{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/uk-borders-act-2007/section-46C",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/uk-borders-act-2007/section-46C.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2007/30",
  "legislation_title": "UK Borders Act 2007",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/uk-borders-act-2007",
  "path": "section/46C",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "46C",
  "heading": "Offence of failing to produce nationality document",
  "text": "(1) A person commits an offence if, without reasonable excuse, the person fails to comply with a notice given in accordance with section 46A.\n(2) The fact that a person deliberately destroyed or disposed of a nationality document is not a reasonable excuse for the purposes of subsection (1) unless the destruction or disposal was—\n(a) for a reasonable cause, or\n(b) beyond the control of the person charged with the offence.\n(3) In subsection (2)(a) “reasonable cause” does not include the purpose of—\n(a) delaying the handling or resolution of a claim or application or the taking of a decision,\n(b) increasing the chances of success of a claim or application, or\n(c) complying with instructions given by a person who offers advice about, or facilitates, immigration into the United Kingdom, unless in the circumstances of the case it is unreasonable to expect non-compliance with the instructions or advice.\n(4) A person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (1) is liable—\n(a) on summary conviction in England and Wales, to either or both of the following—\n(i) imprisonment for a term not exceeding 51 weeks (or 6 months if the offence was committed before the commencement of section 281(5) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003);\n(ii) a fine;\n(b) on summary conviction in Scotland, to either or both of the following—\n(i) imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months;\n(ii) a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale;\n(c) on summary conviction in Northern Ireland, to either or both of the following—\n(i) imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months;\n(ii) a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Ss. 46A-46C inserted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes) by Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), ss. 160, 183(1)(5)(e)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2007/30/section/46C",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:12:20.236890+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."
}