IMMIGRATION ADVISORY SERVICE link   www.iasuk.org

The services offered – all are free to those eligible IAS gives free advice and assistance on all immigration, asylum and nationality issues to persons in the UK and abroad, eligible for Legal Help and Controlled Legal Representation, and we present appeals against refusal decisions for all who have a right of appeal. We can take cases to the higher courts by way of appeal and judicial review. Despite our objections, the Government ended thirty-three years of a free service for all our clients as from 1 April 2004. Consequently, from that date (1 March in Leicester), we have to make charges for our services (available at present only in certain offices) for those clients who are not financially eligible for a free service in accordance with the income and capital limits laid down by the Legal Services Commission (which funds IAS in England and Wales). That is why we have to ask our clients about their financial means. These charges are based only on the cost to us of providing the service. We do not make any commercial profit out of the charges and we keep them as low as possible for the assured quality service that we give. You can see if you may be eligible for a free service by clicking here to access the Community Legal Service's Legal Aid Calculator.

Cases range from the dependants of those already settled in the UK (children, husbands, wives, elderly relations) seeking to come to the UK for permanent settlement and to visitors, students and others seeking to come to the UK for temporary purposes whose applications have been refused.

People already present in the UK often seek advice and representation from IAS about the admission of relatives and about their own applications to change their status, or for further leave to remain. There are also those who face deportation from the UK. IAS responds to enquiries via email and letters from around the world and gives advice in person or over the telephone to some 36,000 people, and opens more than 7,000 appeals case files every year. IAS also makes written representations to the Home Office or Immigration Service on behalf of clients.

IAS has an extensive Library (Research & Information Unit) which produces constantly updated country of origin information and also publishes the leading publications on immigration, asylum and nationality law: click here for details.




3.  The areas we work in
Advice – advice via email (see our advice page) or letters is dealt with by the Correspondence Unit; telephone enquiries can be dealt with by most offices (check times – see, Contact Us) or, in emergency, on the 24 hour helpline (currently staffed during office hours with voicemail at other times). Advice and assistance is available at all offices for people eligible for Legal Help.

Representation at appeal hearings before immigration judges – at all offices for persons who have a right of appeal against refusal.

Applications for leave to appeal to the Immigration Appeal Tribunal (on a point of law) – at the IAS Tribunal Unit at Head Office in London (part of the Higher Appeals, Research & Information Department).

Applications for judicial review and for appeals to the higher courts (such as Court of Appeal) – at IAS Immigration Solicitors Unit at Head Office in London (part of the Higher Appeals, Research & Information Department) and also at our Glasgow Office.



4.  When you seek advice


When you seek advice and assistance from IAS your first contact may be with a receptionist or casework assistant who answers the telephone or welcomes you to the office.

If you call by telephone you will be passed to a counsellor or adviser if one is available or you may be asked to call at another time when advice calls can be met. If you telephone out of office hours then the answerphone message at each of our offices states the opening times and other information which may be helpful to you.

If you call at one of our offices by appointment you should be seen within a few minutes by the counsellor or adviser you have come to see unless they have been unavoidably detained (such as at a hearing). You will be kept informed of how long you should have to wait by the receptionist or casework assistant who welcomed you to the office.

If you call at one of our offices without an appointment it may not be possible for any suitably qualified staff to see you in order to give you advice. If this is the case you will be informed and given a time when you can return and be seen by a counsellor or adviser. In some circumstances, if your enquiry is a general one, you may be handed one of our leaflets on immigration/asylum/nationality law and practice which may answer your questions.

Once we have opened a case file on your case you will be given a reference number which you should always quote when contacting us either by telephone or letter.

Our Client’s Charter sets out the standard of service you should receive and explains our complaints procedure. Moreover, you should be handed a Client Questionnaire which we ask you to complete either at the time and leave it in the box provided or complete it later and send it to us FREEPOST (ie without needing to put a stamp on it so long as it is posted within the United Kingdom).

If, for whatever reason, we cannot help you with your case because we have too much other work then we will refer you to other competent legal agencies as set out in the Community Legal Services Directory.