How to fill out and apply for Subject Access Request (SAR)?
I am on the SAR website and confused a bit as to how I may go about applying to figure out gathering my travel history/personal information/ traveling restrictions and what not on my passport.
Please see also this comment in an earlier question: UK visa refused because the immigration officer suspects I'm trying to live in the UK through successive visits. What are my options?
uk passports international-travel paperwork
edited Aug 7 '17 at 11:37
Relaxed
76.1k10149283
asked Feb 27 '17 at 2:40
Katie
222134
|
show 1 more comment
I am on the SAR website and confused a bit as to how I may go about applying to figure out gathering my travel history/personal information/ traveling restrictions and what not on my passport.
Please see also this comment in an earlier question: UK visa refused because the immigration officer suspects I'm trying to live in the UK through successive visits. What are my options?
uk passports international-travel paperwork
edited Aug 7 '17 at 11:37
Relaxed
76.1k10149283
asked Feb 27 '17 at 2:40
Katie
222134
Can you elaborate? How are you confused? What do not have access to? Most of your travel history they'd expect you to be able to look up, or have written down.
– Mark Mayo♦
Feb 27 '17 at 2:44
Background info for this question: UK visa refused because the immigration officer suspects I'm trying to live in the UK through successive visits. What are my options?
– Greg Hewgill
Feb 27 '17 at 2:54
@katie: The page you linked seems to be for use by organisations holding data on individuals; conversely you want ico.org.uk/for-the-public/personal-information which describes how you can obtain a copy of your own personal information.
– Greg Hewgill
Feb 27 '17 at 2:57
1
@MarkMayo the OP was bounced and subsequently also refused. It's a new question and has the potential to be canonical. It's fine IMHO.
– Gayot Fow
Feb 27 '17 at 3:09
1
@GayotFow I didn't vote to close or anything, was just clarifying :)
– Mark Mayo♦
Feb 27 '17 at 9:11
|
show 1 more comment
I am on the SAR website and confused a bit as to how I may go about applying to figure out gathering my travel history/personal information/ traveling restrictions and what not on my passport.
Please see also this comment in an earlier question: UK visa refused because the immigration officer suspects I'm trying to live in the UK through successive visits. What are my options?
uk passports international-travel paperwork
edited Aug 7 '17 at 11:37
Relaxed
76.1k10149283
asked Feb 27 '17 at 2:40
Katie
222134
I am on the SAR website and confused a bit as to how I may go about applying to figure out gathering my travel history/personal information/ traveling restrictions and what not on my passport.
Please see also this comment in an earlier question: UK visa refused because the immigration officer suspects I'm trying to live in the UK through successive visits. What are my options?
uk passports international-travel paperwork
uk passports international-travel paperwork
edited Aug 7 '17 at 11:37
Relaxed
76.1k10149283
asked Feb 27 '17 at 2:40
Katie
222134
edited Aug 7 '17 at 11:37
Relaxed
76.1k10149283
asked Feb 27 '17 at 2:40
Katie
222134
edited Aug 7 '17 at 11:37
Relaxed
76.1k10149283
edited Aug 7 '17 at 11:37
Relaxed
76.1k10149283
edited Aug 7 '17 at 11:37
Relaxed
76.1k10149283
76.1k10149283
asked Feb 27 '17 at 2:40
Katie
222134
asked Feb 27 '17 at 2:40
Katie
222134
asked Feb 27 '17 at 2:40
Katie
222134
222134
Can you elaborate? How are you confused? What do not have access to? Most of your travel history they'd expect you to be able to look up, or have written down.
– Mark Mayo♦
Feb 27 '17 at 2:44
Background info for this question: UK visa refused because the immigration officer suspects I'm trying to live in the UK through successive visits. What are my options?
– Greg Hewgill
Feb 27 '17 at 2:54
@katie: The page you linked seems to be for use by organisations holding data on individuals; conversely you want ico.org.uk/for-the-public/personal-information which describes how you can obtain a copy of your own personal information.
– Greg Hewgill
Feb 27 '17 at 2:57
1
@MarkMayo the OP was bounced and subsequently also refused. It's a new question and has the potential to be canonical. It's fine IMHO.
– Gayot Fow
Feb 27 '17 at 3:09
1
@GayotFow I didn't vote to close or anything, was just clarifying :)
– Mark Mayo♦
Feb 27 '17 at 9:11
|
show 1 more comment
Can you elaborate? How are you confused? What do not have access to? Most of your travel history they'd expect you to be able to look up, or have written down.
– Mark Mayo♦
Feb 27 '17 at 2:44
Background info for this question: UK visa refused because the immigration officer suspects I'm trying to live in the UK through successive visits. What are my options?
– Greg Hewgill
Feb 27 '17 at 2:54
@katie: The page you linked seems to be for use by organisations holding data on individuals; conversely you want ico.org.uk/for-the-public/personal-information which describes how you can obtain a copy of your own personal information.
– Greg Hewgill
Feb 27 '17 at 2:57
1
@MarkMayo the OP was bounced and subsequently also refused. It's a new question and has the potential to be canonical. It's fine IMHO.
– Gayot Fow
Feb 27 '17 at 3:09
1
@GayotFow I didn't vote to close or anything, was just clarifying :)
– Mark Mayo♦
Feb 27 '17 at 9:11
Can you elaborate? How are you confused? What do not have access to? Most of your travel history they'd expect you to be able to look up, or have written down.
– Mark Mayo♦
Feb 27 '17 at 2:44
Can you elaborate? How are you confused? What do not have access to? Most of your travel history they'd expect you to be able to look up, or have written down.
– Mark Mayo♦
Feb 27 '17 at 2:44
Background info for this question: UK visa refused because the immigration officer suspects I'm trying to live in the UK through successive visits. What are my options?
– Greg Hewgill
Feb 27 '17 at 2:54
Background info for this question: UK visa refused because the immigration officer suspects I'm trying to live in the UK through successive visits. What are my options?
– Greg Hewgill
Feb 27 '17 at 2:54
@katie: The page you linked seems to be for use by organisations holding data on individuals; conversely you want ico.org.uk/for-the-public/personal-information which describes how you can obtain a copy of your own personal information.
– Greg Hewgill
Feb 27 '17 at 2:57
@katie: The page you linked seems to be for use by organisations holding data on individuals; conversely you want ico.org.uk/for-the-public/personal-information which describes how you can obtain a copy of your own personal information.
– Greg Hewgill
Feb 27 '17 at 2:57
1
1
@MarkMayo the OP was bounced and subsequently also refused. It's a new question and has the potential to be canonical. It's fine IMHO.
– Gayot Fow
Feb 27 '17 at 3:09
@MarkMayo the OP was bounced and subsequently also refused. It's a new question and has the potential to be canonical. It's fine IMHO.
– Gayot Fow
Feb 27 '17 at 3:09
1
1
@GayotFow I didn't vote to close or anything, was just clarifying :)
– Mark Mayo♦
Feb 27 '17 at 9:11
@GayotFow I didn't vote to close or anything, was just clarifying :)
– Mark Mayo♦
Feb 27 '17 at 9:11
|
show 1 more comment
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
The "Subject Access Request" or "SAR" is a provision in the Data Protection Act 1998. It serves as a formal pathway for an individual to find out what information the authorities are keeping about them. Accordingly, it is a very popular mechanism for people who have had problems with a UK regulator, especially the immigration authorities.
There is a wide consensus on the net that submitting an SAR is 'best practices' for a person who has been removed (i.e., involuntarily expelled). It can also be useful in some visa refusals. At this site, we're largely in agreement with this lore.
I want to point out that the UK is a specific case that has been implemented as an EU-wide regulation. All member states have a counterpart to the SAR. The procedure is largely the same, you start by downloading the form. It's an MS-Word document.
This is a very straight-forward form, but let's focus on Parts A and B...
The big kicker here is "...We will only send you the data that you have requested...". They will also not send anything that might help the individual evade immigration controls. And they will not disclose who they have shared the person's information with.
Removal papers have a reference number on the top, and visa applications have a GWF number. You can use these to ask for example...
- All information leading to the removal of (name) on (date) reference
number (number) - All information leading to the refusal of (name) with GWF number
(GWF) - All information about the subject of this request (name, date of
birth, nationality) (passport number)
Or whatever else you want. The important thing is to be generic enough without being vague (resulting in them discarding the SAR).
There is a statutory fee (GBP 10) and a somewhat tedious stage where you clear the DPA identification hurdles.
After all of that and if they decide to honour the request, you will get what they want to release. They are entitled to play cat-and-mouse and they will do it whenever they get the chance. It's in their DNA and if you are not experienced with it, then get a solicitor to handle the SAR. They will be able to navigate the various hurdles and to detect and crush a cat-and-mouse gambit. For timing purposes, it's about 3 to 6 months. For some cases, undertaking an SAR is a fundamentally necessary step, a solicitor can help you decide if it's necessary or not.
All UK ministries have the same procedure for example HMRC.
answered Feb 27 '17 at 3:39
Gayot Fow
75.2k21197379
What does this mean "submitting an SAR is necessary step for removals" -- that it's necessary for a visitor after a removal? Or that submitting an SAR is necessary for immigration before a removal? Verb tense and subject/object seem to be missing or ambiguous.
– RoboKaren
Mar 1 '17 at 22:06
1
@RoboKaren, Thanks, see if the edit is better
– Gayot Fow
Mar 2 '17 at 2:57
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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oldest
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1 Answer
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oldest
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oldest
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oldest
votes
The "Subject Access Request" or "SAR" is a provision in the Data Protection Act 1998. It serves as a formal pathway for an individual to find out what information the authorities are keeping about them. Accordingly, it is a very popular mechanism for people who have had problems with a UK regulator, especially the immigration authorities.
There is a wide consensus on the net that submitting an SAR is 'best practices' for a person who has been removed (i.e., involuntarily expelled). It can also be useful in some visa refusals. At this site, we're largely in agreement with this lore.
I want to point out that the UK is a specific case that has been implemented as an EU-wide regulation. All member states have a counterpart to the SAR. The procedure is largely the same, you start by downloading the form. It's an MS-Word document.
This is a very straight-forward form, but let's focus on Parts A and B...
The big kicker here is "...We will only send you the data that you have requested...". They will also not send anything that might help the individual evade immigration controls. And they will not disclose who they have shared the person's information with.
Removal papers have a reference number on the top, and visa applications have a GWF number. You can use these to ask for example...
- All information leading to the removal of (name) on (date) reference
number (number) - All information leading to the refusal of (name) with GWF number
(GWF) - All information about the subject of this request (name, date of
birth, nationality) (passport number)
Or whatever else you want. The important thing is to be generic enough without being vague (resulting in them discarding the SAR).
There is a statutory fee (GBP 10) and a somewhat tedious stage where you clear the DPA identification hurdles.
After all of that and if they decide to honour the request, you will get what they want to release. They are entitled to play cat-and-mouse and they will do it whenever they get the chance. It's in their DNA and if you are not experienced with it, then get a solicitor to handle the SAR. They will be able to navigate the various hurdles and to detect and crush a cat-and-mouse gambit. For timing purposes, it's about 3 to 6 months. For some cases, undertaking an SAR is a fundamentally necessary step, a solicitor can help you decide if it's necessary or not.
All UK ministries have the same procedure for example HMRC.
answered Feb 27 '17 at 3:39
Gayot Fow
75.2k21197379
What does this mean "submitting an SAR is necessary step for removals" -- that it's necessary for a visitor after a removal? Or that submitting an SAR is necessary for immigration before a removal? Verb tense and subject/object seem to be missing or ambiguous.
– RoboKaren
Mar 1 '17 at 22:06
1
@RoboKaren, Thanks, see if the edit is better
– Gayot Fow
Mar 2 '17 at 2:57
add a comment |
The "Subject Access Request" or "SAR" is a provision in the Data Protection Act 1998. It serves as a formal pathway for an individual to find out what information the authorities are keeping about them. Accordingly, it is a very popular mechanism for people who have had problems with a UK regulator, especially the immigration authorities.
There is a wide consensus on the net that submitting an SAR is 'best practices' for a person who has been removed (i.e., involuntarily expelled). It can also be useful in some visa refusals. At this site, we're largely in agreement with this lore.
I want to point out that the UK is a specific case that has been implemented as an EU-wide regulation. All member states have a counterpart to the SAR. The procedure is largely the same, you start by downloading the form. It's an MS-Word document.
This is a very straight-forward form, but let's focus on Parts A and B...
The big kicker here is "...We will only send you the data that you have requested...". They will also not send anything that might help the individual evade immigration controls. And they will not disclose who they have shared the person's information with.
Removal papers have a reference number on the top, and visa applications have a GWF number. You can use these to ask for example...
- All information leading to the removal of (name) on (date) reference
number (number) - All information leading to the refusal of (name) with GWF number
(GWF) - All information about the subject of this request (name, date of
birth, nationality) (passport number)
Or whatever else you want. The important thing is to be generic enough without being vague (resulting in them discarding the SAR).
There is a statutory fee (GBP 10) and a somewhat tedious stage where you clear the DPA identification hurdles.
After all of that and if they decide to honour the request, you will get what they want to release. They are entitled to play cat-and-mouse and they will do it whenever they get the chance. It's in their DNA and if you are not experienced with it, then get a solicitor to handle the SAR. They will be able to navigate the various hurdles and to detect and crush a cat-and-mouse gambit. For timing purposes, it's about 3 to 6 months. For some cases, undertaking an SAR is a fundamentally necessary step, a solicitor can help you decide if it's necessary or not.
All UK ministries have the same procedure for example HMRC.
answered Feb 27 '17 at 3:39
Gayot Fow
75.2k21197379
What does this mean "submitting an SAR is necessary step for removals" -- that it's necessary for a visitor after a removal? Or that submitting an SAR is necessary for immigration before a removal? Verb tense and subject/object seem to be missing or ambiguous.
– RoboKaren
Mar 1 '17 at 22:06
1
@RoboKaren, Thanks, see if the edit is better
– Gayot Fow
Mar 2 '17 at 2:57
add a comment |
The "Subject Access Request" or "SAR" is a provision in the Data Protection Act 1998. It serves as a formal pathway for an individual to find out what information the authorities are keeping about them. Accordingly, it is a very popular mechanism for people who have had problems with a UK regulator, especially the immigration authorities.
There is a wide consensus on the net that submitting an SAR is 'best practices' for a person who has been removed (i.e., involuntarily expelled). It can also be useful in some visa refusals. At this site, we're largely in agreement with this lore.
I want to point out that the UK is a specific case that has been implemented as an EU-wide regulation. All member states have a counterpart to the SAR. The procedure is largely the same, you start by downloading the form. It's an MS-Word document.
This is a very straight-forward form, but let's focus on Parts A and B...
The big kicker here is "...We will only send you the data that you have requested...". They will also not send anything that might help the individual evade immigration controls. And they will not disclose who they have shared the person's information with.
Removal papers have a reference number on the top, and visa applications have a GWF number. You can use these to ask for example...
- All information leading to the removal of (name) on (date) reference
number (number) - All information leading to the refusal of (name) with GWF number
(GWF) - All information about the subject of this request (name, date of
birth, nationality) (passport number)
Or whatever else you want. The important thing is to be generic enough without being vague (resulting in them discarding the SAR).
There is a statutory fee (GBP 10) and a somewhat tedious stage where you clear the DPA identification hurdles.
After all of that and if they decide to honour the request, you will get what they want to release. They are entitled to play cat-and-mouse and they will do it whenever they get the chance. It's in their DNA and if you are not experienced with it, then get a solicitor to handle the SAR. They will be able to navigate the various hurdles and to detect and crush a cat-and-mouse gambit. For timing purposes, it's about 3 to 6 months. For some cases, undertaking an SAR is a fundamentally necessary step, a solicitor can help you decide if it's necessary or not.
All UK ministries have the same procedure for example HMRC.
answered Feb 27 '17 at 3:39
Gayot Fow
75.2k21197379
The "Subject Access Request" or "SAR" is a provision in the Data Protection Act 1998. It serves as a formal pathway for an individual to find out what information the authorities are keeping about them. Accordingly, it is a very popular mechanism for people who have had problems with a UK regulator, especially the immigration authorities.
There is a wide consensus on the net that submitting an SAR is 'best practices' for a person who has been removed (i.e., involuntarily expelled). It can also be useful in some visa refusals. At this site, we're largely in agreement with this lore.
I want to point out that the UK is a specific case that has been implemented as an EU-wide regulation. All member states have a counterpart to the SAR. The procedure is largely the same, you start by downloading the form. It's an MS-Word document.
This is a very straight-forward form, but let's focus on Parts A and B...
The big kicker here is "...We will only send you the data that you have requested...". They will also not send anything that might help the individual evade immigration controls. And they will not disclose who they have shared the person's information with.
Removal papers have a reference number on the top, and visa applications have a GWF number. You can use these to ask for example...
- All information leading to the removal of (name) on (date) reference
number (number) - All information leading to the refusal of (name) with GWF number
(GWF) - All information about the subject of this request (name, date of
birth, nationality) (passport number)
Or whatever else you want. The important thing is to be generic enough without being vague (resulting in them discarding the SAR).
There is a statutory fee (GBP 10) and a somewhat tedious stage where you clear the DPA identification hurdles.
After all of that and if they decide to honour the request, you will get what they want to release. They are entitled to play cat-and-mouse and they will do it whenever they get the chance. It's in their DNA and if you are not experienced with it, then get a solicitor to handle the SAR. They will be able to navigate the various hurdles and to detect and crush a cat-and-mouse gambit. For timing purposes, it's about 3 to 6 months. For some cases, undertaking an SAR is a fundamentally necessary step, a solicitor can help you decide if it's necessary or not.
All UK ministries have the same procedure for example HMRC.
answered Feb 27 '17 at 3:39
Gayot Fow
75.2k21197379
edited Mar 2 '17 at 2:57
answered Feb 27 '17 at 3:39
Gayot Fow
75.2k21197379
answered Feb 27 '17 at 3:39
Gayot Fow
75.2k21197379
answered Feb 27 '17 at 3:39
Gayot Fow
75.2k21197379
75.2k21197379
What does this mean "submitting an SAR is necessary step for removals" -- that it's necessary for a visitor after a removal? Or that submitting an SAR is necessary for immigration before a removal? Verb tense and subject/object seem to be missing or ambiguous.
– RoboKaren
Mar 1 '17 at 22:06
1
@RoboKaren, Thanks, see if the edit is better
– Gayot Fow
Mar 2 '17 at 2:57
add a comment |
What does this mean "submitting an SAR is necessary step for removals" -- that it's necessary for a visitor after a removal? Or that submitting an SAR is necessary for immigration before a removal? Verb tense and subject/object seem to be missing or ambiguous.
– RoboKaren
Mar 1 '17 at 22:06
1
@RoboKaren, Thanks, see if the edit is better
– Gayot Fow
Mar 2 '17 at 2:57
What does this mean "submitting an SAR is necessary step for removals" -- that it's necessary for a visitor after a removal? Or that submitting an SAR is necessary for immigration before a removal? Verb tense and subject/object seem to be missing or ambiguous.
– RoboKaren
Mar 1 '17 at 22:06
What does this mean "submitting an SAR is necessary step for removals" -- that it's necessary for a visitor after a removal? Or that submitting an SAR is necessary for immigration before a removal? Verb tense and subject/object seem to be missing or ambiguous.
– RoboKaren
Mar 1 '17 at 22:06
1
1
@RoboKaren, Thanks, see if the edit is better
– Gayot Fow
Mar 2 '17 at 2:57
@RoboKaren, Thanks, see if the edit is better
– Gayot Fow
Mar 2 '17 at 2:57
add a comment |
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Can you elaborate? How are you confused? What do not have access to? Most of your travel history they'd expect you to be able to look up, or have written down.
– Mark Mayo♦
Feb 27 '17 at 2:44
Background info for this question: UK visa refused because the immigration officer suspects I'm trying to live in the UK through successive visits. What are my options?
– Greg Hewgill
Feb 27 '17 at 2:54
@katie: The page you linked seems to be for use by organisations holding data on individuals; conversely you want ico.org.uk/for-the-public/personal-information which describes how you can obtain a copy of your own personal information.
– Greg Hewgill
Feb 27 '17 at 2:57
1
@MarkMayo the OP was bounced and subsequently also refused. It's a new question and has the potential to be canonical. It's fine IMHO.
– Gayot Fow
Feb 27 '17 at 3:09
1
@GayotFow I didn't vote to close or anything, was just clarifying :)
– Mark Mayo♦
Feb 27 '17 at 9:11