Who the guidelines are for
These guidelines are for the right to work/immigration status for premises and personal licence applications for:
- individual applicants
- applications from partnerships which are not limited liability partnerships
Any premises or personal licence will become invalid if the holder ceases to be entitled to work in the UK.
Applicants must demonstrate they:
- have an entitlement to work in the UK
- are not subject to a condition stopping them from doing work relating to the carrying on of a licensable activity
This is done in one of 2 ways:
- Providing with their application copies, or scanned copies, of the documents listed below (which do not need to be certified).
- Providing their 'share code' to enable us to carry out a check using the Home Office online right to work checking service (see below).
The council does not deal with Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) or passport application queries.
Documents needed
The following documents show the applicant's right to work in the UK.
Passport
An expired or current 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 to live in the UK – please see note below about which sections of the passport to copy
- national of an EEA (EEA) country or Switzerland
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
- has no time limit on their stay in the UK
A current passport endorsed to show that the holder is:
- allowed to stay in the UK
- currently allowed to work
- not subject to a condition stopping the holder from doing work relating to the carrying on of a licensable activity
Permanent resident card
A permanent residence card issued by the Home Office to the family member of a national of an EEA country or Switzerland.
National identity card
An expired or current national identity card showing the holder is a national of an EEA country or Switzerland.
Registration certificate
A registration certificate or document certifying permanent residence issued by the Home Office to a national of an EEA country or Switzerland.
Biometric immigration document
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
- work in relation to the carrying on of a licensable activity
Immigration status document
A current immigration status document:
- issued by the Home Office to the holder with an endorsement showing the named person is allowed to stay indefinitely in the UK or has no time limit on their stay in the UK, when produced in combination with an official document giving the person’s permanent national insurance number and their name, issued by a government agency or a previous employer
- containing a photograph issued by the Home Office to the holder with an endorsement showing the named person may stay in the UK, and is allowed to work and is not subject to a condition preventing the holder from doing work relating to the carrying on of a licensable activity when produced in combination with an official document giving the person’s permanent national insurance number and their name issued by a government agency or a previous employer
Birth or adoption certificate
A birth or adoption certificate issued in the:
- UK, when produced in combination with an official document giving the person’s permanent national insurance number and their name issued by a government agency or a previous employer
- Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Ireland when produced in combination with an official document giving the person’s permanent national insurance number and their name issued by a government agency or a previous employer
Certificate of registration or naturalisation
A certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen, when produced in combination with an official document giving the person’s permanent national insurance number and their name issued by a government agency or a previous employer.
Residence card
A current residence card issued by the Home Office to a person who is not a national of an EEA state or Switzerland but who is a family member of such a national or who has derivative rights of residence.
Certificate of application
A certificate of application which is:
- less than 6 months old
- issued by the Home Office under regulation 18(3) or 20(2) of the Immigration (EEA) Regulations 2016
- issued to a person who is not a national of an EEA state or Switzerland but who is a family member of such a national or who has derivative rights of residence
Reasonable evidence
Reasonable evidence that:
- the person has an outstanding application to vary their permission to be in the UK with the Home Office such as the Home Office acknowledgement letter or proof of postage evidence, or reasonable evidence that the person has an appeal or administrative review pending on an immigration decision, such as an appeal or administrative review reference number
- a person who is not a national of an EEA state or Switzerland but who is a family member of such a national or who has derivative rights of residence in exercising treaty rights in the UK including evidence:
- of the applicant’s own identity – such as a passport
- of their relationship with the EEA family member – eg a marriage certificate, civil partnership certificate or birth certificate
- that the EEA national has a right of permanent residence in the UK or is one of the following if they have been in the UK for more than 3 months:
- (i) working eg employment contract, wage slips, letter from the employer
- (ii) self-employed eg contracts, invoices, or audited accounts with a bank
- (iii) studying eg letter from the school, college or university and evidence of sufficient funds
- (iv) self-sufficient eg bank statements
Family members of EEA nationals
Family members of EEA nationals who are studying or financially independent must also provide evidence that the EEA national and any family members hold comprehensive sickness insurance in the UK. This can include a private medical insurance policy, an EHIC card or an S1, S2 or S3 form.
Sending documents
Do not send us original documents.
Passport
If the document copied is a passport, provide any page containing:
- the holder’s personal details including nationality
- the holder’s photograph
- the holder’s signature
- the date of expiry
- information indicating the holder has permission to enter or remain in the UK and is permitted to work
Other documents
If the document is not a passport, a copy of the whole document should be provided.
Home office immigration checks
Your right to work will be checked as part of your licensing application. This could involve us checking your immigration status with the Home Office. We may otherwise share information with the Home Office. Your licence application will not be determined until you have complied with this guidance.
Home Office online right to work checking service
As an alternative to providing a copy of the documents listed above, applicants may demonstrate their right to work by allowing us to carry out a check with the Home Office online right to work checking service.
To demonstrate the right to work via the Home Office online right to work checking service, applicants should include in this application their 9-digit share code. This is provided after accessing the service:
Prove your right to work to an employer - GOV.UK
This 9-digit share code, along with the applicant's date of birth (provided within this application), allows us to carry out the check.
An online check will not be possible in all circumstances because not all applicants will have an immigration status that can be checked online.
The Home Office online right to work checking service sets out what information and/or documentation applicants will need in order to access the service.
Applicants who are unable to obtain a share code from the service should submit copy documents as set out above.