Immigration Service Office for Global Engagement Conditions of Service The Immigration Service provides information and free and confidential advice on many aspects of immigration to prospective and current students, recent graduates and their families. This includes: extensions of Tier 4 visas; entry clearance applications; student visitor visas: Schengen and US visas; work schemes; and switching immigration status. The Service is open term-times and vacations, Monday to Friday from 10.00am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 4.00pm and operates an appointment system. To make an appointment to see one of the advisers please see the following web-link: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/international/immigration/current/connect/meet/ or drop into the Office for Global Engagement reception on the First Floor of University House. You may refer to our website at www.warwick.ac.uk/go/immigration or use the following contact form to ask an immigration related question: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/international/immigration/current/connect/form/ Immigration Team members Claire O’Leary Assistant Director for Student Support and Experience Team Marianne Davies Head of Immigration Services Jacky Bibb (Maternity Leave) International Student Adviser Mohammed Afzal International Student Adviser Kathryn Laidlaw International Student Adviser Rebecca MacDonald International Student Adviser Rachel Mason International Student Adviser Echo Zhou International Student Adviser Rachel Millichap Head of Compliance (Student Immigration) Valya Filipova Compliance Officer Lauren McEwan International Student Support Coordinator Conditions of Service The Office for Global Engagement provides advice in good faith, based on information that you give us about your current situation. We endeavour to ensure that our advice is accurate but it is subject to change, often at short notice. We cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions, for consequences arising from the use of our advice nor for decisions made by the Home Office or other agencies regarding immigration applications. The University has an appropriate level of professional indemnity insurance, currently provided by Marsh Ltd. Record Keeping At your appointment the adviser will make you aware of the above conditions of service and will ask you to sign your consent on a client care letter. During and/or following your appointment the adviser will make notes on your enquiry and the information and advice they give you. These notes will be held on a secure computer system maintained in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998. All paper case records will be kept in a file which will be securely locked away at the end of each working day. Data Protection and Confidentiality The Immigration Service operates in accordance with the 1998 Data Protection Act. This Act aims to ensure that personal information is used in a way that is fair to individuals and protects their rights. You have the right to confidentiality when you use the Immigration Service. Our Confidentiality Policy can be accessed on our website and is displayed in our advice booths. Any information we receive from or about an individual using our service will not be disclosed to others outside the University. The only exceptions to this are: Where you have given your explicit consent to disclose information or data to an individual or organisation If you or others are in immediate physical danger If the provision of such information is required by the law Meeting compliance obligations for immigration authorities or the police for reporting requirements under the Points Based System, OISC Inspection. In some of these circumstances we would encourage you to pass on the information yourself and we would attempt to obtain your consent if at all possible. The Immigration Service may decide it is in your best interest to contact an organisation such as the Home Office or the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) for further advice or guidance about your case. Whenever possible we will advise you if we intend to do this. However, on occasion, this may not be practical and we would generally assume that by coming to us, you are allowing us to resolve your queries in the best way we can. The International Student Advisers work in an open-plan office. They do have enclosed spaces where they advise but if you need to talk in confidence please let them know in advance of your appointment so that appropriate arrangements can be made. The Regulation of Immigration Advice and codes of standards and ethics The provision of immigration advice is regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) which provides a Code of Standards and Rules – see www.oisc.org.uk for details. This Code of Standards and Rules sets the principles and standards with which immigration professionals must comply. The University of Warwick is authorised to provide immigration advice and services by the OISC. The University is a member of the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) and subscribes to the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA). We operate in accordance with the UKCISA/AISA Code of Ethics for those Advising International Students. A copy of this Code of Ethics is available from UKCISA’s website: www.ukcisa.org.uk. Only the designated International Student Advisers in the Office for Global Engagement and Students’ Union are qualified and authorised to give immigration advice at the University of Warwick. Where the level of immigration advice required is beyond our scope we will refer you to appropriately qualified legal professionals. Contact details of some of the relevant organisations are on the reverse of this leaflet. Conflict of Interest An Adviser must not act where there is a real or potential conflict of interest between them and the client. An Adviser must explain fully and clearly to the client any circumstances in which they might have any personal interest or advantage in acting for them and it may be necessary in these cases to refer your case elsewhere. Discrimination and Respect The International Student Advisers will not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, age, nationality, faith, sexual orientation, physical ability or any other irrelevant consideration. We are committed to providing an equal service to all clients without prejudice or bias. We also expect respect from our clients and will not tolerate any inappropriate behaviour. If this occurs, we reserve the right to withdraw from a case. Referrals and withdrawals An Adviser must not advise a client if this requires them to act beyond their authorisation. If we find ourselves in this position then we will inform you of this immediately in writing, giving the reasons why we are unable to continue. Where possible, we will refer you to appropriately qualified legal professionals. We are usually only able to advise students up to 6 months after their date of graduation. Comments, Suggestions and Complaints We welcome your feedback on the service you receive from us and suggestions for how we might improve and develop the service we provide. There is an online feedback questionnaire available from our website. We are also happy to receive comments by email, in writing or in person. If you have a complaint regarding our service please let us know and we will do our best to resolve the matter swiftly and informally. If you are still unhappy, the University has a Complaints and Feedback Procedure which can be found on the University website under Governance. The next step would be to put your complaint in writing to James Kennedy, Director of the Office for Global Engagement, who would provide an initial response within five working days of receipt. If, after the Director has investigated the matter, it has still not been resolved to your satisfaction, you are advised to write to the Deputy Registrar. All such letters will receive an initial response within five working days of receipt. If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you are entitled to contact The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (see www.oiahe.org.uk) who will only consider cases when the University’s own internal complaints and appeals procedures have been exhausted. If your complaint is specific to a piece of immigration advice you have been given, you can make a complaint to the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) whether or not you have made a complaint to the University. Details of how to do this can be downloaded from www.oisc.org.uk. Useful Contacts The Students’ Union Advice Service: Situated on the top floor of SUHQ the SU provides a free, confidential and impartial and non-judgemental service for all students at the University of Warwick. They are independent of the University. http://www.warwicksu.com/advice/ or advice@warwicksu.com or Tel: 024 765 72824 Opening hours are Mon to Fri : 9.30am - 3pm UKCISA: The UK Council for International Student Affairs is the national organisation which gives advice to international students studying in the UK. They have information sheets which can be downloaded from their website. They also operate a free student advice line. www.ukcisa.org.uk Tel: 020 3131 3576 between 1pm and 4pm Mon-Fri Coventry Law Centre: The Law Centre offers free specialist immigration advice and is situated in the centre of Coventry at: Oakwood House, St Patricks Road Entrance, Coventry, CV1 2HL (next door to JobCentre Plus). www.cov.law.org.uk or enquiries@covlaw.org.uk Tel: 024 7622 3053. Opening hours are Monday to Thursday 9am until 5pm and Friday 9am until 4.30pm. * Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA): Legal professionals who specialise in immigration law are often members of this association. You can search their database for a local solicitor who specialises in the area for which you require assistance. www.ilpa.org.uk or info@ilpa.org.uk Tel: 0207 251 8383 * The Law Society: This is the professional association which regulates the legal profession and all reputable solicitors are members. You can search their database for an immigration law solicitor in your area. www.lawsociety.org.uk or tel: 0870 606 2555 * Remember to check the fee a solicitor will charge you before you book a consultation. Last updated 24.06.2015