{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/immigration-act-1971/section-28O",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/immigration-act-1971/section-28O.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1971/77",
  "legislation_title": "Immigration Act 1971",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/immigration-act-1971",
  "path": "section/28O",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "28O",
  "heading": "Enforcement powers in relation to ships: Northern Ireland",
  "text": "(1) A Northern Ireland constable may exercise the powers set out in Part 3 of Schedule 4A (“Part 3 powers”) in relation to any of the following in Northern Ireland waters—\n(a) a United Kingdom ship;\n(b) a ship without nationality;\n(c) a foreign ship;\n(d) a ship registered under the law of a relevant territory.\n(2) But Part 3 powers may be exercised only—\n(a) for the purpose of preventing, detecting, investigating or prosecuting an offence under\n(i) section 24B, 25 or 25A, or\n(ii) section 21 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, and\n(b) in accordance with the rest of this section.\n(3) The authority of the Secretary of State is required before ... a Northern Ireland constable ... may exercise Part 3 powers in relation to a foreign ship, or a ship registered under the law of a relevant territory, within the territorial sea adjacent to the United Kingdom.\n(4) Authority for the purposes of subsection (3) may be given in relation to a foreign ship only if the Convention permits the exercise of Part 3 powers in relation to the ship.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Pt. 3A inserted (31.5.2016) by Immigration Act 2016 (c. 19), s. 94(1), Sch. 14 para. 7; S.I. 2016/603, reg. 2(d)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 28O(1) substituted (28.6.2022) by Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (c. 36), s. 87(1), Sch. 7 para. 5(a); S.I. 2022/590, regs. 1(2), 2, Sch. 1 para. 22 (with Sch. 2 para. 8)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 28O(2)(a) substituted (12.4.2023) by Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (c. 36), s. 87(1), Sch. 6 para. 8(a); S.I. 2023/283, reg. 3(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 28O(2)(a) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Act 2020 (Consequential, Saving, Transitional and Transitory Provisions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1309), reg. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 1(1)(a)(ix) (with Sch. 1 para. 1(5))"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "S. 28O(2)(a)(ii) and word substituted (12.4.2023) for word by Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (c. 36), s. 87(1), Sch. 6 para. 8(b); S.I. 2023/283, reg. 3(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in s. 28O(3) omitted (28.6.2022) by virtue of Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (c. 36), s. 87(1), Sch. 7 para. 5(b)(i); S.I. 2022/590, regs. 1(2), 2, Sch. 1 para. 22 (with Sch. 2 para. 8)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in s. 28O(3) omitted (28.6.2022) by virtue of Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (c. 36), s. 87(1), Sch. 7 para. 5(b)(ii); S.I. 2022/590, regs. 1(2), 2, Sch. 1 para. 22 (with Sch. 2 para. 8)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Ss. 24-29: amendment to earlier affecting S.I. 1993/1797, Sch. 1 Pt. 1 (11.10.2017 coming into force in accordance with art. 1) by The Immigration (Jersey) (Amendment) Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/981), Sch. Pt. 1 para. 1 (with art. 6)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1971/77/section/28O",
    "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."
}