How to Verify an Immigration Lawyer Is Registered and Legitimate?
When you are putting your future, your family’s security, and thousands of pounds on the line, you need absolute certainty about the professional handling your visa. The UK legal sector is highly regulated, but unfortunately, there are still unregulated individuals claiming to be “experts” who can put your application at massive risk.
If you want to know How to Verify an Immigration Lawyer Is Registered and Legitimate, you should never just take their word for it or rely solely on their website design. The UK government provides free, publicly accessible databases that allow you to check the exact credentials of anyone offering legal advice.
Here is a step by step guide to checking a lawyer’s background before you hand over any money.
Step 1: Check the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Register
If the professional calls themselves a “solicitor,” they must be registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). This is the gold standard for legal regulation in England and Wales. SRA regulation means the firm holds strict professional indemnity insurance and is authorised to represent you in the highest courts.
To verify a solicitor:
- Visit the official SRA website and navigate to the Solicitors Register (sra.org.uk/consumers/register).
- Type in the individual solicitor’s name or the name of the law firm.
- Check their record. The register will show you if their licence is active, if there are any conditions on their practice, or if they have faced any disciplinary action.
At Bushra Ali Solicitors, we operate with complete transparency. You can immediately find our firm on the SRA register using our official registration number: 620253. If you want a deeper understanding of why this specific regulation is so crucial for your financial safety, read our article: What Does an SRA-Regulated Immigration Lawyer Mean?
Step 2: Understand the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) Register
You might come across professionals who call themselves “immigration advisors” rather than solicitors. Historically, they were regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC). Recently, this regulatory body transitioned into the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA).
If a professional is an advisor rather than a solicitor, they must be registered on the IAA portal.
- You can use the IAA Adviser Finder tool on the official UK government website to search for them by name or location.
- Check their “Level.” Advisors operate on a tiered system. If your case is complex or involves a previous refusal, you must ensure they are registered at the highest level (Level 3), otherwise they cannot legally handle tribunal appeals.
If you are confused about the difference between these two types of professionals and which one is safer for your specific case, take a look at What’s the Difference Between an Immigration Lawyer and an Immigration Advisor?
Step 3: Look for Verified Website Credentials
A legitimate UK law firm is legally obligated to display their regulatory information on their website.
Scroll down to the footer (the very bottom section) of the firm’s website. A legitimate practice will always list:
- Their registered office address.
- Their company registration number.
- Their regulatory body (like the SRA) along with their specific registration number.
If a website only has a generic “Contact Us” form with no physical address and no regulatory numbers listed in the footer, you should close the page immediately. A trustworthy firm has nothing to hide. You can see how this should look by checking the footer of our own website.
Step 4: Investigate Their Professional Track Record
Being registered is the bare minimum. You also want to ensure they are actually good at what they do. Look for historic recognition within the established legal community.
As a leading immigration lawyer leicester, our founder Bushra Ali is the only solicitor in the history of the Leicestershire Law Society to win Solicitor of the Year twice (in 2012 and 2016). This kind of peer reviewed, historic achievement proves that the firm is deeply respected by other legal professionals. For more tips on evaluating a firm’s reputation through client stories, read How to Know If an Immigration Lawyer Is Good Quality.
Common FAQs
Is it a criminal offence for someone to give immigration advice without being registered? Yes. In the UK, it is illegal to provide immigration advice or services unless you are registered with a qualifying regulator like the SRA or the IAA.
What should I do if I think my advisor is not registered? Do not pay them any money or hand over your original documents (like passports). You can report individuals offering unregulated immigration advice directly to the Home Office or the SRA.
Will a registered solicitor guarantee my visa is approved? No. In fact, it is against SRA ethical codes to guarantee a 100% success rate, because the Home Office always makes the final decision. A legitimate solicitor will give you an honest assessment of the risks rather than a false promise.
Do Not Take Chances with Your Future
Your right to live, work, or study in the UK is too important to risk on unverified consultants. Whether you are running a business in Wigston, living in Westcotes, or settling near Braunstone Park, you need legal representation that is fully regulated, highly experienced, and completely transparent.
At Bushra Ali Solicitors, we handle complex cases every day from our head office at the Business Box. As a fully SRA regulated immigration solicitor leicester, we treat your case with the exact same care we would want for our own families.
Want absolute peace of mind for your application? Contact Bushra Ali Solicitors today or call us at 0116 283 4567 to book a consultation with a verified, award winning team.