Legal representatives and premium services

Any customer can ask a legal representative to act on their behalf.

All appointments must be booked online. The online account can be created in the name of the customer or the legal representative.

Applications handled by legal representatives will not be given priority or receive a fast track service.

Who can act as a legal representative?

To act as a legal representative you must be registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) unless you are exempt. See the OISC website for more information.

Applications should include a covering letter informing us of your representation and that you are qualified under Part V of the Immigration and Asylum act 1999. You are qualified to provide immigration advice or services if you are:

• a member of a designated professional body, such as the Law Society or an equivalent in the European Economic Area, or acting under the supervision of a member;
• registered or exempted by the OISC, or acting under the supervision of such a person; or
• exempted by ministerial order, such as an employer providing advice only to your own staff or prospective staff

The rules and standards for immigration advisers are set out on the OISC website.

What to do when you arrive at the public enquiry office

Your covering letter should contain a paragraph from your client giving permission for you to handle or collect application documents including passports and decision letters.

This paragraph must be signed by your client, as a declaration that you can act on their behalf and collect any documents at the completion of the case.

You must carry personal identification, which allows us to place the case in your custody if there are doubts over the identity of the person collecting documents.

Biometric information

All clients are required to provide biometric information as part of their application. They must attend the appointment and stay on the premises until the biometric information can be verified. Once the information has been verified the client can leave, allowing you to continue with the application.

Leaving the public enquiry office

All cases must be collected on the same day. If you leave the building after submitting the application you must return before the closing time of the office as doors are locked after this time. Leaving your contact mobile phone number with the application will help us contact you if you do leave the office. For information on opening hours, see the details for individual public enquiry offices.

Please do not bring more clients than you can accompany through the end-to-end process at any one time - this is particularly important at our larger office in Croydon.

You should accompany your clients at all times to assist them and help staff answer any questions they may have during the application process.