Guidance

Request personal data held in the immigration and borders system

Find out how you can make a subject access request to see your own information or on someone else's behalf.

Published 4 March 2014
Last updated 24 March 2020 — see all updates
From:
Border Force, UK Visas and Immigration, and Immigration Enforcement

Documents

Request personal information held in the borders, immigration and citizenship system

You can request personal information about you that is held on the Home Office’s immigration records (this is also known as a ‘subject access request’).

Processing these requests is expensive for the UK taxpayer. Because of this, and so we can give you the best service, you should be as clear as you can about the information you need.

Contents

  1. Types of request
  2. How to make a request
  3. Evidence guidance
  4. Contact and complaints

Contact and complaints

If you need help

If you would like more information or help filling in your form, contact us by email subjectaccessrequest@homeoffice.gov.uk.

We prefer requests are not made by email as this may delay your application if we have to seek further information to verify your identity.

Types of request

There are 3 types of request you can make. All types of request are free of charge. If multiple requests are made for the same person, the first request received will be treated as your sole application.

You will receive a response within 30 days of your identity being verified by the Home Office.

Basic

You can request a copy of:

  • an electronic summary of your immigration history
  • landing cards we hold electronically
  • visa applications you submitted from outside of the UK (as part of entry clearance)
  • Workers Registration Scheme (WRS) information if you are a national of Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia
  • Entry and exit into and out of the UK. Your travel history can be provided for the past 5 years if a passport or travel document is submitted for this period

Most people find that this option gives them all the information they need.

Specific

You can request specific information if you need to. You should clearly describe what documents you need.

You can request copies of up to 5 single documents, for example:

  • a list of your applications
  • a particular decision letter
  • the outcome of an appeal (appeal determination)
  • a particular detention progress report
  • a deportation order
  • a particular interview record

If you need more information than the single documents in this list, you will need to make a detailed request.

Details

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) determines how we process personal data (information relating to living people). The regulation means you can ask to access the information we hold about you. These requests are called subject access requests.

Published 4 March 2014
Last updated 24 March 2020 

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