Dear Mr Bassie,

Could you please advise what documents are needed to enter into the United Kingdom (UK). Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.

GV

Dear GV,

Persons should note that if planning to travel to the United Kingdom they should check what documents they will need to have in their possession before entering the country.

BRITISH CITIZENS

Persons who are British citizens can enter the UK with either of the following identity documents: a valid UK passport or a Gibraltar identity card. Persons who are travelling from Ireland to Northern Ireland do not need any documents to enter.

PERSONS TRAVELLING FROM IRELAND TO ENGLAND, SCOTLAND OR WALES

Please be aware that a Border Force officer may ask to see proof of identity and nationality. Persons can use any documents that show their identity or nationality, for example:

• A passport (current or expired)

• Proof that they have been given British citizenship, such as a UK citizenship certificate

• A Gibraltar identity card (current or expired)

• A copy of their passport or Gibraltar identity card that clearly shows their identity and nationality

Please note that persons can use more than one document, for example, a driving licence with a citizenship certificate. If persons are using an expired passport or identity card, it must be recent enough that it is clear that the presenter is the owner.

PERSONS FROM OUTSIDE THE EU, SWITZERLAND, NORWAY, ICELAND OR LIECHTENSTEIN

These persons must have a valid passport to enter the UK and it should be valid for the whole of the stay. It should be noted that they may also need a visa, depending on which country they are from and the reason for their stay.

Persons should also check if they need a visa to go to the UK. If they do need one they must have the visa before travelling there. Please note that a visa may also be necessary if ‘transiting’ or travelling through the UK, for example, they are changing flights at a UK airport.

Persons who need a visa will need to show the airline or transport provider that they are using either:

• A valid visa; or

• A ‘visa exemption document’ such as a biometric residence permit, biometric residence card or EU Settlement Scheme family permit.

Before travelling, persons should ensure that their visa is valid and will not expire before entering the UK.

TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN

Persons entering the UK may be asked at the border to prove the relationship between themselves and any children travelling with them, if they do not seem to be the parent, for example, if they have a different surname.

Persons can prove this with:

• A birth or adoption certificate showing their relationship with the child

• Divorce or marriage certificates if they are the parent but have a different surname from the child

• A letter from the child’s parent giving permission for the child to travel with that person and providing contact details, if they are not the parent.

BEFORE BOARDING

The carrier will check passengers’ passports and other travel documents. They will send this information electronically to Border Force. Please note, persons can ask to see the information about themself that has been sent by carriers.

I hope this helps.

John S. Bassie is a barrister/attorney-at-law who practises law in Jamaica. He is a justice of the peace, a Supreme Court-appointed mediator, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a chartered arbitrator, the past global president of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (UK). Email: lawbassie@yahoo.com