Immigration advisors

For anyone seeking professional advice from an Immigration adviser, there are various independent bodies which can help.

Immigration Advisory Service

The largest charity providing representation and advice on immigration matters is the Immigration Advisory Service (IAS). The IAS is independent of the government and the UKBA and also offers its services for free for people who are eligible for legal aid - you can find out if you qualify with the Legal aid eligibility calculator.

If you are not eligible for legal aid then you can still use their fee-paying (non-profit) service. The ISA is nationwide and you can contact your local office through their website.

They do also offer a telephone advice service. This allows you to get a 20 minute advice session over the phone at a cost of £30 (equivalent to £1.50 a minute). If you are in the UK you can contact the service by calling 0844 974 4000. If you are outside the UK you should call +44 207 199 7790.

Other charity organisations

If you are having trouble understanding the information available then MultiKulti offers information and advice about immigration in 12 other languages.

You can also get advice from the Citizens’ Advice Bureau (CAB) from their Help with immigration problems page. The CAB is a charity dedicated to providing clear information and guidance on your rights and the law.

There are many other charities and organisations which provide representation and advice on immigration matters. Many of these are small and help local communities, or people with specific issues, and can be found locally.

Registered immigration advisers

For anyone seeking further advice from an Immigration adviser, the Office of the Immigrations Services Commissioner (OISC) is an independent public body which can help.

The OISC provide information about immigration advisers and the kinds of help that they can provide you with your application. As part of this they have registers of immigration advisers. These lists are broken down into advisers who do not charge clients for advice or services and advisers who do charge clients for advice or services. They also have a list of prohibited immigration advisers who are not allowed to practice or offer advice or services.

To find an immigration advisor in your area you can use the OISCs Adviser Finder service.

More than this, they also regulate immigration advisers and prosecute advisers working illegally. As part of this they accept and investigate complaints about anyone giving immigration advice, regulated or not. You should contact the OISC if you are concerned that you have been given bad advice, or you have had an application damaged by received advice.