Additional guidance
Is additional guidance and support available?
OISC caseworkers will assist you through the application process once you have submitted your completed application.
If my application is refused or I decide to withdraw, is the fee refundable?
The registration (application) fees collected by the OISC are determined by the Home Office under statutory powers and must accompany all applications.
There is no express power to refund fees in respect of withdrawn or unsuccessful applications, and the Home Office advises that refunds will only be made in exceptional circumstances.
Applicants are accordingly advised to ensure that they meet the OISC application criteria before submitting their application and fee. If you have any questions, please consult the OISC before making a formal application.
Data protection
The Commissioner is a data controller in relation to the information received by her for the purposes of her functions under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
The OISC is registered with the Information Commissioner under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998.
The Commissioner has regard to section 93 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, which, among other things, prohibits the disclosure of information received by the Commissioner except with lawful authority, including where disclosure is necessary in the public interest.
The Commissioner might, for example, take the view that, in all the circumstances of a case, disclosure to an elected representative, e.g. an MP, is necessary in the public interest.
Organisation and contact details may be used by the OISC and its agents to contact advisers about OISC related matters.
Information held by the OISC is not passed to others for marketing or similar purposes.
The OISC publishes details relating to regulated organisations on the OISC website. These include a contact name and the names of all advisers at each organisation. If you do not wish such personal details to appear on the website, please advise us in writing as soon as possible.
Occasionally we seek views on our products and services in order to improve our processes. We may contact you in the future to ask about your experiences or to obtain your views on some of the services we are considering introducing.
Business names and the use of titles
The Scottish Law Society states that, in order to prevent clients being misled, it will not allow non-solicitors operating in Scotland to use either the words "law" or "legal" in their organisations' titles and will take action to enforce this rule. This is in line with the OISC's Code 76. Similar rules apply in England and Wales. Advisers wanting more information on this should contact the Business Names Section at Companies House or, for charities, from the Charity Commission.
Further, unless entitled, advisers should not use titles like professor, doctor, commissioner of oaths or notary public. An adviser who incorrectly indicates that they have certain qualifications runs the risk of the OISC determining that they are doing this in order deliberately to mislead potential clients.
If you've understood everything so far, you are now ready to complete the Application Form
Go through each section providing as much detail as possible, completing the tick boxes where appropriate.
It is essential that you give us as much detail as possible about your organisation so that we will gain an understanding of the way your organisation will operate. This should reduce the time your application will take to process.
We have provided Model Documents on our website to assist you with our requirements.
The answers and documentation you provide must accurately reflect of the way you intend to work.
Guidance for completing required documentation can be found with the Model Documents on our website.
Application Form for Regulation
