Visas and Immigration for study in the UK

Registering with the Police

Police Registration is an additional requirement that applies to some people on arrival to the UK

5 August 2022 - Police Registration Scheme Abolished

Announcement from Migration and Citizenship Directorate | Migration and Borders Group | Home Office

"The Government has decided to abolish the Police Registration Scheme. The scheme, which requires some migrants to register with the police, is suspended with immediate effect.

We are abolishing the requirement to register with the police as the police registration scheme in its current form is outdated and no longer provides any public protection benefit to either the Home Office or the police. The data a migrant provides to the police on registration is already captured by the Home Office at the visa application stage, and is available to the police on request via Immigration Enforcement, so there is no need for it to be provided twice.

Changes to the wider immigration system since the scheme was introduced now mean that more people are screened before travel to the UK so those of concern can be identified earlier in their interaction with the Home Office.

Migrants who have been issued with a visa with the requirement to register on it do not need to go to a police station to register.

If a migrant has previously registered with the police, they do not need to do anything. Further information about the changes will be available on GOV.uk in due course."

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Some students need to register with the police when they arrive in the UK. This must be done within 7 days of arriving in the UK.

This requirement does not apply to everyone as it depends on where you are from. If you need to register with the police, it will be clearly stated on your visa or visa decision letter.

What happens if Police Registration is not completed?

Failure to register with the police is a criminal offence and your permission to stay might be shortened and you’ll have to leave the UK. You can also be stopped from getting or extending a UK visa in future.  If you are required to register and you don't you could be fined £5,000 and jailed for 6 months. Registering late can count against you next time you apply for a visa.

Who needs to register with the police?

If you need to register with the police, this will be stated in your Home Office visa decision letter or your vignette (entry clearance visa). You’ll usually need to register if you’re a citizen of:

Afghanistan

Cuba

Libya

Syria

Algeria

Egypt

Moldova

Tajikistan

Argentina

Georgia

Morocco

Tunisia

Armenia

Iran

North Korea

Turkey

Azerbaijan

Iraq

Oman

Turkmenistan

Bahrain

Israel

Palestine

UAE

Belarus

Jordan

Peru

Ukraine

Bolivia

Kazakhstan

Qatar

Uzbekistan

Brazil

Kuwait

Russia

Yemen

China

Kyrgyzstan

Saudi Arabia

 

Columbia

Lebanon

Sudan

 

When do you need to register with the police?

You must register with the police within 7 days of you:

·       Arriving in the UK if you applied for a visa from outside the UK

·       Getting your biometric residence permit if you applied to stay for longer from inside the UK

You should note that you need to take the action to complete all steps of the registration process online and book the appointment within 7 days of arriving in the UK (or 7 days of receiving your new visa if you applied for it within the UK).  It does not matter if the appointment date is after the 7 day period, the important point is that you take the action to complete the online registration and book the appointment during the 7 day period.

Where to do Police Registration?

Each local police force has its own process for police registration.

For detailed instructions on how to register with the police, please see the Police Registration section in our International Welcome Programme on Moodle.

The Police Registration certificate

Once you receive your Police Registration Certificate you must keep it in a safe place and carry it with you when you travel abroad and return to the UK as UK border officials may request to see your certificate when you return to the UK.

Reporting changes to the Police

If any of these changes occur, you must report the following changes within seven days by accessing your online account:

  • change of address
  • change of college/university/course
  • change of occupation
  • change in marital status
  • new visa details (leave to remain visa)
  • new passport details

Contact the International Student Advice Service if you have any doubts about what you need to do or you have any concerns.