Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002

58 Voluntary departure from United Kingdom

(1) A person is a “voluntary leaver” for the purposes of this section if—

(a) he is not a British citizen or an EEA national,

(b) he leaves the United Kingdom for a place where he hopes to take up permanent residence (his “new place of residence”), and

(c) the Secretary of State thinks that it is in the person’s interest to leave the United Kingdom and that the person wishes to leave.

(2) The Secretary of State may make arrangements to—

(a) assist voluntary leavers;

(b) assist individuals to decide whether to become voluntary leavers.

(3) The Secretary of State may, in particular, make payments (whether to voluntary leavers or to organisations providing services for them) which relate to—

(a) travelling and other expenses incurred by or on behalf of a voluntary leaver, or a member of his family or household, in leaving the United Kingdom;

(b) expenses incurred by or on behalf of a voluntary leaver, or a member of his family or household, on or shortly after arrival in his new place of residence;

(c) the provision of services designed to assist a voluntary leaver, or a member of his family or household, to settle in his new place of residence;

(d) expenses in connection with a journey undertaken by a person (with or without his family or household) to prepare for, or to assess the possibility of, his becoming a voluntary leaver.

(4) In subsection (1)(a) “EEA national” means a national of a State which is a contracting party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area signed at Oporto on 2nd May 1992 (as it has effect from time to time).

(5) The following provisions of the Immigration Act 1971 (c. 77) shall cease to have effect—

(a) section 29 (contributions to expenses of persons returning abroad), and

(b) section 31(d) (expenses).