How can Immigration Advisory Service help Migrants

How can IAS help migrants?

IAS is the leading charity giving legal advice and representation services to immigrants and asylum seekers free to those who are eligible.

IAS was created in 1993 out of the former United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service (UKIAS: established in 1970) as an independent organisation publicly funded under the 1971 Immigration Act to provide free advice and representation to persons with rights of appeal against refusal of their applications. Together with UKIAS, therefore, IAS has over 35 years’ experience of helping those facing immigration and asylum difficulties. We now have offices throughout the UK and in Sylhet (Bangladesh) and Lahore (Pakistan).

The Large Charities Unit of the Charity Commission visited IAS in October 2004 and made the following comments:

“Our overall impression is that the charity has proved itself able to respond well in an environment characterised by rapid change. The IAS seems focussed on its areas of expertise and, in a competitive environment, is clear about its niche and what distinguishes it from commercial service providers. The charity is outward-facing and evidently strives to be accessible to its users.

“We gained an impression of an active and effective trustee board, and an appropriate delineation of roles between the trustees and executive.

“The implications of the changing funding arrangements have been significant to the IAS. However, progress has evidently been made in changing the internal culture, as well as in responding to the increased competition around service provision. The IAS seems clear about its distinctive characteristics (such as the experience and expertise developed over a long period) and makes use of opportunities to shore up its place in the market (eg: through expansion into areas where commercial services have closed).

“The charity actively seeks to make its publications accessible to its clients, including through the use of multi-lingual videos, and by keeping its website simple to enable people to download it with less advanced technology. It is also clear that the IAS compares well against many other charities in its progress towards attaining the best practice standards as outlined in the Regulatory Study RSB on Transparency & Accountability.”

The IAS provides an outstanding and much needed service to migrants. To contact IAS visit:

http://www.iasuk.org/