Complaints procedure
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-01)

Find out about how to complain about or comment on Immigration Enforcement, its work and how we deal with complaints.

We aim to reply to you within 20 working days. However, due to current resource demands it may take us longer than usual to respond. We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction that needs a response, about:
- the standard of service received from Immigration Enforcement
- the professional conduct of Immigration Enforcement staff or contractors
Before you make a complaint

Common issues

If you want to report an immigration crime

You can use the contact form (https://www.gov.uk/report-immigration-crime) if you believe someone is working illegally, or has made a false application to stay in the UK, or is involved in smuggling.

Requests for information
- personal information (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/requests-for-personal-data-uk-visas-and-immigration): make a subject access request to see your own information or on someone else’s behalf
- freedom of information requests (https://www.gov.uk/make-a-freedom-of-information-request): obtain other government data and statistics by contacting the Home Office
Complaints about other areas of the Home Office

Other areas of the Home Office have their own complaints procedures:
- UK Visas and Immigration (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration/about/complaints-procedure)
- Border Force (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/border-force/about/complaints-procedure)
- Disclosure and Barring Service (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service/about/complaints-procedure)
- HM Passport Office (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-passport-office/about/complaints-procedure)
- Home Office (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/about/complaints-procedure)
How to complain

You should submit your complaint no later than 3 months after the incident has happened unless there are exceptional circumstances.

What to tell us

Give as much information about yourself as you can to help us investigate your complaint:
- your full name, telephone number, email and postal address
- full details of what your complaint is about, including times, dates and locations (if applicable)
- the names or identifying numbers of the Immigration Enforcement officers or a full description of each officer
- details of any witnesses to the incident, if appropriate
- your passport number and date of birth, or a copy of the biometric data page of your passport
- copies of any relevant letters, paperwork or references
- evidence of any damage caused, for example photographs, and any quotes, invoices and receipts to support your claim (if applicable)
Make a complaint for someone else

To disclose information about another person, we need written authorisation.

Ask the person who wants to complain to complete a Letter of Authority and make sure it includes their handwritten signature before completing the rest of the steps for making a complaint.

Where to send your complaints

We only accept complaints written in English or Welsh.

Email your complaint to xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Alternatively, you can write to us at:

Complaints AllocationCustomer Correspondence Hub4th floor2 Ruskin SquareDingwall RoadCroydonCR0 2WF

Please note, we encourage you to email your complaints, as you’re likely to receive a quicker reply.

Complaints do not affect the Home Office decision-making process and making a complaint does not mean that your application will be dealt with more quickly or more slowly.

What happens next?

Your complaint will be managed by our correspondence team. They’re responsible for ensuring that your complaint is resolved in a satisfactory and timely manner. We’ll send you an acknowledgement when you make a complaint and we may contact you during an investigation for further information.

Read the complaints management guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-management-guidance-version-7) for further information about how we deal with your complaints.

How long will it take?

We’ll investigate your complaint and reply to you within 20 working days.

We will contact you if we need more time to investigate your complaint. If your complaint suggests serious professional misconduct we aim to respond within 12 weeks, following an impartial investigation.

Serious complaints

If you make a very serious complaint we may refer it to the Home Office’s professional standards unit who will write to you and inform you that they are handling your case.

If you make a serious complaint related to Immigration Enforcement officers’ use of specified enforcement functions in England and Wales, we’ll refer this to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/independent-office-for-police-conduct). The IOPC has a remit to investigate some serious complaints relating to the work of our immigration, asylum and customs functions.

Similar arrangements are in place in Scotland with the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) (https://pirc.scot/) and in Northern Ireland with the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (PONI) (https://www.policeombudsman.org/).

If you’ve made a complaint about serious professional misconduct, the investigators will tell you the outcome. Their letter will tell you who to contact if you’re still not satisfied with the outcome.

If you’re not satisfied
- if you are not satisfied with our response, you can ask us to review the matter.
- reviews are carried out by an independent team or by a senior manager. They will aim provide you with further details within 20 working days of the date when you ask for a review.
- if you are still not satisfied, you can escalate your complaint to the Independent Examiner of Complaints (IEC) within 3 months of receiving our response. If you decide to escalate your complaint to the IEC, please provide them with copies of all correspondence you sent us and our replies.
Read more about the Independent Examiner of Complaints (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/make-a-complaint-to-the-independent-examiner-of-complaints).

Email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) or write to:

PO Box 6147SheffieldS2 9JD
- if you’re still not satisfied at this stage, you may be able to raise the matter with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/) or in certain cases the IPCC, PONI or PIRC who may be able to assist you.