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Guidance

Request copies of your personal immigration and borders information

Find out how to make a subject access request to see information held about you. You can also make a request for someone else.

Updates to this page

From:
UK Visas and Immigration, Border Force and Immigration Enforcement
Published:
4 March 2014
Last updated:
4 August 2026
Show all updates

  1. A disclaimer has been added to inform users about the delays they may experience due to subject access requests taking longer to process than the published processing times.

  2. Deadline for receipt of supporting documents reduced from 15 to 7 days.

  3. Updated to reflect that you can use an expired biometric residence permit for 18 months after the expiry date printed on the card.

  4. Added information about EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) status automation.

  5. Updating guidance about information you cannot request.

  6. Updated Subject Access Request Unit (SARU) postal address.

  7. Guidance updated to make it clear what information you can request when submitting a Subject Access Request. You cannot use a Subject Access Request to get immigration status documents.

  8. Updated and clarified content.

  9. Updated information about subject access request processing times.

  10. Clarification that the online form provided is not mandatory.

  11. Links added to check an individual's immigration status, right to work or rent to prevent subject access requests being made when other sources of information are available.

  12. Updated as we are now able to provide personal data held on some paper records.

  13. Clarifying that users can still request personal data held on paper records but these are delayed due to coronavirus.

  14. Parts of the service previously closed to coronavirus (COVID-19) have now resumed: you can make a request by post. The service to provide paper records is still unavailable due to coronavirus.

  15. Made a minor change to the 'Make a complaint' section.

  16. Updated to show that only digital records can be provided at this time due to coronavirus (COVID-19).

  17. Removed information on providing written confirmation from a third party that your photo identification is a true likeness of you.

  18. Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: postal requests and correspondence are not being accepted at this time.

  19. Updated process information.

  20. Specific and basic request targets updated.

  21. Guidance has been updated for GDPR.

  22. A new online form is available to request personal information held by UK Visas and Immigration. The guidance has been completely updated.

  23. Updated SAR application.

  24. New subject assess information for legal representatives.

  25. Updated standard subject access request form.

  26. Updated fast track application details.

  27. Updated guidance to highlight that the pilot will run until 31 January 2016

  28. Updated information to highlight that the fast track pilot will run until 31 October 2015.

  29. Fast Track IT service added.

  30. Updated subject access request form.

  31. Added new forms and survey, updated information

  32. First published.

Documents

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

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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.

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