Police registration no longer
required for foreign nationals
in the UK

11 August 2022

The general requirement under the UK Immigration Rules for some foreign nationals to register with the police has been scrapped with immediate effect.

This change applies to those who have already registered with the Police and who have a condition to register with the police listed as part of their leave to enter or remain in the UK. They will also no longer be required to communicate any updated personal details to the police.

Previously, foreign nationals of specified nationalities aged 16 or over were required to register with the police if they had been granted more than six months’ leave under certain immigration categories. After registering, migrants were issued with a Police Registration Certificate (PRC), a document which proves the holder has complied with the requirements of their UK visa.

The abolishment of the requirement comes after foreign nationals faced long delays to secure police registration appointments due to an administrative backlog caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, during which appointments were suspended.

At the time of writing, the Home Office has not yet released an official statement on the change and the Immigration Rules have not been amended. However, visa applicants are being contacted by the Home Office or the police services directly to inform them that the requirement is no longer in place. A public notice being sent to applicants addresses a number of frequently asked questions, set out below.

What will happen to those who have already registered?

The requirement will fall away for those who have already registered, any changes, including address should be communicated to the Home Office directly via: https://www.gov.uk/change-circumstances-visa-brp

Should a foreign national apply for Leave to Enter at a later date, or for further Leave to Remain, the requirement to register with the police will also be dropped from their new visa conditions.

Will my condition of leave on my visa / BRP / digital status requiring me to register be amended?

No it will not be amended. As previous question the requirement will not be placed on any future grant of visa.

Should I retain my Police Registration Certificate?

It is not necessary to retain your certificate. You will not be required to produce the certificate to a police officer or an immigration officer. When applying for permission to stay in the UK you will no longer be required to evidence your registration with the certificate.

I have already paid my fee to register. Will I get my money back?

No. The fee you paid to the police is to cover the cost of administering and processing your application to register when the requirement to register was still applicable.

I have an appointment to register, and I have not yet paid the fee. Do I still need to attend and pay to complete the registration?

No. The Police Registration Scheme has been suspended. You are no longer required to comply with the terms of the scheme or report any changes of circumstance to the police. However, any change of address / personal details should be reported separately to the Home Office via: https://www.gov.uk/change-circumstances-visa-brp

If I have already registered, am I still required to notify the police of any changes?

No. The Police Registration Scheme has been suspended. You are no longer required to comply with the terms of the scheme or report any changes of circumstance to the police. However, any change of address / personal details should be reported separately to the Home Office via: https://www.gov.uk/change-circumstances-visa-brp

I failed to register within 7 days of arrival which was prior to the suspension, will I still need to register?

No. The suspension means that any Foreign National who did not register as requested will no longer be expected to do so.

Speak to an immigration advisor

If you have any questions about UK immigration, or if you need support with your visa application, Smith Stone Walters can help.

To speak to a qualified immigration advisor, please contact us today.

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