The ICIBI has begun an inspection of the Home Office’s approach to overstayers. The Home Office uses the term “overstayer” to describe “a person who was granted limited leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom, but who neither left the country on the date indicated nor asked for the leave to be extended.” 

I am inviting anyone with knowledge or first-hand experience of this subject to submit evidence to inform my inspection. I would be pleased to hear about both what is working well and what could be improved in the following areas: 

• the identification of potential overstayers during the visa application process 

• communications with people who are suspected of overstaying 

• the identification of overstayers in the UK 

• the Home Office’s management of overstayers 

• the quality and accessibility of information to deter people from overstaying 

As I have not yet finalised the scope of this inspection, I would be happy to receive any other evidence that falls outside these areas that may be relevant to the Home Office’s approach to overstayers.  

This call for evidence will remain open until 16 April 2025.  

Please also note that information submitted may be quoted in the final inspection report, but it is the ICIBI’s practice not to name sources and any examples or case studies will be anonymised. 

Please click overstayers@icibi.gov.uk to email your submission to the Independent Chief Inspector. 

Please note: The ICIBI’s statutory remit does not extend to investigating or making decisions about individual cases. This remains a Home Office responsibility. However, the Independent Chief Inspector can and does take an interest in individual cases to the extent that they illustrate or point to systemic problems. 

Data Protection  

Information on how we process personal data submitted in response to a call for evidence can be found in the ICIBI privacy information notice available on the ICIBI website.  

If at any point you wish to object to the processing of your personal data, you should contact us by emailing chiefinspector@icibi.gov.uk. 

David Bolt 

Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration 

26 March 2025