UK Government Outlines Foreign Removal Guidelines

The UK government has published guidance on the removal of foreigners who no longer have permission to stay in the country. This applies to individuals whose valid leave to enter or remain has expired, those whose leave to remain applications have been refused or rejected, and those who have not made arrangements to depart.

Foreigners without valid permission have two options: leave voluntarily or face removal. The Voluntary Returns Service is available for those choosing to leave on their own terms, operating Monday to Friday from 9:30 am to 4 pm.

Individuals contacting this service will have their passport and travel documents returned at the airport. Those unable to use the online document retrieval service include individuals whose leave has expired, who wish to withdraw an application to extend their stay, applicants whose leave to remain has been refused, and asylum applicants.

For foreigners who applied for a visa or immigration status from within the UK and are eligible for the online portal, documents are typically returned within 10 working days.