How to find and check a regulated UK immigration adviser

Katerina Galkina · EN · 07/10/2026

Define the issue and deadlines

Before looking for an adviser, record your status, permission expiry, intended application and the nearest response or challenge deadline. Note previous refusals and applications already submitted. This helps establish whether you need a one-off document review, complex casework or tribunal representation.

Gather the Home Office decision, passport, permission timeline and your questions. A short summary is sufficient for the initial enquiry; send the full personal-document bundle only after checking the professional and agreeing a secure channel. Do not conceal circumstances that could change the legal analysis.

Check regulatory status

Start with GOV.UK Find an immigration adviser ↗. It provides the IAA Adviser Finder and links to solicitor directories for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Immigration advisers must be registered with the Immigration Advice Authority or belong to an approved regulated professional body.

Match the individual's name, organisation, contact details and current register entry. A friend's recommendation or a “guaranteed visa” promise does not replace verification. The Home Office makes the decision, not the adviser. Resolve discrepancies between the register and advertising before paying.

Ensure the authorisation fits the case

IAA has three adviser levels. The official explanation ↗ distinguishes straightforward assistance, complex casework and representation; within this system, only a level 3 adviser can represent a client at an immigration tribunal. Check the actual authorised scope on the register rather than relying on a general description such as “lawyer”.

At the consultation, ask who will handle your case, what risks they identify and what needs investigation. Request an explanation of the available options, deadlines, evidence and consequences of missing a date. For an urgent refusal, specifically establish whether review or appeal work is included.

Record the work and full cost

GOV.UK says you must receive a letter after hiring ↗ setting out the work, charges and payment arrangements. Ask whether VAT, translation checks, Home Office responses, extra meetings and family applications are included. Government fees, translation and other expenses can be separate even where advice is free.

Agree additional charges before extra work, obtain a signed and dated receipt and establish the cost of ending the engagement. Keep the submitted application and document list; check important answers before submission. If service is unsatisfactory, follow the contract's and regulator's complaint procedure, retaining correspondence, invoices and a clear account of the problem.