This topic relates to people who are subject to immigration control and those applying for British citizenship under the UK Immigration Acts.
Publications
This release is no longer published and has been superseded by Immigration Statistics
This release is no longer published and has been superseded by Immigration Statistics.
This release is no longer published and has been superseded by Immigration Statistics.
This release is no longer published and has been superseded by Immigration Statistics.
This release is no longer published and has been superseded by Immigration Statistics
Quarterly and annual statistics relating to those: coming to the UK; extending their stay (temporarily or permanently); gaining citizenship; applying for asylum; and being detained or removed, as well as immigration for work, study and family reasons.
Monthly statistics relating to people who have applied for asylum. These data are based on provisional management information and are subject to change.
Monthly statistics relating to children entering detention and held solely under Immigration Act powers. These data are based on provisional management information and are subject to change.
This release is no longer published and has been superseded by Immigration Statistics
Overview
Immigration control consists of information on border control and visas, asylum, managed migration, and enforcement and compliance.
Topic areas include:
-
passenger arrivals, admissions and refusals at air, sea and Channel Tunnel ports in the UK
-
asylum applications, decisions and appeals
-
people refused entry at port and then removed, removals and voluntary departures
-
people detained under immigration powers
-
immigration appeals
-
extension of stay and settlement
Other topic areas include:
-
entry clearance visas
-
the number of asylum seekers supported
-
the number of asylum seekers detained and removed
-
the number of asylum seekers who departed voluntarily
-
applications and decisions relating to British citizenship
Most of the data are taken from administrative records. However, the data on non-EEA national passenger admissions are compiled from a sample of landing cards. Non-EEA citizens are required to complete a landing card on entry to the UK.
Technical Data
Entry clearance visas
The statistics on entry clearance visas show intention to visit rather than actual arrivals. Data, based on management information, are published for main applicants and dependants.
Passenger admissions
Passenger admissions relate to the statistics of passengers given leave to enter the UK. The data are of the number of journeys made, based on information collected from the landing cards non-EEA nationals are required to complete on entry to the UK.
An individual who makes more than one journey is counted each time, either in a specific category if given fresh leave to enter, or in the ‘passengers returning’ category.
The data on visitors, students, passengers in transit and passengers returning are based, mainly or partly (depending on the category), on a sample of those involved.
Improvements to the sampling methodology were introduced from July 2003. This means caution should be exercised when making statistical comparisons at a detailed level to data from before this time.
Asylum
The majority of statistics for asylum seekers are based on numbers of principal applicants, excluding dependants
Grants of settlement
The statistics of grants of settlement are the main available measure of longer term immigration of people subject to immigration control. Grants of settlement relate to people who are subject to immigration control and are allowed to remain in the UK for an indefinite period.
The settlement figures comprise people granted settlement on arrival at ports. It also covers people originally admitted to the country, subject to a time limit that was then removed on application to the Home Office. Following changes to the immigration rules in recent years, the majority of grants are on removal of time limit.
Grants are counted once in the year in which they take place. If a settled individual is absent from the UK for more than two years, they will be treated as a new arrival except in special circumstances. This means the individual would be counted in more than one year’s figures of settlement.
When comparing some aspects of settlement data, changes in the immigration rules, enlargement of the EU and various UK Border Agency programmes need to be considered.
Enforcement and compliance
The statistics of people who don’t comply with the UK immigration laws. Statistics are collated on a range of topics including:
-
non-asylum passengers initially refused entry at ports
-
defendants proceeded against for offences under the Immigration Acts
-
enforced removals and notified voluntary departures, including by ‘harm assessment’ and departures under Assisted Voluntary Return schemes
-
persons who it has been established left the UK without informing the immigration authorities
-
foreign national prisoners removed from the UK
Persons detained solely under Immigration Act powers
Statistics are produced on:
-
persons and occurrences of persons entering detention
-
numbers in detention and length of detention
-
persons leaving detention and those removed from the UK upon leaving detention
-
families with children held in the UKBA estate
After entry applications to vary Leave to Remain
Statistics on after entry applications to vary Leave to Remain relate to people wishing to extend or change the status of their stay in the UK. An individual is required to make an application for an extension or change in status before their current permission to enter or stay has expired.
Within the immigration rules, an individual may make more than one application in any given year.
It is difficult to compare data across time periods because of significant changes to immigration rules.
British citizenship
Statistics of British citizenship primarily relate to applications made in the UK for British citizenship, British overseas territories citizenship, or British Overseas citizenship. Data are extracted from the UK Border Agency administrative database, after caseworkers have entered data relating to the applications and decisions.
Glossary
-
Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR)
A range of schemes run by the International Organization for Migration, available to those who no longer have a legal right to remain in the UK and wish to return permanently to their country of origin.
-
Asylum
The criteria for being recognised as a refugee and the granting of asylum are set out in the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. This is extended in its application by the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees.
-
Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT)
Asylum and Immigration Tribunal. This board hears and decides appeals against decisions made by the UK Border Agency.
-
Bailed
The process whereby an individual is released from detention with a requirement to appear before an Immigration Judge or immigration officer at a later date.
-
Detention
Immigration legislation provides powers of detention. People are detained under Immigration Act powers in UK Border Agency Removal Centres, UK Border Agency Short Term Holding Facilities, Prison Service establishments and police cells. Detention may be used whilst identity and basis of claim are established, where there is a risk of absconding, as part of fast-track asylum procedures (in the case of straightforward asylum claims that can be decided quickly) and in support of the removal of failed asylum seekers and others who have no legal right to be in the UK.
-
European Economic Area (EEA)
The EEA States consist of the members of the European Union (EU). The countries are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are also part of the EEA.The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are part of the UK but are not included as part of the EU.
-
Facilitated Return Scheme (FRS)
A voluntary scheme designed to help non-EEA foreign national prisoners return home. This is an incentive scheme to aid foreign prisoners to return to their home countries.
-
Immigration Officer (IO)
Immigration officers working in passport control are responsible for checking the right of entry to the UK of all individuals arriving at seaports, airports and via the Channel Tunnel. As well as examining documentation, they may gather intelligence and do case work. Where necessary, they will use legal powers to detain or remove illegal entrants to the UK.
-
Landing Cards
A landing card is a form completed by passengers subject to immigration control, which is given to the Immigration Officer on arrival. A landing card is completed for each journey; a person who makes more than one journey is counted on each occasion. A controlled landing card is one where the passenger has been granted leave to enter and is intending to stay for at least six months; a non-controlled landing card is one where the passenger is intending to stay for less than six months and does not intend to work.
-
Leave to remain
Leave to remain is permission to stay in the UK either temporarily (limited leave to remain) or permanently (indefinite leave to remain).
-
Post – decision review
Initial decisions sometimes have a post-decision review on them for a number of reasons. An asylum decision by the Secretary of State can be later reviewed as a result of additional information and/or significant changes in the applicant's current circumstances and the relevant country of origin information.
-
Refugee
The UN Convention defines a refugee as being an individual who, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of their nationality. The individual is unable or, owing to such a fear, is unwilling to avail themselves of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of their former habitual residence, is unable, or owing to such fear is unwilling to return to it.
-
Removals and voluntary departures
This includes people who enter, or attempt to enter, the UK illegally. It also covers those who overstay their period of legal right to remain in the UK or breach their conditions of leave. It also applies to those who are subject to deportation action and people who have been refused asylum. Some people may depart under Assisted Voluntary Return programmes run by the International Organization for Migration. They could also leave voluntarily, to either their country of origin or a country that will accept them, after notifying UKBA. Figures also include those who it is established have left the UK without informing the immigration authorities.
-
Tribunals Service Immigration and Asylum (TSIA)
Previously the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal. Immigration Judges at the TSIA hear and decide appeals against decisions made by the UK Border Agency.
-
UK Border Agency (UKBA)
The UK Border Agency is responsible for securing the UK borders and controlling migration in the UK.
Contact Details
For statistical enquiries about this topic, please contact:
Migration Statistics
Email: MigrationStatsEnquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7035 4848
Home Office Statistics Floor 2, Green Park House 29 Wellesley Road Croydon CR0 2AJ
