Advice on immigration status

You are strongly advised to obtain specialist immigration advice before you make an application to the Home Office to change or confirm your status.

 Although your immigration status may limit access to services in the UK, you should never: 

• be refused or denied housing, benefit, social care or health services assistance without written explanation of why
• be left uncertain about what you should do next, for example, because you have not been signposted to an organisation that can help
• face restrictions because of communication barriers, for example because you do not speak or read English
• feel that you cannot ask people for support and help
• face problems registering with a GP or seeking help about a medical condition or concern

Information on immigration options is provided by the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) Network. 

The information attempts to outline some of the ways you may be able to address issues relating to immigration status when living in the UK. Please contact the NRPF, Refugee and Migrant Service if you feel that this information has not answered your concerns.

If you are affected by the war in Ukraine

Please refer to the ‘UK visa support for Ukrainian nationals pages’ on the government’s website for the latest information.

The Ukraine Advice Project has been established to help people understand and navigate visa routes

Please continue to refer to the government website for the latest information relating to Ukraine.

If you are settled in the UK but do not have a document to prove it, you may be eligible for support under the ‘Windrush Scheme’

The scheme is for Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK before 1 January 1973 or a child of such a person who was born in the UK or arrived before turning 18. It also applies to people of any nationality and settled in the UK before 31 December 1988.

The Home Office provides information on the Windrush scheme and how to apply, although you may want to seek independent advice before doing so.

If you have suffered financial loss as a result of your rights to live and work in the UK not being recognised and protected by the government, you are entitled to claim compensation. 

If you are experiencing abuse, have been trafficked or are being exploited

Help is available to make you safe. If you are in imminent danger phone 999.

If you have leave to remain but with No Recourse to Public Funds

If you have been granted leave to remain on a family, private life or the Hong Kong BN(O) visa route and are destitute, or at risk of imminent destitution, or if your income is not sufficient to meet a child’s needs, or for any other exceptional reason you find yourself struggling – you can apply for a change of conditions to allow access to public funds (for example benefits and housing).

The Unity Project in Islington provides more advice and information about making a change of conditions application.

Hong Kong BN (O) visa holders can also get information about their rights and entitlements using the government’s welcome guide and can contact the Islington Chinese Association for further assistance. 

If you have no leave to remain and want to know more about what to do

See the Home Office website for more information about different types of applications and how to make these.

You will need to access immigration advice to find out what your immigration options. If you make an application you may need to pay an application fee, although in some cases you may be able to apply for a fee waiver.

The NRPF Network provides information about immigration options and how to get immigration advice.

If you want to register your child as a British citizen

If a child is born in the UK they will not automatically be British unless you or your partner are a British citizen or have settled status, such as indefinite leave to remain or ‘settled status’ under the EU Settlement Scheme.

If this does not apply to your child, there are options for registering them with the Home Office as a British citizen, some of which will require you to pay a fee.

For more information see: Project for the Registration of Children as British Citizens 

If you are an EU citizen needing advice

EU citizens and their family members should refer to our citizenship pages.

If you want help to return to your country of origin

The Home Office helps people who want to return to their country of origin by arranging travel. You may also qualify for financial to help you find accommodation or set-up a business on your return. You should always seek independent legal advice about your options in the first instance and to find out how return may affect your ability to live in the UK in future.

If you are facing financial difficulties because of conditions of your stay in the UK:

• Contact Housing Services if you are an Islington council tenant. We can help you to avoid falling into rent arrears.
• Contact the Housing Aid Team as soon as possible if you are worried about becoming homeless
• Check our advice services page to find out where you can get help with benefits, money, housing and legal advice.
• Check www.housing-rights.info for advice on housing rights and options in relation to immigration status.
• Contact the We are Islington helpline if you need support or know someone who does

If you have no access to any support (e.g. benefits or housing) because of your immigration status then you may qualify for help with housing and financial support from social services, please see our No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) pages for more information on this.

Information rights and entitlements is provided by the NRPF Network.