Finding a regulated immigration adviser
In the UK it is a criminal offence to give immigration advice for payment unless you are regulated to do so. That protects you: anyone who can lawfully take your money for advice is on a public register, carries insurance and can be complained about. This page explains who is allowed to advise, how to check them, what it costs and how to spot a bad one.
Who is allowed to give immigration advice
- Advisers registered with the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA), which was the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) until January 2025. The IAA registers individuals and firms at three levels: Level 1 (straightforward applications such as visitor, student, Skilled Worker and ILR where the rules are clearly met), Level 2 (more complex applications, including human-rights and asylum cases and appeals preparation) and Level 3 (representation at appeals and judicial review). Check an adviser's level matches your case.
- Solicitors regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (England and Wales), the Law Society of Scotland or the Law Society of Northern Ireland. Immigration is a specialism; a conveyancing solicitor is allowed to advise but may not be competent to. Look for a firm that does immigration daily, and for the Law Society's Immigration and Asylum Accreditation.
- Barristers, who can be instructed directly through the Public Access scheme for advice and appeals.
- Chartered legal executives regulated by CILEx Regulation.
Nobody else: not an "immigration consultant", not a travel agent, not a university careers service, not a friend who did their own application, and not us. Check the registers: IAA adviser finder and SRA register.
What advice costs
Most immigration work is done on fixed fees. Typical ranges in 2026, excluding Home Office fees and VAT:
| Work | Typical fee |
|---|---|
| One-hour consultation to check eligibility | £100 to £300 |
| Skilled Worker or student visa application | £800 to £2,000 |
| Partner visa, first application | £1,500 to £3,500 |
| Indefinite leave to remain | £800 to £2,500 |
| Naturalisation | £600 to £1,500 |
| Sponsor licence (employer) | £1,500 to £4,000 |
| Appeal to the First-tier Tribunal | £3,000 to £8,000 plus barrister |
London firms charge at the top of these ranges. A quote well below them from a non-regulated person is not a bargain. Ask for the fee in writing, with what it includes (document review, drafting the cover letter, dealing with Home Office queries) and what happens if the application is refused.
Free and low-cost advice
- Citizens Advice gives free initial immigration advice at many local offices (the organisation is IAA-registered).
- Law centres and university law clinics provide free advice in some cities.
- Legal aid covers asylum, detention, domestic-abuse and trafficking cases and some human-rights work, through solicitors with a legal aid contract. It does not cover ordinary visa, ILR or citizenship applications.
- Charities such as the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, Praxis and local migrant organisations advise on specific issues within their IAA registration.
- Your employer's immigration lawyers handle most Skilled Worker applications as part of the sponsorship, often at no cost to you.
Warning signs
- Not on the IAA or SRA register, or registered at a lower level than your case needs.
- Guarantees a result. Nobody can.
- Suggests leaving things out of the form, backdating a document or using someone else's bank statements.
- Wants cash, or payment to a personal account, with no client-care letter.
- Keeps your original passport or documents beyond what the application needs.
- Charges you Home Office fees without a receipt showing they were paid.
- Communicates only by WhatsApp and has no office address you can verify.
If something has already gone wrong, the IAA investigates complaints about its advisers and prosecutes unregistered ones; the Legal Ombudsman handles complaints about solicitors' service.
Do you need an adviser at all?
Many people complete straightforward applications themselves: a Skilled Worker extension with the same employer, a Student visa with a CAS from a university, or an ILR application after five uneventful years. The gov.uk forms are designed for self-service and our guides explain the rules behind each. An adviser earns their fee when the case has a complication: a gap in lawful residence, a refusal in the past, a criminal record, an income that is hard to evidence, a relationship that is unusual, or anything involving an appeal. A single paid consultation to confirm you qualify, before you pay the Home Office fee, is often the best value of all.