Deportation & How It Works

Here I will consider an area of immigration law which is extremely complex and garners controversial public opinion.

What is deportation?

Deportation is often confused with removal; the two terms are very different. As an immigration lawyer, I often get frustrated when journalists use the word 'deportation' for a case which isn't a deportation matter.

A non-British citizen can be deported from the UK if they have been convicted of a criminal conviction, usually one which has resulted in a custodial sentence of 12 months or more. There are some exceptions for EU citizens who were convicted of crimes before the Brexit implementation date, 31 December 2020.

On the other hand, a non-British national can be removed simply because they are unlawfully present in the UK.