Right to work checks on taxi and private hire drivers

The Immigration Act 2016 amends existing licensing regimes in the UK to seek to prevent people without lawful immigration status and the right to work from holding taxi or private hire driver or operator licences.

Licensing authorities are under a duty not to issue licences to people who are disqualified by their immigration status from holding them.  In order to discharge this duty we will conduct document checks as part of the licensing application process.

From 1 December 2016 your right to work in the UK will be checked as part of your licence application.  This could include the authority checking your immigration status with the Home Office or otherwise share data.  You must therefore provide a document or document combination that is stipulated as being suitable for this check.  The list of documents is attached to this email.  You must bring the original document(s) such as a passport or biometric residence permit so that the check can take place.  The document(s) will be copied and the copy retained by the licensing authority.  The original document(s) will be returned to you.

If there are restrictions on the length of time you may work in the UK, your licence will not be issued for any longer than this period.  In such circumstances, the check will be repeated each time you apply to renew or extend your licence.  If, during this period, you are disqualified from holding a licence because you have not complied with the UK's laws, your licence will lapse and you must return it to licensing, failure to do so is a criminal offence.

To ensure we do not discriminate against anyone, all licence applicants will be treated in the same way during the licence applications process. 

Following the correct checks, applicants who have a permanent right to remain in the UK and produce a document(s) from List A, will not require further checks when they subsequently apply to renew or extend their licence.

Failure to provide the documents may result in the refusal of your application.

You can find a list of acceptable documents for a right to a licence check below:

List A

No immigration restrictions on right to a licence in the UK. Once we have undertaken the necessary check, we will not have to repeat the check when you subsequently apply to renew or extend your licence.

1

A passport showing the holder, or a person named in the passport as the child of the holder, is a British citizen or a citizen of the UK and Colonies having the right of abode in the UK.

2

A passport or national identity card showing the holder, or a person named in the passport as the child of the holder, is a national of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland.

3

A Registration Certificate or Document Certifying Permanent Residence issued by the Home Office to a national of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland.

4

 A Permanent Residence Card issued by the Home Office to the family member of a national a European Economic Area country or Switzerland.

5

A current Biometric Immigration Document (Biometric Residence Permit) issued by the Home Office to the holder indicating that the person named is allowed to stay indefinitely in the UK, or has no time limit on their stay in the UK.

6

A current passport endorsed to show that the holder is exempt from immigration control, is allowed to stay indefinitely in the UK, has the right of abode in the UK, or has no time limit on their stay in the UK.

7

A current Immigration Status Document issued by the Home Office to the holder with an endorsement indicating that the named person is allowed to stay indefinitely in the UK or has no time limit on their stay in the UK, together with an official document giving the person's permanent National Insurance number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer.

8

A full birth or adoption certificate issued in the UK which includes the name(s) of at least one of the holder's parents or adoptive parents, together with an official document giving the person's permanent National Insurance number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer.

9

 A birth or adoption certificate issued in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Ireland, together with an official document giving the person's permanent National Insurance number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer.

10

 A certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen, together with an official document giving the person's permanent National Insurance number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer.

List B

Immigration restrictions on the right to a licence in the UK. We may issue the licence (subject to statutory limitations) up to the expiry date of the permission to work in the UK. We will need to check immigration status each time you apply to renew or extend your licence.

1

A current passport endorsed to show that the holder is allowed to stay in the UK and is currently allowed to do the type of work in question.

2

A current Biometric Immigration Document (Biometric Residence Permit) issued by the Home Office to the holder which indicates that the named person can currently stay in the UK and is allowed to do the work in question.

3

A current Residence Card (including an Accession Residence Card or a Derivative Residence Card) issued by the Home Office to a non-European Economic Area national who is a family member of a national of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland or who has a derivative right of residence.

4

A current Immigration Status Document containing a photograph issued by the Home Office to the holder with a valid endorsement indicating that the named person may stay in the UK, and is allowed to do the type of work in question, together with an official document giving the person's permanent National Insurance number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer.

 

1

A Certificate of Application issued by the Home Office under regulation 17(3) or 18A (2) of the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006, to a family member of a national of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland stating that the holder is permitted to take employment which is less than 6 months old together with Verification from the Home Office Evidence and Enquiry Unit. The licence may be granted for six months from the date of the Certificate of Application.

2

A Verification issued by the Home Office Evidence and Enquiry Unit to you, which indicates that the named person may stay in the UK because they have an in time application, appeal or administrative review and which is outstanding . The licence may be issued for six months from the date of the licence decision.

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