Immigration Service Office for Global Engagement Conditions of Service

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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:
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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
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