What happens if you don't?
I've been to the Channel Islands a couple of times and only sent the GAR to the NCU and Thames Valley Police.
Oops.
I thought the responsibility in law was just 'to inform a constable in writing'.
You sent it to the police, which is correct.
That is "Special Branch".
Do the same this time.
If you don't, they are highly likely to turn up and give you a long "interview". I've had some of those...
Ah I see. I thought it was the local plod (ThV for me generally), the NCU to get it to UKBA, and then Special Branch being something else.
What is discussed in those interviews? ;-)
I've never been phoned and given a 'permission number' but if I was then (stroppy little sh*t that I am) I would find it very difficult not to argue the toss and tell the officer that I didn't need his permission and was just informing him....
Interesting... I always got a phone call with the "permission number" (yeah... I know it's not a "permission" in law) after filing a GAR to the police.
I would suggest that perhaps you should use the "proper channel" now, because if your old channel is e.g. dumping the notifications, and you are not getting any proof you sent it, then you have a problem...
The last interview I had was triggered by a mistake on the GAR form notes page, which suggested that Shoreham to Jersey didn't need a GAR. The issue at the time was similar to one at Farnborough. Justine and I ended up sitting in the briefing room for about 2 hours while they went on about how important it is to have secure borders etc. I pointed them to the mistake on the GAR form but they were completely uninterested in that...
What's the proper channel then? I know AOPA the folks there are working with UKBA to try and make that App the official channel and eventually only way of operating, but as far as I'm aware that's not the case yet. I found that App terrible - was never able to make it work. Admittedly have not tried it for a while.
I find emailing a PDF to be a much simpler system. All I need is a mobile phone data connection and my android phone.
Both email addresses I use (the NCU one and the ThV Police one) are published on the respective websites as they place they want us to send GARs to. Surely if they are getting dumped somewhere in the system then that's their problem rather than mine. I've followed the published procedures.
I have proof that I sent it, not sure their internal procedures are my concern or that I need proof they received it?
If Thames Valley police publish an email address, currently, then use that.
I am not aware of any ruling saying that the old arrangements are being stopped. I read somewhere that is a plan but I am sure it is some way off - especially the current implementation which causes problems for many "non IT savvy" people.
I too much prefer emailing the GAR because I just pull out a previous GAR with the same people on it, change the other details, do a Save As, print the page to PDF, and email that.
One day they will publish the API and then somebody can develop a decent app for it, which has a database for managing passengers.
What does seem to be happening is that the fax option is "being degraded", to put it politely...
Just remembered another "interview" I got: I could not make the Sussex fax # to work so faxed it to the nearest other force. Bad news!
It think it is UKBA that want it to be the only way to do it. The online system is getting better. Agree it can be improved but I like it. I use the mobile version though which saves your receipt. I am able to save certain details in the contacts that fill in passport details etc.
It gets better ... just had a phone call from the police, with a "permission to fly" number 
This is in addition to the receipt number from the online filing site.
Did you tell them that you don't need their permission?
The level of ignorance always amuses me, but unfortunately never surprises me.
Around the time of the Olympics I landed at Peterborough Sibson with my wife, visiting some friends who live in the area. We intended to stay for a couple of hours and have lunch with them.
In the tower paying the fees, we lost 30 mins when a DS and DC from Cambridgeshire Police 'asked' if I'd mind answering some questions. I did press the point as we were on a schedule, but it was made pretty clear that if I declined and wandered off then I'd be arrested.
They asked about where we'd come from, how often we made this trip, who knew we were here, if we stopped anywhere else, etc. Then they asked who we had permission from, who'd signed it off! I gave them a quick 5 minute summary of VFR GA in UK, i.e. outside controlled airspace you can basically do whatever you want, whenever you want, you don't have to talk to anyone or tell anyone what you're doing.
They were astounded and couldn't believe it. They couldn't comprehend that some higher power hadn't explicitly given me 'permission' to make this particular trip. They looked especially worried when I told them that in theory (PPR notwithstanding), I could jump into the plane and depart now, to any UK airfield of my choosing, with no notice and without telling anybody.
Clearly their boss had told them "get down to that airfield and see what's going on, we need to be seen to be proactive about potential terrorism around the Olympics".
