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How to make a complaint

This page explains how to make a complaint using our Complaints Registration Form. It tells you what information you need to include on the form, and where you need to send your completed form.

What information should you send?

You should make your complaint using our Complaints Registration Form, which you can download from the right side of this page.

It is important that you give as much information about yourself as possible. The Complaints Registration Form tells you the type of information we need. This will help us to find the information relevant to your case and to contact you about it. If possible, you should also include:

  • full details about the complaint (including times, dates and locations);
  • the names of any UK Border Agency staff you have dealt with;
  • details of any witnesses to the incident (if appropriate);
  • copies of letters or papers that are relevant; and
  • any travel details that relate to your complaint.

We only accept complaints in English or Welsh.

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Where should you send your complaint?

Where possible, you should make your complaint to the port, office or detention centre where the matter you want to complain about happened. They will do their best to resolve your complaint quickly. You should find an address to write to, or a telephone number to call, on any letter we have sent you about your case.

If you do not have a letter from us containing this information, you should contact the appropriate Customer Service Unit (CSU) for your type of complaint. That CSU will then forward the complaint to the correct team to deal with. The table below shows which CSU you should contact.

If your complaint is about... You should contact...
an asylum application made before March 2007 the Case Resolution Directorate CSU
an asylum application made since March 2007 the case owner for the case - you can find their contact details on letters they have sent you or on their business card, which you were given when you attended your initial interview
a citizenship or nationality application  the North West Region CSU
one of our contact centres the contact centre concerned
detention (including in immigration removal centres, in short-term holding rooms and while under escort) the Detention Services CSU
an application by a national of a country in the European Economic Area the North West Region CSU
a foreign national prisoner who, after being convicted, has received a custodial sentence and is liable for deportation the Criminal Casework Directorate CSU
(Note: This complaints system complements the Prison Service Complaints system and does not replace it.)
an immigration application under the points-based system the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber Region CSU
United Kingdom immigration or customs controls at the UK border (airport, seaport or international rail) the Border Force CSU
a visa application Visa Customer Services
(Note: This CSU only handles visa-related complaints made in the United Kingdom. Other complaints will be forwarded to the appropriate diplomatic post.)
the worker registration scheme  the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber Region CSU


If your complaint is not in any of these categories, you should contact the Customer Service Unit for the region where the matter you are complaining about occurred - but it may take a little longer to process your complaint, as the complaint may need to be forwarded to the right CSU. Select a region from the table below to find the CSU for that region.

Region Major cities
 London and South East  London, Dover, Portsmouth
 Midlands and East of England  Birmingham
 North East, Yorkshire and the Humber  Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield
 North West  Liverpool, Manchester
 Scotland and Northern Ireland  Aberdeen, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow
 Wales and South West  Bristol, Cardiff, Plymouth


We are more likely to be able to handle your complaint quickly if you put all the relevant details on the Complaints Registration Form. You can send the form to us by post, by email, by fax or by hand.

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What happens next?

The How we will deal with your complaint page explains:

  • how we will handle your complaint;
  • what to do if you are not happy with the outcome of your complaint or how we have handled it; and
  • what will happen after your complaint has been dealt with.

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