Immigration has quite a few caveats here in the UK, and it can be hard to keep up with all of them. Anyone looking for advice on a personal immigration case can feel easily lost and confused. And if you’re currently looking for immigration advice whilst you’re here in the UK, you need to know who you’re talking to and whether or not they’re allowed to advise legally.
But what constitutes advice, and who is able to advise you on matters related to immigration? It’s a tricky question to answer on your own; to make this more convenient for you, here’s a breakdown of the rules surrounding immigration advice given out here in the UK.
Immigration Advice Rules in the UK
In the UK, any immigration advisor needs to be regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner, or OISC. This law was put into place by the Immigration and Asylum Act of 1999, which was written to ensure any immigrants or asylum seekers receive impartial, legal, quality advice no matter their circumstances.
Under this umbrella, any person who helps someone seeking immigration advice fill out forms or acting in place of the person in question (without the right documentation to say they can be a representative) could be liable for legal action. Any person found giving unsolicited or unregulated advice can be reported via the official government website.
What is Legal Immigration Advice?
Legal immigration advice, on the other hand, can be found in many places. You could head to your local Citizen’s Advice centre or a legal office like SMA Solicitors. In the latter case, you’ll want to work with an office that specialises in immigration law to ensure you’re receiving far and up to date advice.
An advisor is entitled to help you on a variety of personal immigration matters, such as asylum claims, entry or remaining clearance, nationality and citizenship, and deportation appeals. Your case will be considered in isolation to ensure any advice you do receive is relevant to you. Always be careful about the fees you may have to pay upfront; do some research into the advisor to see if their service is free or not.
Get Regulated and Helpful Immigration Advice From SMA Solicitors
Immigration needs are hard to handle alone, and finding the right advice for you can feel incredibly intimidating. Going through the legal system is rarely a comfortable thing in areas like this, but taking your case to an OISC registered solicitors’ office is a great first step in finding a solution.
If you’re in need of regulated and beneficial immigration advice, we are experienced immigration solicitors in London. We can help you handle your immigration appeal or even just provide some specific and personal advice so you can make an informed decision regarding your case. If you’d like us to get started on your case, you can easily request a consultation, or if you’d prefer, you can call or email us directly.
