Immigration Act 2016 – right to work checks
Due to a change in the law contained in the Immigration Act 2016, the Council now has a legal obligation to check that ALL of those that it licences to drive or operate hackney carriage and/or private hire vehicles, have the right to work in the UK. ALL licence holders have to be checked, regardless of their place of birth or nationality.
This means that before the Council can issue or renew a licence, they must carry out a proper check on relevant documents held by the applicant, to confirm they have
the right to work in the UK. The documents checked must also be copied and retained by the Council.
This means that you will need to provide one of the ten types of documentation described in the table below when you apply to renew 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.
Please note – any birth certificate provided must be a full birth certificate and not the short-form version.
If you are unable to provide any of the acceptable documentation, please contact Licensing Officers for further advice:
Email: wrsenquiries@worcsregservices.gov.uk
Phone: 01905 822799