Guidance

The Immigration (Form and Manner of Passenger and Service Information) Direction 2026 (accessible)

Published 23 February 2026

© Crown copyright 2026

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-immigration-form-and-manner-of-passenger-and-service-information-direction-2026/the-immigration-form-and-manner-of-passenger-and-service-information-direction-2026-accessible

The Secretary of State makes the following Direction in exercise of the powers conferred by paragraphs 278(8) and 27B(8A) of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971.[footnote 1]

1. This Direction may be cited as the Immigration (Form and Manner of Passenger and Service Information) Direction 2026 and comes into operation on 07 January 2026.

Form and Manner requirements in respect of the provision of all passenger and service information by the owner or agent of an aircraft or ship or the person operating an international rail service or their agent (“the operator”)[footnote 2]

2. Where the owner or agent of an aircraft, is subject to a requirement under paragraph 27B of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971 to provide passenger and service information specified in Schedules 1 and 2 to the Immigration and Police (Passenger, Crew and Service Information) Order 2024 (“the 2024 Order”)[footnote 3], that passenger and service information must be provided as specified in the UK Generic Carrier Interface Control Document (reference UK_ICD_D0081) (Version 14.2 or later).

3. Where the owner or agent of a ship (other than a cruise ship) or the operator of an international rail service is subject to a requirement under paragraph 27B of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971 to provide passenger and service information as specified in Schedules 1 and 2 to the 2024 Order, that passenger and service information must be provided electronically and securely as specified in the Advance Passenger Information (API) for Rail and Maritime Carriers Interface Control Document (reference RM_API_ICD) (Version 1.7 or later).

4. Where the owner or agent of a cruise ship is subject to a requirement under paragraph 27B of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971to provide passenger and service information as specified in Schedules 1 and 2 to the 2024 Order, that passenger and service information must be provided electronically and securely as specified in the document - National Maritime Single Window - a Guide for Cruise operators (v.1 or later).

5. The owner or agent of an aircraft, ship or the operator of an international rail service must provide that information in an electronic form that is compatible with the technology used by the Home Office and by means of a system which enables the carrier to send and receive communications relating to the information.

6. Where there has been a technical failure meaning it is not possible for the owner or agent of an aircraft, ship or the operators of an international rail service to provide the required information in accordance with paragraph 5, the owner or agent or the operator will provide the required information in an alternative form and manner with the prior agreement of an immigration officer.

Form and Manner requirements in respect of Passenger Name Record Data by the owner or agent of an aircraft, ship or the operator of an international rail service

7. Where the owner or agent of an aircraft is subject to a requirement under paragraph 27B(2) of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971 to provide any passenger or service information specified by Schedule 3 to the 2024 Order, the owner or agent must provide that information using the PNRGOV EDIFACT message type (version 11.1 or later) and the IBM MQ transmission protocol.

8. Where the owner or agent of a ship or the operator of an international rail service is subject to a requirement under paragraph 27B(2) of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971to provide any passenger or service information specified by Schedule 3 to the 2024 Order, the owner or agent or the operator must provide that information as specified in the Passenger Name Record (PNR) data for Rail and Maritime Carriers Interface Control Document (reference RM_PNR_ICD) (v2.3 or later).

9. In circumstances where there has been a technical failure meaning it is not possible for the owner or agent of an aircraft, ship or the operator of an international rail service to provide the required information in accordance with paragraph 7 or 8 respectively, the owner or agent or the operator will, with prior agreement of an immigration officer, provide the information in an alternative form and manner providing the alternative form and· manner provides a level of security in relation to the protection of personal data equivalent to the method referred to in paragraphs 7 or 8 respectively; and

10. The Immigration (Form and Manner of Passenger and Service Information) Direction 2023 is revoked.

Rt. Hon. Mike Tapp

Minister for Migration and Citizenship (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)

  1. 1971 c. 77; paragraph 27B of Schedule 2 was inserted by the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (c. 33); paragraph 27B(8A) was inserted by the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (c. 6). ↩

  2. Within the meaning of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987 an international rail service means any service (including a shuttle service) for the carriage of passengers or goods by way of the tunnel system. ↩

  3. S.I. 2024/1227. ↩

Back to top