect of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (the Act) is to remove certain rights of appeal under the Immigration Acts which are currently enjoyed by those who overstay their leave.

Section 9 of the Act makes provision for a period—the regularisation period—during which those who overstay may apply for leave to remain in the United Kingdom and thereby preserve any rights of appeal they may have against any notice of a decision to deport them.

The present Regulations set out the start and end dates of this period. In the case of the end date, section 9(3)(b) of the Act provides that the actual end date of the period will be later than the date set in the Regulations, if section 65 of the Act is brought into force after the end date set in the Regulations. The Regulations also prescribe the manner in which the application is to be made.