Immigration Advice Referrals
Organisations must be regulated to provide immigration advice (for more information see http://oisc.homeoffice.gov.uk). With Immigration Advisory Service (IAS) in administration, options for immigration advice are limited. The following may be appropriate referral routes:
| Organisation(s) | Cost | Contact Information | |
| British Red Cross | The British Red Cross also provide refugee support services, and can deal with simple immigration issues for refugees such as Basic applications for registration and simple Naturalisation applications for people who do not work. | Free | 01603 623041 |
| Cambridge Immigration Legal Centre | The Cambridge Immigration Legal Centre (CILC) and the Refugee Council (RC) now provide a legal service for refugees and asylum- seekers in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex from the RC office, top floor, 4-8 Museum Street, Ipswich IP1 1HT. A referral will take approximately 40 minutes. Applicants must bring:
| Free if eligible for legal aid | Potential clients should call 01473 297 906 or 07527 686 937 and ask for Lucy Alexander or Sally McEwen and request an appointment. |
| Citizens Advice Bureaux | All Citizens Advice Bureau in theory have exemption to help with simple cases such as:
| Free | website 08444 111 444 |
| Commercial solicitors | Some local commercial solicitors (including Leathes Prior and Fairfields) provide immigration advice. They can advise on more complex immigration issues such as:
| Initial consultation will be around £150. Further fees tba | website 01603 610911 |
| Direct Immigration Solutions | Qualified immigration law practitioners providing -
| Fees are fixed and a free initial assessment is offerred. | 01603 666661 (office hours) |
| Legal Aid providers | If eligible for legal aid, clients may be able to get free advice but provision is limited to firms with legal aid contracts (such as Wesley Gryk and Duncan Lewis in London). Legal Aid can potentially cover complex casework and appeals, although it will soon be restricted to asylum cases. | Free if eligible for legal aid | Search website |
| Refugee Council | The Refugee Council also operates a telephone service which provides advice to refugees and asylum seekers in various languages. They cannot provide legal advice or representation but can give information,; they can, for example, explain the asylum process. | Free | 0808 808 2255 |
Immigration Advisory Service (IAS) helpline number for former clients
A helpline has been set up for people formerly represented by IAS, which went into administration in July 2011. Former clients of IAS awaiting tribunal hearings can also apply for an extension of time to arrange replacement legal representation. A template for doing so in writing can be found at the IAS website www.iasuk.org. If a client finds a new legal representative and wishes to retrieve the file from IAS, this is the number that they should call: 0844 974 4000.
July 2011