Windrush Scheme: get a document showing your right to be in the UK

Printable version

1. Overview

If you’re settled in the UK but do not have a document to prove it, you may be eligible to apply to the ‘Windrush Scheme’.

You may be able to apply for a document to prove you can live and work in the UK if one of the following is true:

It’s free to apply.

You might also be entitled to apply for citizenship for free if you’re a Commonwealth citizen who settled in the UK before 1 January 1973, or you’re the child of someone who did.

If you suffered losses because you did not have documents

If you are eligible for this scheme, you might also be able to apply for compensation. The compensation scheme is for losses that happened because you could not show that you had a right to live in the UK.

‘Losses’ can be things like not being able to work, find a place to live or get health treatment. They can also include immigration action, like detention or removal from the UK.

2. You arrived before 1973 from a Commonwealth country

You may be able to apply for a document to prove you can live and work in Britain if both of the following apply:

What you’re entitled to depends on whether you:

  • have been living in the UK continuously
  • left the UK for more than 2 years and came back
  • are outside the UK

If you’ve been living in the UK continuously

If you’ve lived in the UK continuously, or have the right of abode, you can apply for one of the following:

  • British citizenship
  • evidence you have the right of abode
  • a document confirming you have indefinite leave to remain

Contact the Windrush helpline for help with working out if you’re eligible.

Find out how to apply.

If you’ve left the UK for more than 2 years and come back

If you’ve been away from the UK for more than 2 years at some point and are now lawfully in the UK, you might be entitled to indefinite leave to remain.

If you already have indefinite leave to remain you might be able to apply for either:

  • a document to prove you have this
  • British citizenship

Contact the Windrush helpline for help with working out if you’re eligible.

Find out how to apply.

If you’re outside the UK

If you’ve left the UK and have lost your indefinite leave to remain, you might be entitled to:

  • a Returning Resident visa
  • a 10 year multiple entry visa

Contact the Windrush helpline for help with working out if you’re eligible.

3. You're the child of a Commonwealth citizen who arrived before 1973

You can apply for British citizenship or a document confirming you have indefinite leave to remain.

If you do not have indefinite leave to remain but are here lawfully, you can apply for it through the scheme.

To apply, one of your parents must be a Commonwealth citizen and either:

  • was settled in the UK before 1 January 1973
  • had the right of abode

You must have lived continuously in the UK since arriving (or being born) here. One of the following must also be true:

  • you were born in the UK
  • you came to live in the UK before turning 18

You do not have to have lived continuously in the UK, if you were automatically a British citizen or a citizen of the UK and Colonies from birth. You can apply for a document to confirm your status.

Contact the Windrush helpline for help with working out if you’re eligible.

Find out how to apply.

4. You arrived before 1989

You can apply for a document to prove you can live and work in Britain if you came to live in the UK before 31 December 1988 and are now settled here.

You can be of any nationality.

Contact the Windrush helpline for help with working out if you’re eligible.

Find out how to apply.

5. How to apply

When you apply, the Home Office will work with other government departments to find records of you living in the UK.

None of your information will be shared with immigration enforcement teams.

If you’re in the UK

Apply using the Windrush Scheme application form (UK).

Post it to the address on the form with your supporting documents.

The Windrush helpline can post a paper form to you.

Windrush helpline
commonwealthtaskforce@homeoffice.gov.uk
Telephone: 0800 678 1925
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (except bank holidays)
Find out about call charges

If you’re outside the UK

You must apply using an online form.

Fee

It’s free to apply.

What happens next

The Windrush taskforce will get in touch with you if they have any questions about your application, or if they need more information.

Give your fingerprints and photo

You’ll be asked to provide your fingerprints and photo (‘biometric information’) once you’ve sent in your form. You will not have to pay anything to do this.

6. Commonwealth countries

You may be eligible for the Windrush Scheme if you arrived in the UK from any country before 1989.

You may also be eligible if you or your parent is a citizen of one of the following Commonwealth countries:

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Australia
  • The Bahamas
  • Bangladesh
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Botswana
  • British Antarctic Territory
  • British Indian Ocean Territory
  • Brunei
  • Canada
  • Cayman Islands
  • Cyprus (excluding the Sovereign base area)
  • Dominica
  • Falkland Islands
  • Fiji
  • The Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Gibraltar
  • Grenada
  • Guyana
  • Hong Kong
  • India
  • Jamaica
  • Kenya
  • Kiribati
  • Lesotho
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Malta
  • Mauritius
  • Monserrat
  • Namibia
  • Nauru
  • New Zealand
  • Nigeria
  • Pakistan
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands
  • Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
  • Saint Lucia
  • Samoa
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
  • Solomon Islands
  • South Africa
  • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  • Sri Lanka
  • St Kitts and Nevis
  • St Vincent and The Grenadines
  • Swaziland
  • Tanzania
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • Tuvalu
  • Uganda
  • Vanuatu
  • Virgin Islands
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Contact the Windrush helpline for help with working out if you’re eligible.

7. Windrush helpline

The Windrush helpline can:

  • help you make a claim
  • give extra support to those who need it - for example, elderly or vulnerable claimants
  • post a form to you

If you are outside the UK, email the helpline and request a call back.

Windrush helpline
commonwealthtaskforce@homeoffice.gov.uk
Telephone: 0800 678 1925
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (except bank holidays)
Find out about call charges

Outside of the helpline opening hours, you can leave a message to ask for your call to be returned at a convenient time.

You can also sign up for email updates about the scheme.