proof of nationality request

doom

Hi all,

Does an employer have any legal right to ask for a copy of my passport or birth certificate as proof of my nationality in case they get a visit from the home office. I'm English by the way ..... and have worked at the company for many years ...

Thanks

debtfreein4years

i beleive they do. its to do with making sure that they are complying with immigration laws etc. as you are british i beleive your passport or birth certificate is enough to prove you have the right to work in the uk. i know when signing up to temp agencies my passport is sufficient id to prove im allowed to work in the uk.

Teahfc

doom wrote: »

Hi all,

Does an employer have any legal right to ask for a copy of my passport or birth certificate as proof of my nationality in case they get a visit from the home office. I'm English by the way ..... and have worked at the company for many years ...

Thanks

Your employer is taking steps to comply with the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996.

http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?r.l1=1073858787&r.l3=1073981874&r.t=RESOURCES&type=RESOURCES&itemId=1073791948&r.i=1073791952&r.l2=1073858914&r.s=sc

1984ReturnsForReal_2

doom wrote: »

Hi all,

Does an employer have any legal right to ask for a copy of my passport or birth certificate as proof of my nationality in case they get a visit from the home office. I'm English by the way ..... and have worked at the company for many years ...

Thanks

Yes. Its the law & also they should ask it from everyone & hold a copy.

doom

I'm sure that you are all right, but if I can just play devil's advocate for one minute, I only saw guidance for NEW workers on that site. It said they must check NEW workers eligibility, nothing there about people already working .... If this is to do with the 1996 Act, then why is this the first time I've ever been asked to prove my nationality. It's been 13years since 1996 !!!!!

ti1980

What about if they have already had a copy but has lost it? Who should be made to pay for another copy? This has happened to someone I know. She has been asked to provide a copy of her passport or birth certificate but she is in her fifties and has misplaced her birth certificate and has never travelled abroad so has no passport. When she originally took the job (over 20 years ago) she had her birth certificate then but has since then misplaced it. So should her work stump up the cost of a replacement seeing as they lost a copy that was provided initially?

ohreally

doom wrote: »

Does an employer have any legal right to ask for a copy of my passport or birth certificate as proof of my nationality in case they get a visit from the home office.

It's not so much do they have a legal right...they have a duty to ensure legislative compliance.

rammy007

I was asked this too but i said i wasnt going to give this ID out as i had worked for my company for over 20 years,they then looked into it and it was for new employees and those after a certain date.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

doom wrote: »

I'm sure that you are all right, but if I can just play devil's advocate for one minute, I only saw guidance for NEW workers on that site. It said they must check NEW workers eligibility, nothing there about people already working .... If this is to do with the 1996 Act, then why is this the first time I've ever been asked to prove my nationality. It's been 13years since 1996 !!!!!

Its this that they are worried about. "PREVENTION OF
ILLEGAL WORKING IMMIGRATION, ASYLUM AND NATIONALITY ACT 2006"

& to stop them getting sued by an illegal they ask for ID from everyone.

doom

rammy007 wrote: »

I was asked this too but i said i wasnt going to give this ID out as i had worked for my company for over 20 years,they then looked into it and it was for new employees and those after a certain date.

what date is that then ... ?

rammy007

Not absolutely sure but our HR checked it out when i challenged them over it as other long term people were asked as well and in the end we didnt need to give it.All the info on the links above refer to new employees.