International Student Advice

• Drop-In Sessions
• Appointments
• Email Advice

Drop In Sessions

In order to allow each student sufficient time for detailed advice, we are only able to see a maximum of 4 students per drop-in session.  It is therefore essential that you arrive early (by 9:15am). Slots will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Please check weekly updates and appointment times here.

Appointments

Please check weekly updates and appointment times here.

Appointments will only be made for students who wish to be advised on a completed visa application forms, invalid applications and visa refusals or other complex cases.

Procedure for requesting Appointments

If you would like an appointment, please email isa@uel.ac.uk with:

• Your full name
• Your student number
• Your contact telephone number
• Details of your case and any questions you have

In the first instance, the ISA team will attempt to resolve your case by email or telephone. If it is necessary to meet with an advisor face to face, an appointment can be arranged with you.

If you would like to speak to an advisor on the telephone, please email isa@uel.ac.uk with your contact details and we shall call you back.

Applying with dependants: Please note that if you have dependants you will need a longer appointment. Contact us as soon as possible if this applies to you, so that we can book an appropriate time for you.  The International Student Advisor will check your application and one dependant’s application. You will need to use the guidance provided in the session to complete the rest of the applications if you have more than one dependant.

Appointments - Terms and Conditions:

• We expect you to arrive at least 15 minutes early as you are required to complete a form before the appointment. You will be informed of the location of your appointment by the ISA team.
• Appointments are for 30 minutes maximum. If you are more than 5 minutes late we may not be able to see you, as this will impact on our appointment schedule.
• If you are unable to make your appointment you must email isa@uel.ac.uk to cancel your appointment with "cancel appointment" in the subject of the email, giving at least 24 hours notice. Please note that if you do not inform us of your cancellation we will not be able to book another appointment for you in the future. However, you can attend an International advice drop-in session if you wish to see us for in person visa advice.
• We are unable to offer any further appointments to students who fail to attend appointments or cancel at short notice.
• Appointments can be booked no more than a week in advance.
• Please print a copy of this email and bring it with you to your appointment.

Email advice

We also provide email advice through our email address isa@uel.ac.uk

Email advice is particularly useful for quick enquiries, specific questions, progress updates and signposting. Please note we aim to respond to all email enquiries within 3 working days (or 5 in busy periods).

Telephone Advice

We aim to respond to telephone enquiries within 3 working days (or 5 in busy periods). Please email us with your name, student number and contact details and one of the advisers will respond to you within the time frame.

Please note: We always aim to respond to enquiries in the order in which they are placed, whether they are through telephone or email.

What is the best way to contact us?

• Email is the best way of contacting us in the first instance. Email is also useful for specific questions, clarifications, general information and sign posting.
• In Person Advice through our drop-in sessions or appointments is useful for more complicated situations, detailed guidance and advice and checking through student visa applications.

The immigration advisers are:

• Niru Williams (Head of ISA)
• Lynsey Berrecloth
• Carrie McMinn
• Sam Redhead
• Claudia Gareau
• John Kayan

Other Sources of Immigration Advice

Please see our Useful Links webpages

Contact details

International Students Advice (ISA) team, Docklands Campus
Room WB 2.12
Tel:  020 8223 2805
isa@uel.ac.uk

Comments & Suggestions:

Did you find these webpages useful? Is there anything that could be improved/ amended? If you have any comments or suggestions regarding our webpages and its contents, we would be happy to hear from you. Please email any comments/ suggestions to isa@uel.ac.uk

Page updated 10/04/13

Policies & Reports

Regulation of Immigration Advice and Services

The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 sets out the means for the establishment of a scheme to regulate immigration advisers and services providers. Under the scheme, the provision of immigration advice or immigration services is prohibited unless a person is registered with the Immigration Services Commissioner, authorised to practise by a designated professional body or exempt under the terms of the scheme or the Act.

Although universities have been given block exemption from registering, they are still covered by the Act and its provisions. Because the giving of incorrect or misguided advice is a serious matter, it is essential that no one in UEL gives advice on immigration unless they have been authorised to do so by the University's senior management. The University will be held liable if it gives the wrong advice and commissioners can visit the University to inspect what we are doing.

The only part of the University which is known to be in a position to comply with the requirements of the Act and the scheme is the International Student Advice Team. All enquiries must be referred to that Service.
UEL Secretary and Registrar

International Students Advice (ISA) is "Authorised to provide immigration advice and services by an order made under section 84(4)(d) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (Part V Exemption: Education Institutions and Health Sector Bodies) Order 2001 (Statutory Instrument 2001 No 1403)."

International Students Advice offers immigration advice to the following students and/or prospective students:

1. Current international students of this University and, other international Students who are wishing to study here after their current studies.
2. Prospective international students who are asylum seekers, or people with extended or indefinite leave to remain.
3. The immigration advisers are as follows:
   • Niru Williams (Head of ISA)
   • Lynsey Berrecloth
   • Claudia Gareau
   • Carrie McMinn
   • Sam Redhead
   • John Kayan
4. The above advisers abide by the UKCISA/AISA Code of Ethics
5. The above advisers operate within our Conditions Of Service which includes our Policy on Confidentiality and Data Protection. ISA All students should read the  Tier 4 Compliance leaflet which outlines the Tier 4 requirements.

Service Standards

• In Person Advice - We offer one to one advice in person to students at our drop-in sessions. We normally offer this service 9 times a week (every morning at Docklands and four mornings at Stratford). An adviser can see a maximum of 5 students in a drop-in session on a first come first served basis. For more information see our drop-in section
• Email Advice - We aim to respond to email enquires within 3 working days - 5 working days during busier periods.
• Telephone Advice - We aim to respond to telephone enquiries within 3 working days. If you call us we will take your name, student number and contact details and one of the advisers will respond to you within the time frame.

Please note: We always aim to respond to enquiries in the order in which they are placed, whether they are through telephone or email

What is the best way to contact us?

• Email is the best way of contacting us in the first instance. Email is also useful for specific questions, clarifications, general information and sign posting.
• In Person Advice through our drop-in sessions is useful for more complicated situations, detailed guidance and advice and checking through student visa applications.

Comments & Suggestions:

Did you find these webpages useful? Is there anything that could be improved/ amended? If you have any comments or suggestions regarding our webpages and its contents, we would be happy to hear from you. Please email any comments/ suggestions to isa@uel.ac.uk

Updated 26/10/12