Skip Navigation

Useful links

General links

• Association of Regulated Immigration Advisers
  The professional Association for Regulated Immigration Advisers in the United Kingdom.
  
  
• The Bar Council
  The governing body of the Bar; to promote and improve the services and functions of the Bar.
  
  
• The British and Irish Ombudsman Association
  Ombudsmen exist to deal with complaints from ordinary citizens about certain public bodies or private sector services. The services provided by ombudsmen are free of charge.
  
  
• Chartermark Events
  Charter Mark is the Government's national standard for excellence in customer service.
  
  
• Civil Justice Council
  Advisory body put in place by law to monitor the civil justice system, and to promote its modernisation.
  
  
• Ministry of Justice
  Responsible in government for upholding justice, rights and democracy.
  
  
• Directgov
  Directgov provides a wide range of public service information from the UK government.
  
  
• E-Government Strategy
  Works with departments to deliver efficiency savings while improving the delivery of public services by joining up electronic government services around the needs of customers.
  
  
• The Immigration Advisory Service
  The IAS is a charity giving legal advice and representation services to immigrants and asylum seekers free to those who are eligible.
  
  
• Border and Immigration Agency
  The UK Border and Immigration Agency The UK border and Immigration Agency is a shadow agency of the Home Offie. The UK Border and Immigration Agency protects the UK's borders, controls migration and prevents border tax fraud, smuggling and immigration crime.
  
  
• Immigration Services Tribunal
  Hears appeals against decisions made by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner and to consider disciplinary charges brought against immigration advisors by the Commissioner.
  
  
• The Law Commission
  An independent body set up by Parliament in 1965 (along with a similar Commission for Scotland) to keep the law of England and Wales under review and to recommend reform when it is needed.
  
  
• The Law Society of England and Wales
  Regulating and setting standards for solicitors to make sure they deliver a good and ethical service to consumers. Representing solicitors. Supporting solicitors to help them achieve the standards expected of them, and deliver good service. Influencing law reform to achieve a better system of justice.
  
  
• The Law Society of Scotland
  The governing body for Scottish solicitors. The Society promotes the interests of the Solicitors profession in Scotland and the interests of the public in relation to the profession.
  
  
• Legal Services Commission
  Looks after legal aid in England and Wales and are also responsible for ensuring that people get the information, advice and legal help they need to deal with a wide range of everyday problems.
  
  
• National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux
  Helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free information and advice from over 3,200 locations, and by influencing policymakers.
  
  
• The Northern Ireland Court Service
  Administration of justice in Northern Ireland.
  
  
• Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC)
  An independent public body set up to regulate immigration advisers and to take complaints about poor service.
  
  
• The Refugee Legal Centre (RLC)
  An independent not-for-profit organisation, which is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. The RLC provides legal advice and representation for those seeking protection under international and national Human Rights Asylum law. Services are provided free of charge to those who do not have the means to pay for legal representation.
  
  
• Review of Tribunals
  Website on the review of tribunals.
  
  
• UKvisas
  A joint Home Office and Foreign & Commonwealth office unit which runs the UK's visa service through British diplomatic posts overseas.

Sources of legal information

• The Office of Public Sector Information
  Contains UK legislation.
  
  
• The electronic Library and Information Services (eLIS)
  Provides legal information for the judiciary, the DCA and the Her Majesty's Courts Service. The site also provides a portal service to key legal information on the Internet.
  
  
• Australian Refugee Review Tribunal
  An independent merits review tribunal. Its main function is to review decisions made by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) to refuse or cancel protection visas to non-citizens in Australia.
  
  
• BAILII British and Irish Legal Information Institute
  Access to Freely Available British and Irish Public Legal Information.
  
  
• Butterworths
  LexisNexis Group delivers comprehensive and authoritative legal, business, government and tax information worldwide as an industry leader. Subscription resource.
  
  
• Casetrack (Smith Bernal)
  A source for full-text judgments. Subscription resource.
  
  
• Electronic Immigration Network (EIN)
  A continuously updated database containing country categorised full text versions of relevant country information reports, published on the EIN website. Subscription resource.
  
  
• Euro Legal Services
  This non-profit site seeks to provide public affairs and legal information for all Member States of the European Union, together with Candidate States, Associated States and other States in the European Economic Area. This site also cover events in other countries, which impact on Europe.

Sources of country information

• Amnesty International
  Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights.
  
  
• Asylumlaw.org
  A free website run by an international consortium of agencies that help asylum seekers in Australia, Canada, the United States, and several countries in Europe.
  
  
• CIA World Fact Book
  World fact book compiled by the Central Intelligence Agency of the US government.
  
  
• Ecoi.net
  Collects and structures country resources with a specific focus on the needs of asylum lawyers,professional and volunteer refugee counsels as well as persons deciding on claims for asylum and other forms of international protection
  
  
• Electronic Immigration Network (EIN)
  A continuously updated database containing country categorised full text versions of relevant country information reports, published on the EIN website. Subscription resource.
  
  
• Global IDP Project
  Project of the Norwegian Refugee Council is an international non-governmental body working for better protection and assistance of people who have been displaced within their own country by conflict or because of human rights violations.
  
  
• Home Office Country Information
  Country information produced by the Home Office - CIPU reports, bulletins etc.
  
  
• Human Rights Watch
  An organisation campaigning for human rights.
  
  
• Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
  Its mission is to make well-reasoned decisions on immigration and refugee matters, efficiently, fairly, and in accordance with the law.
  
  
• Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
  Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights website.
  
  
• Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe
  A regional security organization.
  
  
• Perry-Castaneda Library
  Collection of maps.
  
  
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
  Mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide.
  
  
• US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants
  Addressing the needs and rights of persons in forced or voluntary migration worldwide.
  
  
• US Department of State
  United States government State Department.