Immigration resources
Immigration Legal resources
Remember to check that you are able to do immigration advice. You must either be registered at the right level with OISC or, if relying on CAB exemption at level 1, that you are trained in immigration law and that the work is within level 1.
Level 1 work is basic immigration and nationality applications that are within the Immigration Rules, but not casework or private / family life applications (paras 276ADE or EX.1). In asylum cases only travel documents are permitted and we do not currently assist with those unless the applicant has a pressing need to travel because of family illness etc. If they do have proof of this, then contact Malcolm Reed at Spital Hill to arrange an appointment with an advice assistant there.
Advisernet Immigration Pages – you need to be in the office for this to work!
Free Movement Website – regular articles about changes and developments in immigration law
Immigration Forms and Fees – page on UKVI website with all application fees and all immigration and nationality application forms.
Immigration Rules – link to Immigration Rules Index on gov.uk website.
EEA Regulations – Up to date consolidated version of the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006, as amended.
Immigration Appeal Forms – link to all immigration appeal forms on HM Courts and Tribunal website.
ILPA Members Page – Immigration law Practitioners Association. You will need a log in to access this area. Contact John Donkersley if you need one, for instructions on how to do this for free if you are a Citizens Advice Sheffield immigration adviser.
Adviser toolkit
Immigration and Asylum Essential information Questions – modified version of Citizens Advice EIQs. Includes local referral agencies where we cannot deal with a case. If you are making an internal referral ensure all the questions on these EIQs are addressed and relevant answers recorded on Petra.
Examples of Immigration cards, visas and stamps – to help you identify someones immigration related documents. You can also see more in the guide below…
Employers’ Guide to acceptable right to work documents – contains pictures of docsuments and stamps as well as descriptions of what Home Office will accept if kept by employers. Should be read in line with the Code of Practice.
EEA Right to reside questionnaire – use this pro forma (based on Sheffield City Council’s equivalent for HB claims) to get all the information a specialist adviser might need to assess right to reside, especially in connection to a benefits claim.
EEA Right to Reside flow-chart – use this as an aid to determining a client’s right to reside.
Check list for clients with immigration issues – Recent changes may leave some clients (EEA nationals) with issues. The issues may be complex and require either specialist knowledge of recent immigration/benefit rule changes or require that the clients be dealt with by a supervisor at local offices. This check list is designed to help those who interview the client either at a Gateway interview, or in the initial follow up to the Gateway, to determine if specialist/supervisor help is needed.
Quick Check Immigration Categories table – a table showing the categories in the immigration rules, excluding the points based system (workers and students). Use only to identify a potential application and then use the Rules above.
External referrals
OISC Adviser Finder – search tool for finding advisers registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner. Can search by closeness to postcode, area of work, and by whether they charge or not.
Find solicitor with a Legal Aid Contract – search tool on gov.uk website to find a firm with a legal aid contract for asylum and immigration by locality and category of work. Before referring, please note that only asylum, domestic violence and detention cases remain within the scope of legal aid.
