United Kingdom: Police Registration Scheme Abolished
August 8, 2022
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At a Glance
- UK authorities have confirmed that the Police Registration Scheme for foreign nationals has been suspended, effective immediately, and will be abolished.
- The scheme required certain foreign nationals to register their address with the local police force, which was redundant as foreign nationals applying for UK visas must obtain a biometric residence permit and notify authorities of a change of address online.
- As a result, foreign nationals whose visas state that they are required to register with the police are no longer required to do so. Those who have already registered with the police do not need to take any action.
The situation
The Police Registration Scheme for foreign nationals has been suspended, effective immediately, and will be abolished.
A closer look
- Police Registration Scheme. The scheme previously required certain foreign nationals to appear in person at a police station and notify police if they changed their address.
- Redundancy. Foreign nationals applying for UK visas are already required to obtain a biometric residence permit and notify authorities of a change of address online, so the police registration scheme is now redundant.
Impact
- No longer required to register. Foreign nationals whose visas state that they are required to register with the police are no longer required to do so. Those who have already registered with the police do not need to take any action.
- Streamlined process. The change will relieve certain foreign nationals of the unnecessary burden of registering in person with the police as they now only have to notify authorities online of their change of address.
Background
The police registration scheme has been a feature of the UK’s immigration system since its inception, requiring all foreign nationals to register their address with the police. Since 2015, almost all non-European foreign nationals moving to the United Kingdom have been required to obtain a biometric residence permit and report changes of address online.
Looking ahead
Immigration authorities continue to make changes to the UK immigration system as part of a digitization strategy, including moving applications online, capturing biometric data via smartphones, and beginning in 2023 requiring all visitors to the UK to hold an electronic travel authorization (ETA) before arrival.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
