People often underestimate the impact that ill-advised and unqualified immigration advice could have on the immigration future of an individual.
Breytenbachs has seen a number of cases over the past weeks where persons were advised on social media platforms, by other users on how to submit their own UK visa applications.
Unfortunately, the advice in most cases was incorrect. In some shocking instances, users even advised persons to lie on their applications. The resulting effects for the applicant are obvious – visas being turned down, loss of Home Office fees, and even immigration bans in some cases.
• Be very careful of immigration advice provided on social media platforms. Users giving out immigration advice on these forums may be committing an offence without even realising they are doing so.
• The UK Immigration industry is a highly regulated industry. In order to render UK immigration advice in the UK, the person providing advice needs to be regulated by a relevant body. Some of the regulating bodies include; the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) and the Law Society of England or Wales. Unless someone is regulated, they are prohibited from rendering UK immigration advice in the UK and are committing a serious offence if they do so.
• If you submit an application yourself, you have to keep in mind that the Home Office does require one to not only qualify for a visa or permit but more importantly to prove it in a very specific way. The UK Home Office has very specific evidential requirements.
• The Home Office has restrictions on when new evidence can be taken into consideration. The Home Office will not consider evidence that was not part of the initial application and is under no duty to request further documents from clients outside of the evidential flexibility within the rules. So, even the lack of seemingly very obvious documentation can lead to an application being refused.
All UK visa and permit applications are not as straightforward as they often seem to be. Rather consider using the help of a professional in the field. Please be very wary of the seemingly innocent advice on social media on how to do it yourself.
For more information please visit www.bic-immigration.com or feel free to fill out the form below to get in touch with one of our consultants.