ECB07: returnability

Published 26 November 2013

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1. Returnability

Returnability is:

the ability of a traveller to return to his or her country of residence (after visiting the UK).

Some travel documents either give:

no guarantee that the holder will be re-admitted to the issuing country, or,
guarantee re-entry for a limited period only.
certain countries require exit and / or re-entry visas to be issued before their nationals can travel abroad.

The question of returnability is usually a problem for only a few nationals and stateless persons.

The ECO will need to check that the applicant has sufficient returnability in one of the following forms:

a national passport with text or an endorsed re-entry visa entitling the holder to return to the country of issue;
a non-national travel document with text entitling the holder to return to the country of issue;
a re-entry visa or permit which will ensure admission to some other country with ample validity to cover the proposed stay in the UK. (Ample validity means the re-entry visa or permission to enter a country should not expire less than two months after the end of the stay in the UK).

The requirements for returnability are contained in paragraphs 21 to 23 of the Rules.

Grounds for refusal are given in paragraph 320(13).