Verify the exact adviser, their regulator and authorised work before paying. Then read the written service scope, fees and complaints process. A company logo, recommendation or confident claim about approval is not a substitute for checking whether the person handling your case is allowed to provide that service.
Check the destination's actual regulatory system
GOV.UK directs readers to the Immigration Advice Authority’s adviser finder and approved professional bodies for UK advice. It says to check registration and fees and notes that advisers do not make immigration decisions. The applicable regulator and reserved legal activities must be identified separately in another country. UK Government: Find an immigration adviser.
Make a person-and-scope verification card
Search a regulator using contact details found independently. Check spelling, registration identity and any limits relevant to the work proposed. If the adviser operates under a firm name, ask who will actually do the work and which regulated person is responsible. Keep a dated record of what you checked.
| Check | Information to match | Question before paying |
|---|---|---|
| Person | Full name and registration record | Is this the person handling my case? |
| Scope | Authorised activities or level | Does it cover the service offered? |
| Agreement | Work included, exclusions and fees | Who pays official fees and how? |
| Records | Access, receipts and complaints | How do I receive my complete file? |
A familiar firm can still leave a responsibility gap
Illustrative situation: a referral names a regulated lawyer, but an unrelated salesperson asks you to sign and pay another business. Ask how the entities and people relate, which regulator covers the agreement and where any complaint would go. Do not fill the gap with an assumption that all staff, affiliates or agents share the same authorisation.
Retain ownership of your case information
Ask how you receive copies of forms, submissions, decisions and receipts. Use the authority’s own guidance for account access and representation rather than handing over codes to an unsolicited caller. If the registration or service scope cannot be verified, keep that issue unresolved; do not describe the provider as approved merely because it appeared in a search result.
Keep the next action in your moving planner. For the country-specific authority, use our destination directory.