Search Legislation

Immigration Act 1971

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

Changes to legislation:

Immigration Act 1971, Section 11 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 18 April 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.

View outstanding changes

Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 11:

Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:

Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):

11Construction of references to entry, and other phrases relating to travel.U.K.

(1)A person arriving in the United Kingdom by ship or aircraft shall for purposes of this Act be deemed not to enter the United Kingdom unless and until he disembarks, and on disembarkation at a port shall further be deemed not to enter the United Kingdom so long as he remains in such area (if any) at the port as may be approved for this purpose by an immigration officer; and a person who has not otherwise entered the United Kingdom shall be deemed not to do so as long as he is detainedF1... under the powers conferred by Schedule 2 to this Act [F2or section 62 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002] [F3or on immigration bail within the meaning of Schedule 10 to the Immigration Act 2016] .

[F4(1ZA)See also section 11A (additional means by which persons arriving in United Kingdom waters for work can enter the UK).]

F5(1A). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(2)In this Act “disembark” means disembark from a ship or aircraft, and “embark” means embark in a ship or aircraft; and, except in subsection (1) above,—

(a)references to disembarking in the United Kingdom do not apply to disembarking after a local journey from a place in the United Kingdom or elsewhere in the common travel area; and

(b)references to embarking in the United Kingdom do not apply to embarking for a local journey to a place in the United Kingdom or elsewhere in the common travel area.

(3)Except in so far as the context otherwise requires, references in this Act to arriving in the United Kingdom by ship shall extend to arrival by any floating structure, and “disembark” shall be construed accordingly; but the provisions of this Act specially relating to members of the crew of a ship shall not by virtue of this provision apply in relation to any floating structure not being a ship.

(4)For purposes of this Act “common travel area” has the meaning given by section 1(3), and a journey is, in relation to the common travel area, a local journey if but only if it begins and ends in the common travel area and is not made by a ship or aircraft which—

(a)in the case of a journey to a place in the United Kingdom, began its voyage from, or has during its voyage called at, a place not in the common travel area; or

(b)in the case of a journey from a place in the United Kingdom, is due to end its voyage in, or call in the course of its voyage at, a place not in the common travel area.

(5)A person who enters the United Kingdom lawfully by virtue of section 8(1) above, and seeks to remain beyond the time limited by section 8(1), shall be treated for purposes of this Act as seeking to enter the United Kingdom.

Textual Amendments

F1Words in s. 11(1) omitted (15.1.2018) by virtue of Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), s. 94(1), Sch. 10 para. 15(a); S.I. 2017/1241, reg. 2(c) (with Sch.) (as amended by S.I. 2018/31, reg. 2)

F2Words in s. 11(1) inserted (10.2.2003) by 2002 c. 41, s. 62(8) (with s. 159); S.I. 2003/1, art. 2, Sch.

F3Words in s. 11(1) substituted (15.1.2018) by Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), s. 94(1), Sch. 10 para. 15(c); S.I. 2017/1241, reg. 2(c) (with Sch.) (as amended by S.I. 2018/31, reg. 2)

F5S. 11(1A) repealed (2.8.1993) by S.I. 1993/1813, arts. 9, 1, Sch. 6 Pt. I

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Ss. 1-9, 11 extended (with modifications) (Guernsey) (1.8.1993) by The Immigration (Guernsey) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/1796), arts. 1, 3(1), Sch. 1 Pt. 1

Ss. 1-9, 11 extended (with modifications) (Jersey) (1.8.1993) by The Immigration (Jersey) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993/1797), arts. 1, 3(1), Sch. 1 Pt. 1 (as amended (17.10.2012) by S.I. 2012/2593, arts. 1, 2(2); and (coming into force in accordance with art. 1 of the amending S.I.) by S.I. 2017/981, Sch. Pt. 1 para. 1 (with art. 6))

S. 11 modified (2.8.1993) by S.I. 1993/1813, arts. 1, 7(1), Sch. 4 para. 1(5)

C5S. 11 modified (30.9.2020 immediately after the entry into force of S.I. 2020/915, art. 5) by The Channel Tunnel (Arrangements with the Kingdom of the Netherlands) Order 2020 (S.I. 2020/916), arts. 1(3), 6

C6S. 11 modified by S.I. 1994/1405, art. 7 (as amended (coming into force in accordance with art. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Channel Tunnel (International Arrangements and Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Order 2020 (S.I. 2020/915), arts. 1(3), 11)

C7S. 11(1) applied (7.11.2002 with effect as noted in s. 11(4) of the amending act) by 2002 c. 41, s. 11(3) (with s. 159)

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

You have chosen to open The Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Act as a PDF

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources