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Providing immigration advice and services from 25 November 2019

25 November 2019

Solicitors authorised by us to provide immigration advice and services can continue to do so from 25 November 2019 onwards in the same ways that they could prior to that date.

This means that they may provide those services if they would have been able to do so before 25 November 2019 without being in breach of the SRA Practice Framework Rules 2011, and if they comply with guidance for solicitors working in this area.

Solicitors who did not provide immigration advice or services before 25 November 2019, but who wish to start doing so, may do so in line with the above requirements.

A new category had been proposed as part of the SRA’s Standards and Regulations. This would have allowed solicitors to provide immigration advice and services to the public from any type of firm regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC). However, OISC has asked us not to make this option available to solicitors at this time.

We have agreed and have introduced a transitional provision while we are in discussions with OISC and other stakeholders about how the changes might work in practice.