Docs Required For Someone Re-Entering The UK With ILR?

[TCA]

My wife and stepdaughter just returned to the UK from a 3 week trip to see their family in Thailand, having been granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK last year. Can someone please confirm which documents they are required to present at UK immigration on re-entering the UK?

 

I was under the impression that a valid passport and BRP were sufficient. My wife was subjected to 20 minutes of the third degree on everything from her marital status to her employment. She was also asked for her expired Thai passport because it contained her initial entry clearance visa, asked for her marriage certificate and whether she had her previous BRP (possibly a trick question given handed back) - she had none of these because I presumed they would be unnecessary.

 

My stepdaughter was also heavily questioned and asked to sign her name in Thai. The immigration officer also had an issue because she didn't look the photo in her 4 year old passport. OK, she had a different hair style but she's 14 for goodness sake, she's going to change facially. The BRP contains a photo less than a year old. They were eventually permitted entry after the officer went to the office to check something.

 

They will apply for UK citizenship and UK passports sooner rather than later, but until then and for future reference, I'd like to know whether they just got unlucky with an uninformed immigration officer or whether they do actually need to carry these extra documents with them.

 

Thanks in advance for any pointers.

Edited July 31, 2019 by TCA

[rasg]

They were just unlucky I think. A BRP should be sufficient. It shows residency to the UK. If the immigration had had any doubts he wouldn't have let them in...

[theoldgit]

Nonsense post removed.

[theoldgit]

Yes, I agree that they were unlucky, I would have thought a bit OOT.

[mfd101]

But people should always be prepared, carry a bit of backup docos. Better than getting rejected for entry after a long flight!

 

My partner has 'permanent' residency in Oz and it's in the Oz Immigration computer so no problems coming & going, but I always carry supportive docos with me just in case (grant of residency, ACT partnership certificate ...).

[TCA]

5 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

But people should always be prepared, carry a bit of backup docos. Better than getting rejected for entry after a long flight!

 

That's advisable (and we did so) when under visa restrictions, but with all due respect, it's a nonsense when someone has indefinite leave to remain. Document proof time is over and obviously they were allowed entry without them, so shouldn't be asked for them.

[mfd101]

4 minutes ago, TCA said:

Document proof time is over and obviously they were allowed entry without them, so shouldn't be asked for them.

Shouldn't but were.

[TCA]

12 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

Shouldn't but were.

And as stated, didn't require them, so were asked unnecessarily. That plus a lengthy questioning session shouldn't have to be endured given all the hoops already jumped through to reach ILR. As the other posters said above, just unlucky on the day with that particular official.