Verifying your right to work

The Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 requires employers to check documents to establish a person's eligibility to work in the UK and compliance with any restrictions. Under the Act we are required to check your eligibility to work in the UK before you start work. We therefore ask all candidates to bring proof of their right to work to interview and a copy will be taken.

If you are successful at interview this documentation will be kept on your personnel file. If you are not successful the documentation will be shredded and securely disposed of. If you forget to bring this documentation you will be asked to bring the original to DMU before an offer can be made and contract sent.

Right to Work checks during the coronavirus

For the safety of staff and candidates, the face to face interview format has moved to interviews via video call. Prior to the interview, candidates should send in their right to work documentation to the hiring panel. On the day of the interview, the candidates must display the original right to work documents for the panel to verify the copy via video call.

What happens to the right to work documents?

Successful candidate

All right to work documentation will be kept within your personnel file.  For candidates who undergo a right to work check via video call, you will be required to present the original copies of the right to work once you return to campus. The HR department will be in touch to arrange the in-person check. 

Unsuccessful candidate

All right to work documentation will be deleted or shredded once the hiring decision has been made.

What proof am I required to present?

Official Documentation

List A - Acceptable documents to establish a continuous statutory excuse

Single documentation

  • A passport showing the holder, or a person named in the passport as the child of the holder, is a British citizen or a citizen of the UK and Colonies having the right of abode in the UK. 
  • A passport or national identity card showing the holder, or a person named in the passport as the child of the holder, is a national of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland. 
  • A Registration Certificate or Document Certifying Permanent Residence issued by the Home Office to a national of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland. 
  • A Permanent Residence Card issued by the Home Office to the family member of a national of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland. 
  • A current Biometric Immigration Document (Biometric Residence Permit) issued by the Home Office to the holder indicating that the person named is allowed to stay indefinitely in the UK, or has no time limit on their stay in the UK. 
  • A current passport endorsed to show that the holder is exempt from immigration control, is allowed to stay indefinitely in the UK, has the right of abode in the UK, or has no time limit on their stay in the UK.

Combination documentation

  • A current Immigration Status Document issued by the Home Office to the holder with an endorsement indicating that the named person is allowed to stay indefinitely in the UK, or has no time limit on their stay in the UK, together with an official document giving the person’s permanent National Insurance number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer. 
  • A full birth or adoption certificate issued in the UK which includes the name(s) of at least one of the holder’s parents or adoptive parents, together with an official document giving the person’s permanent National Insurance number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer. 
  • A birth or adoption certificate issued in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Ireland, together with an official document giving the person’s permanent National Insurance number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer. 
  • A certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen, together with an official document giving the person’s permanent National Insurance number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer. 

List B

Group 1 – Documents where a time-limited statutory excuse lasts until the expiry date of leave

  • A current passport endorsed to show that the holder is allowed to stay in the UK and is currently allowed to do the type of work in question. 
  • A current Biometric Immigration Document (Biometric Residence Permit) issued by the Home Office to the holder which indicates that the named person can currently stay in the UK and is allowed to do the work in question. 
  • A current Residence Card (including an Accession Residence Card or a Derivative Residence Card) issued by the Home Office to a non-European Economic Area national who is a family member of a national of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland or who has a derivative right of residence. 
  • A current Immigration Status Document containing a photograph issued by the Home Office to the holder with a valid endorsement indicating that the named person may stay in the UK, and is allowed to do the type of work in question, together with an official document giving the person’s permanent National Insurance number and their name issued by a Government agency or a previous employer.

Group 2 – Documents where a time-limited statutory excuse lasts for 6 months

A Certificate of Application issued by the Home Office under regulation 17(3) or 18A (2) of the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 to a family member of a national of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland stating that the holder is permitted to take employment which is less than 6 months old together with a Positive Verification Notice*. 

An Application Registration Card issued by the Home Office stating that the holder is permitted to take the employment in question, together with a Positive Verification Notice*. 

*NB: DMU will request a Positive Verification Notice from the Home Office Employer Checking Service.

Visa and immigration

De Montfort University (DMU) welcomes overseas applicants to apply for vacancies. There are a number of visa routes which will allow the visa holder to work in the UK. The decision to grant an applicant the relevant work visa in the UK is made by the home office. If is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure the right to work documents have been shared with DMU’s HR/Recruitment Team. Failure to display the relevant right to work/work visa can result in the offer being withdrawn.

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Information for staff

Please go to the GOV.UK Transition webpage for the latest general information from the UK Government. Policy details of the UK points-based immigration system have also been published. A list of useful websites with the latest information for prospective and existing staff is available on our Links to further guidance page.

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