Immigration detention bail: telephone reporting
Telephone reporting allows eligible people to comply with the conditions of their immigration bail over the phone, reducing the need to attend a reporting centre in person.
Who can take part in telephone reporting
You cannot request telephone reporting yourself. We will notify you if you are eligible.
People who are on immigration bail and normally need to report at a reporting centre might be eligible to report via the phone instead under certain conditions. You will still need to go to a reporting centre in person, but usually not as often.
If you’re eligible, we’ll notify you by issuing a Bail 201. We’ll contact you using one of the contact methods we currently hold for you. This may be email, text (SMS) or by post.
How to comply with telephone reporting
If you take part in telephone reporting, you’ll receive telephone calls as often as required according to your Bail 201 form.
You must be available to answer our telephone calls during the dates and times that are stated on your Bail 201 form. You will need to discuss personal details, so try to find a suitable location for the call and make sure you have any relevant paperwork with you.
Telephone calls from us will be made from 0300 1050321.
You must answer the phone yourself and not allow someone else to answer for you. Legal representatives and Immigration Advisers must not answer on your behalf.
We’ll conduct security verification checks during the call.
As is the case with reporting in person, you’ll receive a text (SMS) reminder of your next reporting appointment.
In some cases, you may need to report more often on the phone than your previous face to face reporting.
If there’s a reason why you cannot answer the phone during the times or dates of your appointment, please contact your local reporting centre via phone or email.
If you miss the calls
If you don’t answer the scheduled calls and subsequent attempts to reach you, you may be in breach of your immigration bail conditions. The Home Office will attempt to contact you, or your representative, within 72 hours of your missed appointment. If you fail to answer calls the Home Office may take further action including changing your immigration bail conditions and asking you to go to one of our reporting centres.
If you’ve recently missed a call, contact your local immigration reporting centre, quoting your Home Office reference.
Reporting in person
You will still need to report to one of our reporting centres in person, although this will usually be less often than previous bail reporting restrictions. We will ask you to do this in order to maintain contact with you.
Updating your contact details
If you need to change your contact details you can do so during your telephone or in-person appointment or by emailing your local immigration reporting centre.
If you want to leave the UK
If you wish to leave the UK, you can contact the Home Office Voluntary Returns Service for help on returning home.
If you don’t think you should be subject to immigration bail
If you believe you may be eligible for the Windrush scheme, you can find more information on the Windrush Scheme guide.
If you believe you have been trafficked into the UK and are being exploited, you should contact the police by dialling 999. You can find more information on the Citizens Advice page on adult victims of modern slavery.
If you think you have a legitimate reason to stay in the UK, you can make an application by visiting the immigration pages of GOV.UK.
Last updated 12 April 2022 + show all updates
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Updated to reflect the change from a pilot programme to the implementation of a new bail condition.
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First published.