Guidance

Right of abode: caseworker guidance

Immigration staff guidance for assessing applications where the individual is claiming right of abode in the UK.

• From: UK Visas and Immigration
• Published: 27 July 2017
• Last updated: 24 February 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 24 February 2026

     The guidance has been updated.

  2. 20 June 2025

     Section ‘Granting a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode’ amended.

  3. 27 January 2025

     Updated the right of abode guidance. Changes have been made to update guidance following a review, and in particular to incorporate information from the Entry Clearance Officer guidance.

  4. 23 June 2023

     Accessible versions of the documents added.

  5. 10 May 2023

     Updated the 'Deprivation of right of abode' section, in line with changes to the 'Deprivation of British citizenship' guidance.

  6. 18 January 2023

     'Right of abode': section ‘Persons with right of abode on and after 1 January 1983’ updated to reference the Gambia and the Republic of Maldives re-joining the Commonwealth. Added accessible version of 'Right of abode'.

  7. 27 November 2019

     Following fact checking of the ICIBI inspection report into ROA cases, a redacted section on page 14 has been re-instated to ensure transparency. Removal of the section on applications received before 6 April 2015.

  8. 24 May 2018

     Updated guidance and right of abode flow chart added.

  9. 1 February 2018

     Updated 'Right of abode' guidance.

  10. 27 July 2017

      First published.

Documents

Right of abode (accessible)

HTML

Right of abode

PDF, 299 KB, 22 pages

Right of abode: flow chart (accessible)

HTML

Right of abode: flow chart

PDF, 129 KB, 2 pages

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Details

UK Visas and Immigration guidance for staff on what to consider when processing right of abode applications in the UK.

It includes information on:

• the law on the right of abode

• who qualifies and proving the right of abode

• the procedure for obtaining and granting a certificate of entitlement

• how to process a right of abode application

• refusals and appeals

The flow chart document is used to assess whether a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies had the right of abode on 31 December 1982.