Immigration Act 1971

27 (1) The captain of a ship or aircraft arriving in the United Kingdom— U.K.

(a) shall take such steps as may be necessary to secure that persons on board do not disembark there unless either they have been examined by an immigration officer, or they disembark in accordance with arrangements approved by an immigration officer, or they are members of the crew who may lawfully enter the United Kingdom without leave by virtue of section 8(1) of this Act; and

(b) where the examination of persons on board is to be carried out on the ship or aircraft, shall take such steps as may be necessary to secure that those to be examined are presented for the purpose in an orderly manner.

[F1 (1A) Sub-paragraph (1) also applies to the captain of a ship or aircraft arriving in United Kingdom waters if—

(a) there are offshore workers on board, or

(b) an immigration officer has informed the captain that they wish to examine any person on board in the exercise of the power under paragraph 2.

(1B) In sub-paragraph (1A), “offshore worker” and “United Kingdom waters” have the same meaning as in section 11A.]

[F2 (2) The Secretary of State may by order require, or enable an immigration officer to require, a responsible person in respect of a ship or aircraft to supply—

(a) a passenger list showing the names and nationality or citizenship of passengers arriving or leaving on board the ship or aircraft;

(b) particulars of members of the crew of the ship or aircraft.

(3) An order under sub-paragraph (2) may relate—

(a) to all ships or aircraft arriving or expected to arrive in the United Kingdom;

(b) to all ships or aircraft leaving or expected to leave the United Kingdom;

(c) to ships or aircraft arriving or expected to arrive in the United Kingdom from or by way of a specified country;

(d) to ships or aircraft leaving or expected to leave the United Kingdom to travel to or by way of a specified country;

(e) to specified ships or specified aircraft.

(4) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2) the following are responsible persons in respect of a ship or aircraft—

(a) the owner or agent, and

(b) the captain.

(5) An order under sub-paragraph (2)—

(a) may specify the time at which or period during which information is to be provided,

(b) may specify the form and manner in which information is to be provided,

[F3 (ba) may require a responsible person to be able to receive, in a specified form and manner, communications sent by the Secretary of State or an immigration officer relating to the information,]

(c) shall be made by statutory instrument, and

(d) shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 2 para. 27(1A)(1B) inserted (12.4.2023) by Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (c. 36), s. 87(1), Sch. 6 para. 9(3)(a); S.I. 2023/283, reg. 3(b)

F2 Sch. 2 para. 27(2)-(5) substituted (5.11.2007 for certain purposes and 1.3.2008 otherwise) for Sch. 2 para. 27(2) by Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 (c. 13), ss. 31(2), 62; S.I. 2007/3138, arts. 2(d), 3(b) (as amended by S.I. 2007/3580, art. 2)

F3 Sch. 2 para. 27(5)(ba) inserted (12.2.2015) by Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (c. 6), s. 52(5), Sch. 5 para. 1(2)