{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/immigration-act-1971/schedule-2/paragraph-18A",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/immigration-act-1971/schedule-2/paragraph-18A.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1971/77",
  "legislation_title": "Immigration Act 1971",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/immigration-act-1971",
  "path": "schedule/2/paragraph/18A",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "18A",
  "heading": null,
  "text": "(1) An immigration officer or constable may search a person (“P”) who is detained under paragraph 16 for anything which P might use—\n(a) to cause physical injury to P or others, or\n(b) to assist P's escape from legal custody.\n(2) The power to search P—\n(a) unless sub-paragraph (3) applies, does not include power to require P to remove any clothing other than an outer coat, jacket or glove, but\n(b) includes power to require P to open P's mouth.\n(3) This sub-paragraph applies if an immigration officer or constable has reasonable grounds to believe that there is concealed on P anything which P might use as mentioned in sub-paragraph (1).\n(4) The power to search P may be exercised only to the extent reasonably required for the purpose of discovering anything which P might use as mentioned in sub-paragraph (1).\n(5) An intimate search (as defined in section 28H(11)) may not be conducted under this paragraph.\n(6) An immigration officer or constable may seize and retain anything found on a search of P if the officer or constable has reasonable grounds to believe P might use it as mentioned in sub-paragraph (1).\n(7) Nothing seized under sub-paragraph (6) may be retained when P is released from detention under paragraph 16.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Sch. 2 para. 18A inserted (28.7.2014) by Immigration Act 2014 (c. 22), s. 75(3), Sch. 1 para. 2(1); S.I. 2014/1820, art. 3(y)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Sch. 2 para. 18A applied by Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (c. 33), s. 10(9)(e) (as substituted (20.10.2014) by Immigration Act 2014 (c. 22), ss. 1, 75(3); S.I. 2014/2771, art. 2(a) (with arts. 9-11) (as amended (2.3.2015 and 6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(2)(3), 7, 8; and with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/2928, art. 2 (which S.I. is revoked (6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/371, arts. 1(3), 9)))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "Sch. 2 applied (1.2.2017 for specified purposes) by The Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1052), regs. 1(2)(b), 40(7), 41(7)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "Sch. 2 Pt. I applied (1.2.2017 for specified purposes) by The Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1052), regs. 1(2)(b), 40(4)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C4",
      "text": "Sch. 2 para. 18A applied (1.2.2017 for specified purposes) by The Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1052), regs. 1(2)(b), 32(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C5",
      "text": "Sch. 2 paras. 16-18A applied (with modifications) (31.1.2020) by The Immigration (Citizens’ Rights Appeals) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/61), reg. 1(2), Sch. 3 para. 2(1)(a)(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C6",
      "text": "Sch. 2 paras. 17-18A applied by S.I. 2016/1052, reg. 32(6) (as amended (28.9.2023) by Illegal Migration Act 2023 (c. 37), ss. 12(6), 68(1) (with s. 55(9)); S.I. 2023/989, reg. 2(a)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "inserted",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2004/19",
      "affecting_title": "Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc. ) Act 2004"
    },
    {
      "type": "inserted",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2016/19",
      "affecting_title": "Immigration Act 2016"
    },
    {
      "type": "inserted",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2016/19",
      "affecting_title": "Immigration Act 2016"
    },
    {
      "type": "applied",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2023/37",
      "affecting_title": "Illegal Migration Act 2023"
    },
    {
      "type": "inserted",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2023/37",
      "affecting_title": "Illegal Migration Act 2023"
    },
    {
      "type": "excluded in part by 2002 c. 41, s. 62(3A) (as inserted)",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2023/37",
      "affecting_title": "Illegal Migration Act 2023"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1971/77/schedule/2/paragraph/18A",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:49:29.102045+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}