If you are in the process of seeking asylum, or living without the correct immigration papers, you could be detained by UKBA in your home, at work, if you are stopped while driving, or when reporting to sign at a Reporting Centre or Police station. Prepare yourself and your family for this situation.

If someone you know has been given a removal date, go straight to: getting advice from NCADC

If you are liable to detention and deportation - you must at all times carry the following information on your person:

Full name

Date of birth

Home Office Reference number

Home Office Port Reference number

Same details for any family members

Phone number of your:

  • Solicitor including their emergency number
  • Your MP including their emergency number
  • Your doctor (if there are any persistent medical problems with any member of your family or yourself)
  • Numbers of any friends/support group/campaign group
  • A mobile phone that does not take photos and does not give access to the internet, as phones that take photos or give access to the internet will be confiscated if you are detained

Your Home Office documents

You must have a file containing all your *legal documents and left next to your front door if in stable accommodation. (If a 'snatch squad' invades your home you will be able to insist that they let you take the file.)

A copy of this file should be left with some one who is not liable to detention and is easy to contact. If detained you can phone this person and ask them to make copies and post them to yourself and others.

If homeless you must carry this file at all times.

*Documents issued by the Home Office regarding your case are your property and you are entitled to have them. If the Home Office send documents to your solicitor, these are still your property; insist that the solicitor gives you copies of all correspondence from the Home Office, do not take no for an answer.

Reporting to sign

If you are reporting at the Home Office or Police Station to sign, you must tell a friend that you are going to sign and give them a deadline for a return call saying you have not been detained.

This person should have all your details and if doesn't hear from you they should contact reporting centre/police station to find out if you have been detained.

If detained at the first opportunity ring your solicitor if you have one, and your friend/supporters. Get your friend to call NCADC.

Supporters of persons liable to detention/deportation

If someone you are supporting is detained either at a reporting centre or police station, it is unlikely that you will be able to speak to him or her.

However those detained at reporting centres or police stations are usually transferred to Immigration Removal Centres before removal and you can ring them there.

Addresses for Immigration Removal Centres