Constituency casework: Immigration, asylum and nationality
Many requests can be resolved by using information from trusted online sources or making enquiries with the Home Office. Constituents with complex cases likely need professional advice.
Many MPs' offices receive a large volume of casework relating to UK immigration, asylum or nationality law.
There are legal restrictions on giving immigration advice and providing immigration services. If in doubt, you should recommend constituents seek advice from a specialist solicitor or adviser. Encouraging people to access appropriate professional advice is more helpful than trying to be a substitute for it.
This briefing provides a short overview of the UK’s immigration, asylum and nationality system. It outlines the legal restrictions on giving immigration advice; provides suggestions on how to handle casework enquiries; and highlights some useful sources of general information. Some organisations that provide free or not for profit practical help and advice to migrants in the UK are listed in section 4.