Commentary on Sections Notification requirements Section 50 – Method of notification and related matters
132.This section describes how and where a person is required to notify information to the police under the provisions relating to initial notification, notification of change, periodic re-notification and notification on return after absence from the UK. Subsection (2) provides that the person must notify by attending a police station in the person’s local police area (as defined in section 51) and making an oral notification to a police officer or other person authorised by the officer in charge of the station. Where the person is away from their usual home address for a period of seven days or a period amounting to seven days during a year, then they can notify at a police station local to their temporary address (subsection (3)).
133.The police must acknowledge the notification by the person in writing and in the form specified by the Secretary of State (subsections (4) and (5)).
134.Subsection (6) allows the police to take fingerprints from the person making the notification and to photograph any part of the person for the purpose of verifying their identity. “Photograph” is defined for these purposes in section 60 and could include for example taking an iris scan.