Section 26 of Immigration Act 1971: General offences in connection with administration of Act

(1) A person shall be guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction with a fine of not more

than level 5 on the standard scale or with imprisonment for not more than six months, or with both, in

any of the following cases—

(a) if, without reasonable excuse, he refuses or fails to submit to examination under

Schedule 2 to this Act;

(b) if, without reasonable excuse, he refuses to fails to furnish or produce any information in

his possession, or any documents in his possession or control, which he is on an

examination under that Schedule required to furnish or produce;

(c) if on any such examination or otherwise he makes or causes to be made to an

immigration officer or other person lawfully acting in the execution of a relevant enactment a

return, statement or representation which he knows to be false or does not believe to be

true;

(d) if, without lawful authority, he alters any certificate of entitlement, entry clearance, work

permit or other document issued or made under or for the purposes of this Act, or uses for

the purposes of this Act, or has in his possession for such use, any passport, certificate of

entitlement, entry clearance, work permit or other document which he knows or has

reasonable cause to believe to be false; (e) if, without reasonable excuse, he fails to complete and produce a landing or embarkation12

card in accordance with any order under Schedule 2 to this Act;

(f) if, without reasonable excuse, he fails to comply with any requirement of regulations

under section 4(3) or of an order under section 4(4) above;

(g) if, without reasonable excuse, he obstructs an immigration officer or other person lawfully

acting in the execution of this Act. (h) if, without reasonable excuse, the person fails to comply with a direction under

paragraph 1(6) of Schedule 2 (direction to move a container for purposes of a search).

(2) The extended time limit for prosecutions which is provided for by section 28 below shall apply to

offences under subsection (1)(c) and (d) above.

(3) “Relevant enactment” means—

(a) this Act;

(b) the Immigration Act 1988;

(c) the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 (apart from section 4 or 5 );

(d) the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (apart from Part VI ); or

(e) the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (apart from Part 5).