Certain foreign nationals resident in the UK are required to register with the police as a condition of their leave to remain in the UK. Those same foreign nationals are also required to notify the police of any relevant changes to their circumstances, such as a change of address or change of employer.
Where the foreign national resides in London, registration and reporting must be done via the Overseas Visitors’ Records Office (OVRO).
The Overseas Visitors’ Records Office (OVRO) remains closed due to the UK’s current lockdown. The OVRO’s online appointment booking system also remains suspended until the new online registration portal is launched in April 2021. The OVRO London will be joining over 20 UK police forces that are already using this bespoke police registration portal.
The OVRO plans to offer priority booking slots to those who had their pre-booked appointments cancelled due to the OVRO’s closure in January 2021. This will initially be communicated via email directly to those affected but is very much dependent on the pandemic situation going forward.
The biggest change to the registration process will be that individuals will be required to create an online account which will involve entering their personal details as well as uploading their photograph prior to attending their OVRO appointment. There will be a 20-minute time window in which to enter the details and create the online account, so it is important to prepare and have all the relevant information/documentation to hand before commencing the process.
The OVRO’s online payment facility will not be available until later in the year. Individuals will therefore be required to pay for the registration fee when they attend their appointment at the OVRO.
With the introduction of the new system, individuals will be able to commence their registration with the police at a time that is most convenient for them. However, the 7-day requirement will only be deemed to have been satisfied as soon as an account has been created and all registration details have been submitted online to the OVRO.
Attendance at the OVRO will still be required for ID verification, passport endorsement and in order to be issued with a police registration certificate (PRC).
These changes in the frontloading aspect of the process is expected to minimise the time spent physically at OVRO. The new digitised service will contribute towards a collective effort in reducing the OVRO’s carbon footprint as there will no longer be a need to print pro formas or provide hard copy photographs.
Please also note that no penalties will be enforced for delays caused in registering or reporting changes resulting from the OVRO’s closure.
Further detailed guidance on the new system is expected to be available in the coming weeks.
The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please don’t hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.
©Gherson 2021