Registering with the Police

Some (non-EEA) nationals are required to register with the police. If you have to do this it will be written or stamped on the Entry Clearance ("visa") sticker in your passport or on your identity card. Failure to register with the police is a criminal offence. If you are unsure whether you should register, please contact the International Office.

 

Usually, you must register with the Police within 7 days of arrival in the UK. However, in some cases, this rule is relaxed. If you arrive in September or October and are living locally you may be able to delay registering until later in the autumn when the police will come to campus.

Any family members who are with you in the UK and have the requirement to register stamped in their passport must also personally register with the police - you cannot register for them. Children under 16 do not usually receive the stamp requiring them to register.

Once you have registered you will be given a Police Registration Certificate showing your visa status and expiry date, photo, address and study details. You should take this certificate with you whenever you travel in and out of the UK .

Do I have to register with the Police?

 

If the UK Entry Clearance or Residence Permit ('visa') in your passport (or on your biometric identity card) contains the statement: “The holder is also required to register at once with the police” or"Register with police within seven days", you need to register with the police in person. Read the information on this page carefully to establish which Police Force you should register with and how to see them. If you have any queries contact internationalsupport@warwick.ac.uk or phone 02476 574229 (mornings only please)

Citizens of the following countries who are admitted to the United Kingdom (UK) for more than 6 months will usually be required to register with the police: Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Georgia, Hong Kong, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Palestine, Peru, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yemen.

Failure to register with the police is a criminal offence and you will be in breach of your immigration conditions. Late registration could lead to you receiving a warning stamp which may make it more likely for your next visa extension application to be refused, especially if you have more than one stamp. In some cases you may also receive an official police caution, which would be recorded on your police record.

If you are unsure whether you should register (for example if you have received a stamp saying you should register but your nationality is not in the list above) please contact the International Office for advice (internationalsupport@warwick.ac.uk or tel: 02476 574229 mornings only).

What documents do I need to take with me to register?

  • Your passport (and biometric identity card, if you have one).
  • Two identical passport sized colour photographs (without headwear, unless it is always worn in public for religious reasons, and your face must be visible)
  • The appropriate fee in cash (£34 in correct change if possible. £50 notes are not accepted. West Midlands Police can also accept payment by debit card but for Warwickshire Police you must bring cash.)
  • Police registration form (for West Midlands use this form; for Warwickshire the form is here)
  • Warwickshire Police also requires a certificate of student status showing your UK address and course. You can request this at Student Reception on the ground floor of University House. Or it can be ordered online at this page. It may take up to five working days to produce the letter. If for any reason you are not able to get a certificate of student status, other documents giving proof of your course and of your address may be acceptable e.g. a tenancy agreement plus your offer letter. Please check with Warwickshire police by phoning 01926 415145 or the International Office who can be contacted on internationalsupport@warwick.ac.uk or 02476 574229. West Midlands police do not require a certificate of student status.

Which Police Force should i see and how do i meet them?

The campus of the University of Warwick is split over 2 regional police forces. Where you need to register with the Police will depend on where you are living.  

If you live on campus in Hurst, Redfern, Lakeside, Heronbank, Sherbourne or Cryfield residences or if you live in Leamington Spa or Kenilworth you will need to register with Warwickshire Police.

Warwickshire Police will see you on campus. When you have carefully read all the information on this page, you can make an appointment to see Warwickshire Police by clicking here.

Where possible you should make the appointment within 7 days of arrival in the UK or within 7 days of a change of circumstance that you need to report to the police (see below for details) but it is acceptable for the appointment itself to take place more than 7 days later.

The phone number for Warwickshire Police's registration contact is 01926 415145

If you live on campus (except Hurst, Lakeside, Heronbank, Sherbourne, Redfern and Cryfield) or in Coventry you will need to register with West Midlands Police.

Usually, you must register with West Midlands Police within 7 days of you first arriving in the UK and you must see the police within 7 days of a change of circumstance that you need to report to the police (see below for details). Unless you arrive in September or October and are able to see them in weeks two or three of the autumn term you will need to go in person to their station in Birmingham.

At peak times e.g. between August and November the queues in Birmingham are very long and you may have to wait several hours to be seen, so we recommend that you arrive before 9am before the queue gets too long or even by 8am if possible. Make sure that you take everything you need with you or the police will be unable to help you and you will have to return to Birmingham on a different day. As you will have to queue outside make sure that you wear appropriate clothing. We appreciate that it can be frustrating to have to wait a long time only to be told that the police cannot see you because they have run out of time to see everyone that day or because you have not brought the right documents, but there is never an excuse for offensive or aggressive behaviour towards police staff, and neither West Midlands Police nor the University of Warwick will tolerate this. Also remember that if you leave your place in the queue you will have to rejoin the back of the queue. There are no public toilets in the police station.

Overseas Visitors Registration Department
Birmingham Police Headquarters Lloyd House
Colmore Circus
Queensway
Birmingham
B4 6NQ (Sat Nav users - please use B4 6AT)

Check this page before travelling. If we are aware of any days when the police are not available we will publicise that here. You may also wish to call them to check they are holding a session on 0121 6265307.

Link to map

West Midlands Police website

Opening hours:

9.00am until 3.30pm (closed 12.30pm until 1.30pm) on Monday to Thursday

Closed on Fridays and at weekends


KEEPING YOUR POLICE REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE UP TO DATE

You must inform the Police in person, taking the relevant documents with you (listed in the next section) if you:

Change your address...
You must inform the Police if your address changes as soon as possible, usually within 7 days unless you have an appointment to see them. For more information on how to see your police force see the sections above.

If the address on your Police Registration Certificate is for "The University of Warwick" but does not have a room number or hall of residence, and you are moving from a room in Sherbourne, Hurst, Redfern, Lakeside, Heronbank or Cryfield to a different room in one of these halls of residences (whether you are changing rooms within the same hall of residence or you are moving from Sherbourne, Hurst, Redfern, Lakeside, Heronbank or Cryfield to a different one of these six halls) you do not need to notify Warwickshire Police of your new address. However, if you move to a room in one of the other halls of residences, which are under the authority of West Midlands Police, you always need to notify West Midlands Police of your new address, even if the address on your Police Registration Certificate just says The University of Warwick and does not specify any room number or hall of residence.

If you live in a room in Arthur Vick, Benefactors, Bluebell, Claycroft, International House, Jack Martin, Rootes, Tocil, Westwood or Whitefields, your Police Registration Certificate will normally show the hall of residence but not the room number. If this is the case, if you change room but do not move to a different hall of residence you do not need to inform the police of this change. However if your Police Registration Certificate does show your room number and you change rooms you do need to see the police to inform them of your new address even if you have not changed which hall of residence you live in.

Change your course...
See the police as soon as possible, usually within 7 days unless you have an appointment to see them. However if your course changes during the summer when you are out of the UK it is acceptable to wait until the new academic year, when you will be able to make an appointment to see the police.

Extend your visa in the UK...
You must report to the Police in person within 7 days of receiving your new visa. For information about how to extend your visa to stay longer in the UK please see our immigration webpages

Have been out of the country for 12 months or more...
You will have to re-register. Please see the information above. You will have to pay the usual charge of £34.

Change your name...
For example if you get married. You will have to provide proof of your new name within 7 days.

Change your marital status...
For example if you go through a divorce.

Have a baby...
The newborn baby should be recorded on the mother's police registration certificate. You will need to provide a birth certificate.

Obtain a new passport...
You must report this to the Police in person within 7 days.

Change your employment status...
If you take a new job or register with a new employer you must see the police to report this. For working with employment agencies (e.g. Unitemps) you must see the police within 7 days of registering and should not wait until you are offered an assignment: you do not need to see the police each time you undertake a new assignment even if it is for a different company/university department. If you leave your job or deregister with an employment agency you must see the police again.

Working whilst waiting for graduation....
If your course has finished and you are waiting for graduation, you may be able to work more than 20 hours per week (check with the International Office for further advice on this matter). Should you do so however, you will need to register this with the police.

Lose your police registration certificate...
Please look carefully for your police registration certificate. If you have left it at a previous address, whether overseas or in the UK, try to get it posted to you, even if it takes several weeks to arrive. If you definitely cannot find your police registration certificate you must see the police to register again. You will have to pay the charge of £34 again. For West Midlands police, in the case of lost certificates you will always have to go to Birmingham in person, even if it is a time of year when the police are on campus.

Are robbed of your police registration certificate...
If your police registration certificate is stolen you must report this to your local police station immediately and get a crime number from them. If you live in campus or in Coventry you should go to Little Park Street police station; if you live in Leamington Spa you should go to the police station there. You will then need to apply for a new police registration in Birmingham or Leamington Spa as appropriate, for which there will be a charge of £34. When you register for your new police registration certificate you will need to provide your crime number.

 

What documents do I need to take with me if I am updating my Police Registration Certificate?

 

  • Your passport (and biometric identity card, if you have one)
  • Two identical passport sized colour photographs (without headwear, unless it is always worn in public for religious reasons, and your face must be visible)
  • Police registration form (for West Midlands use this form; for Warwickshire the form is here)
  • Your Police Registration Certificate
  • Warwickshire Police require a Certificate of Student Status but West Midlands Police do not. You can request this document from Student Reception on the ground floor of University House or can order one online using this page. It may take up to five working days to produce.

You will not be required to pay the £34 charge again.

 

To find out which police force you need to see and how to meet them, see the section above.

 

For more information email internationalsupport@warwick.ac.uk or tel: 02476 574229 (mornings only please)