Use the Employer Checking Service

Use this service to ask the Home Office to check an employee’s or potential employee’s immigration status if they cannot show their documents or online immigration status.

This could be, for example, because they:

  • have an outstanding appeal, review or application with the Home Office
  • arrived in the UK before 1989 and do not have documents to prove their immigration status or right to work

You must also ask the Home Office to check their status if they have:

  • a digital or non-digital Certificate of Application that says you need to ask the Home Office to check their right to work
  • an Application Registration Card

You only need to use this service if you cannot check the applicant’s right to work online using their share code or check the applicant’s original documents.

You can be fined up to £60,000 for employing illegal workers.

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Before you start

You can read the guidance on how to carry out right to work checks.

You’ll need to get the employee or potential employee’s permission to make the check.

You’ll need to provide the following information to request a check.

Your employee’s or potential employee’s:

  • full name
  • date of birth
  • nationality
  • job title
  • hours worked per week
  • home address in the UK
  • Home Office reference number or case ID (if they have either)

You need to see their original Application Registration Card or Certificate of Application, if this is what you’re checking.

You’ll also need to provide your:

  • business name
  • business type
  • business contact information

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