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Guidance

Powers and operational procedure: caseworker guidance

Immigration staff guidance on administrative and criminal powers for officers dealing with immigration enforcement matters within the UK.

Updates to this page

From:
UK Visas and Immigration and Immigration Enforcement
Published:
24 March 2016
Last updated:
11 September 2026
Show all updates

  1. 'Record keeping during enforcement visits' updated with the following changes: references to GRABBA removed and replaced with Mobile Biometric Check; clarification on contingency planning when PRONTO is down and how to record notes in the Pocket Notebook (PNB) during this time.

  2. Published the post-incident procedures: in the event of death or serious injury guidance.

  3. The guidance on the right to rent scheme: permission to rent has been updated. A full list of changes can be found in the guide.

  4. Added the PDF version of Irregular or unlawful entry and arrival.

  5. Guidance on enforcement visits has been updated to clarify that: all enforcement visits are to be authorised by officers of the appropriate grade who are arrest trained and have completed their arrest refresher training within the last 24 months; all ICE officers deploying on visits and operations must be ‘in-ticket’ arrest trained.

  6. 'Enforcement planning assessments' guidance updated to clarify for ICE teams that officers who have not been able to complete an arrest refresher within the last 12 months due to sickness or maternity leave can still authorise visits where their arrest refresher was within the last 24 months. Updated to clarify, in addition, that all officers who deploy on visits must be "in-ticket" arrest trained.

  7. New guidance on advertising unlawful immigration services online has been added.

  8. An accessible version of the Immigration Enforcement equalities and community impact assessment has been added.

  9. Updated the enforcement planning assessments guidance, a full list of changes can be found in the guide.

  10. Updated enforcement visits guidance to clarify authorisation, training requirements and planning considerations.

  11. Added 'Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025: Seizure of Electronic Devices policy guidance'.

  12. Guidance on 'identifying people at risk' updated to reflect changes to Home Office systems that have been replaced.

  13. Added 'Offence of endangering another during a journey by sea'.

  14. Published a new version of the enforcing planning assessments to reflect PRONTO and Equalities and Community Impact (ECIA) template completion updates. Added new Immigration Enforcement Equalities and Community impact assessment.

  15. The warrants: procurement and use guidance has been updated.

  16. Changes to reflect Part Suitability replacing Part 9: grounds for refusal of the Immigration Rules.

  17. Partnership working guidance updated. A full list of changes is in the 'changes from last version of this guidance' section.

  18. Updated the post-enforcement visit actions guidance. A list of changes is in the 'changes from last version of this guidance' section.

  19. Search and seizure guidance has been updated: restructured for improved flow, clarification of ‘fully informed consent’ in respect of premises searches, clarification of the reasonable grounds test for search of person under paragraph 25B and extra detail in respect of search of person under paragraph 25C of schedule 2 IA71, addition of details in respect of entry and search of premises, new guidance on examination and seizure of electronic media, introduction of PRONTO-enabled mobile phones, detail on seizure and handling of cash replaced with link to main CFI guidance, general housekeeping amendments.

  20. Added the right to rent scheme: permission to rent guide.

  21. Updated the guidance on marriage investigations.

  22. Updated immigration enforcement powers guidance to add power to examine offshore workers under paragraph 2(1) and (1A) of schedule 2 to the 1971 Act, to clarify general power of examination under paragraph 2 of schedule 2 to the 1971 Act and to clarify power to search premises with warrant under paragraph 25A(6A) of schedule 2 to the 1971 Act.

  23. Added an accessible version of 'Preventing illegal working in licensed premises and the Home Office role as a responsible authority in England and Wales'.

  24. Updated the 'Preventing illegal working in licensed premises and the Home Office role as a responsible authority in England and Wales' guide. Added 'Section 179 of the Licensing Act 2003: right of entry to premises being used for a licensable activity'

  25. Guidance on 'post enforcement visit actions' has been updated. A full list of the changes is available in the document.

  26. Updated the guidance on Identifying people at risk.

  27. Guidance on 'Enforcement visits' has been updated. A full list of the changes is available in the document.

  28. Published version 14.0 of the critical incident management guidance. A full list of changes can be found in the guidance.

  29. Updated Irregular or unlawful entry and arrival guidance to link section to age dispute cases and prosecution.

  30. Updated 'Dealing with potential criminality (ICE teams)' guidance. Updated information on age dispute cases who are referred for prosecution.

  31. Updated the safeguarding and establishing lawful residence with changes to staff grading from 1 April 2024. A full list of the changes is included in the guidance.

  32. Updated the enforcement planning assessments guidance with changes to staff grading from 1 April 2024. A full list of the changes is included in the guidance.

  33. Updated search and seizure guidance. From 1 April 2024, individuals who were previously described as the Immigration Enforcement (IE) operational grade of ‘Assistant Director’ will now be known as Grade 7 in this guidance.

  34. Replaced 'Record keeping during enforcement visits guidance'.

  35. Enforcement visits: safety and personal protection guidance updated. From 1 April 2024, individuals who were previously described as the IE operational grade of ‘Assistant Director’ will be known as Grade 7 in this guidance.

  36. Updated the irregular or unlawful entry and arrival guidance. From 1 April 2024, individuals who were previously described as the IE operational grade of ‘Assistant Director’ will be known as Grade 7 in this guidance.

  37. Updated the arrest and restraint guidance. From 1 April 2024, individuals who were previously described as the IE operational grade of “Assistant Director” will be known as Grade 7 in this guidance.

  38. Updated Immigration Enforcement powers to reflect that from 1 April 2024, individuals who were previously described as the IE operational grade of ‘Assistant Director’ will now be known as Grade 7 (Assistant Director) in this guidance.

  39. Updated warrants: procurement and use guidance to reflect that from 1 April 2024, individuals who were previously described as the IE operational grade of “Assistant Director” will now be known as Grade 7 (Assistant Director) in this guidance.

  40. Partnership working guidance updated with the following changes: from 1 April 2024, individuals who were previously described as the IE operational grade of ‘Assistant Director’ will now be known as Grade 7 (Assistant Director); individuals who were previously described as the IE operational grade of ‘Deputy Director’ will now be known as Grade 6; the IE operational grade equivalent of Grade 5 (SCS, PB1), will be referred to as Deputy Director.

  41. Updated the dealing with potential criminality (ICE teams) guidance, as from 1 April 2024 individuals who were previously described as the IE operational grade of “Assistant Director” will now be known as Grade 7 (Assistant Director) in this guidance.

  42. Updated version of the Record keeping during enforcement visits guidance. All references to the paper pocket notebook (PNB) have been removed from the main body and placed into a contingency section at the end of the guidance. References to obsolete systems have also been removed.

  43. Replaced Enforcement planning assessments guidance to give extra clarification on the completion of Equalities and Community Impact Assessment (ECIA) in line with the ECIA v2.0 template and to update the link to the generic Home Office EIA guidance and template page.

  44. Document 'Coercive powers: overview' replaced by new document 'Immigration Enforcement powers'.

  45. 'Dealing with potential criminality (ICE teams)' updated. Full details are in the 'Changes from last version of this guidance' section.

  46. The marriage investigations document has been updated.

  47. Updated enforcement planning assessments guidance to include clarification of reasonable hours in respect of visit timings, PRONTO process update and clarification of which agency completes CIA on joint visits.

  48. Updated Verbal abuse, obstruction and assault - Immigration Enforcement guidance.

  49. Marriage investigations guidance updated.

  50. Dealing with potential criminality (ICE teams) guidance has been updated to include clarification of details on aggravating factors.

  51. Replaced 'Safeguarding and establishing lawful residence' - updated section on British Overseas Territories Citizens to reflect changes introduced by the Nationality and Borders Act 2022.

  52. Added accessible version of Marriage investigations.

  53. Minor revision to Safeguarding - establishing lawful residence concerning scope and intent of guidance in relation to use by non-Immigration Enforcement staff, additional detailed examples of evidence that might be sought/considered and updated links.

  54. New forms added in version 2.0 of Preventing illegal working in licenced premises.

  55. Guidance entitled 'Clandestine illegal entrants ' replaced with revised and updated version entitled 'Irregular or unlawful entry and arrival'.

  56. Added guidance for Immigration Compliance and Enforcement teams (ICE) on 'Dealing with potential criminality'.

  57. Added guidance on use of force.

  58. Added new document on 'Preventing illegal working in licenced premises'.

  59. Guidance on partnership working updated.

  60. Marriage investigations guidance updated with advice to reflect the end of the grace period, amendment to the advice on frontier workers, advice on change of circumstances and update of removal pathways.

  61. Guidance on obstruction added.

  62. Updated 'Arrest and restraint' guidance. For a full list of changes, read the 'Changes from last version of this guidance' section within.

  63. Guidance on critical incident management updated. Changes are detailed on page 5 of the document.

  64. Updated version of 'Marriage investigations' pdf file.

  65. Updated guidance on marriage investigations and enforcement interviews/visits in line with EU exit changes.

  66. Updated Right to rent: landlords’ penalties document.

  67. Record keeping during enforcement visits updated.

  68. Updated the Enforcement Planning Assessments document.

  69. Updated to add Method of entry guidance

  70. Guidance on identifying people at risk updated: minor housekeeping – broken links fixed; changes reflect a change to contact details and a slight change to the paragraph regarding the NRM process.

  71. Guidance on marriage investigations updated.

  72. Added a new document 'Safeguarding and establishing lawful residence'.

  73. Updated guidance on enforcement planning assessments, post visit actions, and record keeping published.

  74. Updated critical incident management guidance.

  75. Replaced right to rent guidance with a new version.

  76. Updated guidance on partnership working.

  77. New guidance on clandestine illegal entrants and enforcement visits: safety and personal protection.

  78. Updated guidance on 'Critical incident management'.

  79. Updated guidance on partnership working.

  80. New guidance added on 'Record keeping during enforcement visits'.

  81. Guidance added on 'Critical incident management'.

  82. Updated guidance on marriage investigations.

  83. Updated guidance on 'Enforcement visits'.

  84. 'Search and seizure' guidance updated.

  85. Guidance added on 'Operational planning and briefing'.

  86. Guidance added on 'Warrants: procurement and use'.

  87. Updated 'right to rent landlords' guidance.

  88. Guidance added on 'Partnership working'.

  89. Guidance added on 'Operational enforcement visits'.

  90. Guidance added on 'Post enforcement visit actions'.

  91. 'Marriage investigations' guidance added.

  92. Guidance added on 'Arrest and restraint', 'Enforcement interviews', 'Identifying people at risk', 'Illegal working operations' and updated guidance on 'Search and seizure'.

  93. New search and seizure guidance.

  94. Updated 'Right to rent scheme: landlords' guidance.

  95. Guidance on 'Right to rent scheme: landlords' added.

  96. Updated guidance.

  97. First published.

Documents

Advertising unlawful immigration services online (accessible)

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Advertising unlawful immigration services online

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Arrest and restraint (accessible)

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Arrest and restraint

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Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025: seizure of electronic devices policy guidance (accessible)

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Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025: seizure of electronic devices policy guidance

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Critical incident management (accessible)

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Critical incident management

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Dealing with potential criminality (ICE teams) (accessible)

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Enforcement interviews

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Enforcement planning assessments (accessible)

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Enforcement planning assessments

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Enforcement visits (accessible)

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Enforcement visits

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Enforcement visits: safety and personal protection

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Identifying people at risk (accessible)

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Identifying people at risk

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Illegal working operations

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Immigration Enforcement equalities and community impact assessment (accessible)

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Immigration Enforcement equalities and community impact assessment

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Immigration Enforcement powers (accessible)

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Immigration Enforcement powers

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Irregular or unlawful entry and arrival (accessible)

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Irregular or unlawful entry and arrival

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Marriage investigations (accessible)

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Marriage investigations

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Method of entry

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Offence of endangering another during a journey by sea (accessible)

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Offence of endangering another during a journey by sea

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Partnership working (accessible)

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Partnership working

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Post enforcement visit actions (accessible)

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Post enforcement visit actions

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Post-incident procedures: in the event of death or serious injury (accessible)

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Post-incident procedures: in the event of death or serious injury

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Preventing illegal working in licensed premises and the Home Office role as a responsible authority in England and Wales (accessible)

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Preventing illegal working in licensed premises and the Home Office role as a responsible authority in England and Wales

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Record keeping during enforcement visits (accessible)

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Record keeping during enforcement visits

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Right to rent: landlords’ penalties

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Right to rent scheme: permission to rent (accessible)

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Right to rent scheme: permission to rent

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Safeguarding and establishing lawful residence (accessible)

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Safeguarding and establishing lawful residence

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Search and seizure (accessible)

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Search and seizure

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Section 179 of the Licensing Act 2003: right of entry to premises being used for a licensable activity (accessible)

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Section 179 of the Licensing Act 2003: right of entry to premises being used for a licensable activity

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Use of force

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Verbal abuse, obstruction and assault – Immigration Enforcement

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Warrants: procurement and use (accessible version)

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Warrants: procurement and use

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Details

UK Visas and Immigration guidance on when and how staff may make an arrest using administrative immigration or criminal powers.

This is part of Immigration Enforcement General Instructions.

Guidance in this section has been reworked into a new format and plainer language. Not all of the enforcement guidance has been revised yet. If you cannot find the information you need in this section, please look in the ‘chapters’ sections of Enforcement instructions and guidance.

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