Looking for safety or moving to a new country can be complex. Feeling overwhelmed can be due to unfamiliar rules, complicated procedures, and the weight of one’s circumstances. This guide of immigration and asylum advice provides options to understand a basic overview of immigration and asylum.
Who Guides Immigration and Asylum Advice?
In the UK, the following people can offer
Immigration and Asylum Advice:
- An immigration advisor who is either exempt from registration requirements or registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC).
- A lawyer holding a registration with the Law Society of Scotland, the Law Society of Northern Ireland, or the Solicitors Regulation Authority (England and Wales).
- A lawyer is subject to regulation by the Bar Council of Northern Ireland, the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland, or the Bar Standards Board in England and Wales.
Also Read: UK Immigration Rules for Visitors (2024)
Where Can Someone Get Free Guidance On UK Immigration?
Legal assistance is usually limited to matters involving asylum seekers and children under the care of a council. To assist someone in locating a legal aid adviser in their neighbourhood, the following resources are offered by the Legal Aid Agency and the Legal Aid Boards in Scotland and Northern Ireland:
- Contact a legal help adviser in England or Wales
- Contact an adviser of legal aid in Scotland
- Contact an adviser for legal assistance in Northern Ireland
A few law centres can help with immigration matters:
Find a Law Centre Nearby:
Some groups of people or particular immigration situations may be eligible for free counsel from specific organisations in the voluntary and community sectors. The OISC website ought to identify advisors:
Contact an OISC Advisor:
The Home Office funds several UK-wide groups to guide and support individuals submitting applications under the EU Settlement Scheme.
The following organisations offer free phone or email advice:
- Advice on the phone for EEA nationals from the AIRE Centre.
- Coram Migrant Children’s Project: email advice on all matters related to children and youth who are migrants.
- Telephone legal advice for European Economic Area (EEA) nationals is available here.
- The Joint Council provides phone assistance for undocumented immigrants for the Welfare of Immigrants.
- Rights of Women: one phone line for specialists assisting vulnerable immigrant women and another for women.
Also Read: Recent UK Immigration Rules Changes-2024
Conclusion:
When helping someone who lacks the benefit of public funding or legal aid, it is important to get the right advice and assistance from a quality immigration lawyer.