What to do when reporting to the Home Office

 

What is a reporting condition? 

Most people who have claimed asylum or have other immigration status in the UK and have not had a positive decision have to regularly report to the Home Office. 

Reporting can be in person or by phone (see below for more details on telephone reporting). 

Some people are required to report twice a week, others are asked to report much less regularly than this.  

Although most people who report are not detained, there is always a risk, and this can make reporting an extremely stressful experience. 

 

What happens if I stop reporting? 

Reporting to the Home Office can be scary, however it is very important that if you are asked to report, you do. It might affect a pending immigration application if you fail to report. 

“If you stop attending reporting appointments without an explanation, the Home Office may consider that you have failed to comply with your immigration bail reporting condition. They will first call you (or your emergency contacts) to understand why you have not attended.  

If you do not provide an explanation or if no contact is made, the Home Office may carry out an ‘arrest visit’ at your last known address, with an intention to take you to immigration detention. Or, they may seek to change your bail conditions to something more strict, like an electronic monitoring device (sometimes called a ‘GPS tag’).  

If you do not attend reporting events, and you do not show within a reasonable time that the failure was due to circumstances beyond your control, there is a risk that your asylum claim might be treated as withdrawn. 

If your asylum claim is ‘withdrawn’ this means that the Home Office will no longer consider it, and you will not receive a decision.” Right to Remain toolkit

 

What if I have a reason why I cannot report? 

There may be reasons why you cannot attend a reporting event. The Home Office guidance on non-compliance states that a reasonable explanation for failing to attend a reporting event can include:  

  • Illness 

  • Severe travel disruption 

  • A pre-arranged appointment with a doctor or specialist 

However, this isn’t a complete list. You may have other reasons for not being able to report. 

If this happens, you should inform the Home Office in advance, in writing, that you will not be able to go, and you should provide evidence of the reason if you can.  

You should send the email to the email address for your reporting centre. There are 13 reporting centres in the UK. Their email addresses can be found here.

The email address for Lunar House in Croydon is: romlunarhousegeneralenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk.  

Make sure any email includes your: name, date of birth, home office reference, mobile number. 

If you do miss a reporting event without informing the Home Office, you should seek legal advice on what you should do. 

 

Can I change my reporting conditions so that I do not have to go in person? 

There are 5 categories of people who are often required to report in person: 

  • People with criminal convictions (also known as “Foreign National Offenders”) 

  • People who are engaging with the voluntary returns process, and where reporting will aid the returns process 

  • People who have not returned home and who have not engaged with the Home Office’s Voluntary Return programme 

  • People who have been identified for removal  

  • People who are not immediately removable but have failed to comply with telephone reporting and are ‘out of contact’ 

In other words, if you do not have any criminal convictions, and you have a valid application or asylum claim pending with the home office, you should not necessarily need to be reporting in person with the Home Office. If you do not fit into of the above 5 categories, you could make a request to vary your reporting condition so that you are allowed to report by telephone instead of in person. 

If you would like to request for a change to your reporting condition, you should seek legal advice as you will need to provide evidence in support of your request.  

It can be difficult to find legal advice, however, so if you are making a request to change your reporting conditions yourself, you can find useful information about how to do so here.  

 

How can I be best prepared for my reporting event? 

Here are some ideas for how you can be best prepared for a reporting event if you do have one: 

  • Take a friend with you to the reporting event, if you can. 

  • Call a friend just before you enter the reporting centre, with instructions for what to do and who to contact if you are detained. If the friend does not hear from you within an hour or two after you have entered the reporting centre, they can then contact your lawyer and/or support worker. 

  • If possible, give a friend a copy of your house or room key. If you are detained, they can go and get essential things for you from your house. Alternatively, give a consent letter in advance to a friend that gives them permission to access your room in your asylum accommodation in case you are detained. 

  • If you can, take a non-smart phone with you to the reporting event, loaded with credit, and containing emergency contacts. Smart phones are likely to be confiscated in detention. The emergency numbers could include: 

    • Your lawyer, if you have one

    •  Your close friends/family 

    • Your GP/the hospital if you have a medical condition 

    • Detention Action 08005872096 

    • Bail for Immigration Detainees 020 7456 9750 

    • SOAS Detainee Support 07438 407 570 

    • Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants 0800 160 1004 

  • Otherwise, write a list of emergency contacts on your arm (it is also a good idea to give the list of emergency contacts to someone you trust).  

  • Make copies of all your documents and email scans of them to yourself. If you are detained, it may become impossible for you to access your documents if they are in your home. This means that vital evidence that a lawyer or friend or supporter might need, cannot be reached. You should have a copy of all your documents with you. Your local library or a local community group might be able to help to make copies of your documents. 

  • If you are on medication, take this with you when you go to report/sign at the Home Office. You will then be issued with new medication once you are detained. Also, take a paper copy of your prescription for the medication with you. 

 

What if I am detained? 

Seek legal advice urgently. Contact your legal representative if you have one. 

To apply to be released from detention (bail), contact: 

  • Bail for Immigration Detainees (“BID”) 020 7456 9750 (Monday – Thursday 10-12pm) 

For further information on applying for bail (including what to do if you would like to apply for bail but do not have an address to be released to), please see BID’s resources here.  

Other useful contacts: 

  • Detention Action 0800 587 2096 

  • Care4Calais Rwanda 07519773268 (whatsapp only) 

  • Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group 0800 389 3267 

  • SOAS Detainee Support 07438 407 570 

  • Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants 0800 160 1004 (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 10-1pm) 

  • Wilsons Solicitors LLP: 0208 808 7535 

  • Duncan Lewis Solicitors: 0207 275 2570