The Referral of Proposed Marriages and Civil Partnerships Regulations 2015

Exempt from immigration control

2.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), where a party is exempt from immigration control(1) under a provision listed in the left hand column of the table, the notice of marriage or (as the case may be) proposed civil partnership must be accompanied by one of the types of evidence listed in the corresponding right hand column—

Table

Exempt from immigration control by virtue of....	..notice must be accompanied by....
The right of abode under section 2(1)(b) of the 1971 Act(2)	The party’s United Kingdom passport describing him or her as a British subject with the right of abode in the United Kingdom.
	The party’s certificate of entitlement.
Section 8(3) of the 1971 Act(3) (members of diplomatic missions and their families)	The party’s passport containing a valid exempt status vignette. The party’s passport containing a valid endorsement of the party’s exempt status given by the Secretary of State or an immigration officer. A letter of accreditation from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirming the party’s exempt status.
	The party’s valid diplomatic identity card provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Section 8(4) of the 1971 Act(4) (members of HM forces, members of Commonwealth forces undergoing training and members of visiting forces)	The party’s valid HM forces identity card. The party’s passport containing a valid exempt status vignette. The party’s passport containing a valid endorsement of the party’s exempt status given by the Secretary of State or an immigration officer.
	The party’s valid identity card issued by a sending State and showing the party’s date of birth, rank and number (if any), service (land, sea or air) and photograph.
	The party’s current individual movement order issued by the sending State or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization certifying the party’s status as a member of a force and the movement ordered.
The Immigration (Exemption from Control) Order 1972(5)	The party’s passport containing a valid exempt status vignette. The party’s passport containing a valid endorsement of the party’s exempt status given by the Secretary of State or an immigration officer.
	The party’s valid diplomatic identity card provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. A letter of accreditation from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirming the party’s exempt status.
Section 20 of the State Immunity Act 1978(6)	The party’s passport containing a valid exempt status vignette.
	The party’s passport containing a valid endorsement of the party’s exempt status given by the Secretary of State or an immigration officer. A letter of accreditation from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirming the party’s exempt status. Where the party is a sovereign or other head of State, the party’s passport.

(2) Instead of the evidence mentioned in paragraph (1) the notice may be accompanied by a letter from the Secretary of State confirming that the party is exempt from immigration control for the purposes of section 49 of the 2014 Act.

(3) In this paragraph—

“certificate of entitlement” has the same meaning as in section 33 of the 1971 Act(7),

“force” and “sending State”, in relation to evidence that must be provided by a party who is exempt from immigration control by virtue of section 8(4) of the 1971 Act, have the same meaning as in the Agreement between the Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty Regarding the Status of their Forces(8), done in London on 19th June 1951.

(1)

Regulations made under section 49 of the Immigration Act 2014 (S.I. 2015/122) set out who is exempt from immigration control for the purposes of the referral and investigation scheme.

(2)

1971 c. 77; section 2 was substituted by section 39(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981 (c. 61) and subsection (2) was subsequently amended by section 3(3) of the Immigration Act 2014 (c. 22).

(3)

Section 8(3) was amended by paragraph 2 of Schedule 4 to the British Nationality Act 1981 and section 4 of the Immigration Act 1988 (c. 14).

(4)

Section 8(4) was amended by paragraphs 2 and 5 of Schedule 4 to the British Nationality Act 1981 and the Statute Law Repeals Act 1995 (c. 44).

(5)

S.I. 1972/1613 as amended by S.I. 1975/617, S.I. 1977/693, S.I. 1982/1649, S.I. 1985/1809,S.I. 1997/1402, S.I. 1997/2207 and S.I. 2004/3171.

(6)

1978 c. 33.

(7)

The definition of “certificate of entitlement” was substituted by section 10(5)(b) of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (c. 41).

(8)

Cmd. 9363.