Advice Service

Do you want to claim asylum?

Are you waiting for a decision about your asylum claim?

Have you been refused asylum?

Have you been trafficked to the UK?

Are you a migrant without secure immigration status and are you at risk of homelessness?

We may be able to help you.

We offer advice on:

asylum support entitlements

Asylum and immigration appeals

Understanding the Asylum System

Explaining letters and helping respond

Finding a solicitor or addressing problems with a solicitor

Problems with National Asylum Support Service (NASS) support or accommodation

Problems with healthcare, education or social services

For more information please come to the Welcome Centre on a Wednesday or Thursday.

The Help Desk can deal with many types of problems on the day, however more complex issues may require you to make an appointment to see a specialist.

Volunteer interpreters maybe be provided, but if no one is available we will use phone interpreters.

Parents may be able to leave their preschool children with the Early Years Project creche.

OISC:

We are registered with the Offices of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC),  Ref No. N201600021, and a number of our staff and volunteers are qualified to provide advice up to OISC Level 3 for asylum and up to Level 2 for immigration.  We provide immigration advice in compliance with current OISC Regulations but we can only provide immigration advice to people who are members of BRR.

We do not currently provide OISC representation or casework but support our members to understand what is happening with their immigration case, the stage they are at in the process and what their options are.  If they don’t have anyone to represent them, we will support them to find someone.

If we cannot help you, or if you are not able to become a BRR member, we will try and find another organisation that can help. You can also find out about different organisations in Bristol on the Welcome Centre page.

Other sources of help with asylum claims

Right to Remain Toolkit

If you are struggling with an asylum claim, or need more information about how to start a claim, you might find the Right to Remain Tookit useful.

The Toolkit gives an overview of the legal system and procedures, with detailed information on rights and options at key stages, and actions you can take in support of your claim, or to help someone else.

As well as a comprehensive written guide, the Toolkit also contains several helpful videos which are available in 5 languages: English, Arabic, Farsi, Spanish and French.

The Toolkit is available on the Right to Remain website.

Bristol Law Centre

Bristol Law Centre run an Immigration and Asylum Drop In the first Wednesday of every month 3-5pm. They can help with:

• All aspects of Children’s immigration and asylum
• Asylum claims
• Claims for victims of trafficking
• Some domestic violence claims
• Claims under Articles 2, 3 and 4 of the European Convention of Human Rights
• Settlement claims for refugees and people with Humanitarian
• Protection only
• Judicial reviews
• ​Appeals in relation to the above claims

There are more details on their website.

Asylum Seeker Mentoring Service

The advice team also runs a project supporting new asylum seekers to navigate the complex process of claiming asylum. While going through a claim the Bristol Refugee Rights member meets regularly with a dedicated volunteer mentor. Our aim is that this service provides a sense of continuity and stability during this stressful time.