BSA member immigration support
BSA members benefit from free and discounted specialist immigration legal support from our team at BSA Group Legal.
The BSA Group Legal team helps with all UK immigration matters relating to independent schools. It is led by immigration expert and solicitor Kate Hollyer who is Legal and Public Affairs Director, BSA Group and Director, BSA Group Legal Services ltd. Kate is a member of the Home Office Education Advisory Group and is the boarding sector representative for this group.
BSA Group Legal offers a full-spectrum immigration support service including:
- CAS support: including full management of the service
- Policy, record-keeping and reporting support
- BCA and CAS allocation guidance
- Mock UKVI audits
- Agent/guardian checks
- Due diligence checks to assess financial and pupil eligibility
- Bespoke immigration training and advice
- Individual student and family visa application support
- Home Office escalation support including replacement BRPs, delayed application decisions, ISI compliance issues, CAS reinstatement and visa refusals.
Crisis, employment and related immigration support can also be offered upon request.
School support packages
Dedicated immigration support from sector specialists: maintain UKVI compliance and ensure a smooth start to your school’s international student journey through BSA Group Legal.
Annual retainer packages at a level to suit your school’s needs. Each package provides schools with access to expert immigration advice throughout the year. We can also act as your Level 1 or Level 2 SMS User to support you in creating and assigning CAS for your sponsored students and liaise directly with parents and other representatives on your behalf as required.
Our specialist support covers the full remit of UKVI sponsor matters, including:
- UKVI compliance concerns
- CAS and CoS allocation renewals
- BCA applications
- SMS navigation
- Reporting duties
- Record-keeping
- Monitoring and safeguarding
- Enrolment procedures
- Right to study checks
- Right to work checks
- UKUI communications
- Visa application queries
Our services
All BSA members benefit from specialist immigration legal advice from our team at BSA Group Legal. This includes 15 minutes free telephone advice each term, per school. This offer is open to BSA members only and not agents/representatives of the school.
Due diligence serviceÂ
Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) in partnership with Verisio offer a bespoke service for UK boarding schools. We undertake the due diligence checks on the source of your international fee revenues that are expected of a prudent international student sponsor.
Why choose usÂ
- Verisio’s expertise in ethical and effective international due diligence, coupled with BSA’s understanding of UKVI compliance requirements in independent schools, together ensure best practice in knowing who your school is doing business with. This is a data driven solution to the money laundering and people trafficking risks posed by international applicants to UK independent schools.
- Our reports provide you with the security of knowing who your international parents are, the reputational risk they pose, and the source of their funds. this ensures that you are equipped to manage any associated risk.
- The charge can be added to your registration fee, enabling you to check potential parents before offering a place.
Each report providesÂ
- Executive Summary
- Global Sanction Checks (on two parents and claimed source of wealth to pay the school fees e.g. parents’ company or gifting grandparents)
- Political Exposure Checks (on two parents and claimed source of wealth used to pay the school fees)
- Global Adverse Media & Database Searches (on two parents and claimed source of wealth used to pay the school fees)
- Source of Funds Commentary
- High Risk Jurisdiction Check.
Contact BSA Group Legal
General immigration support: legal@bsagroup.org.uk
Due diligence checking services: diligence@bsagroup.org.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)207 798 1583
