How to choose immigration help you can trust
Whoever you choose, including someone other than us, these checks take ten minutes and can save you a great deal of money and worry.
Three checks worth making
1
Ask for a registration number
In many countries, paid immigration advice must come from a registered or licensed adviser. A genuine adviser will give you the number straight away.
2
Look it up yourself
Search for the number on the regulator’s public register, and check that the name and the business match.
3
Get the fee in writing
Ask for a written quote that separates the adviser’s fee from government charges, before you sign anything.
Red flags
A promise that your application will succeed
Pressure to pay in cash, or to sign on the spot
An offer to keep your passport or original documents
Advice to leave something off a form or to exaggerate
No written agreement, or no registration number
Good questions to ask
Who exactly will work on my file?
What does your fee include, and what doesn’t it?
What happens if more information is requested?
How and when will you keep me updated?
What are the weak points in my case?
Already working with an adviser and worried about how your case is being handled? You can raise it with them first, and then with the regulator. Our complaints page explains how that works with us.