Citizens Advice Scotland provides support to people who have recently moved to Scotland and international students. Seraphus provides support to employers and inward investors.
Who can use the service
You can use Scotland's Migration Service if you:
- Have arrived in Scotland within the past six months
- Are an international student in your final year at a Scottish university or college and would like to stay in Scotland after graduating
- Are an employer based in Scotland who would like to hire international workers
- Are an investor based in another country who would like to set up or expand a business in Scotland
You cannot use Scotland's Migration Service if you are under the age of 18. If you are under 18, you can access support from Child Clanlaw, or the Scottish Child Law Centre.
You cannot use Scotland’s Migration Service if you are an asylum seeker, victim of trafficking, stateless person or seeking international protection. You can get support from the Scottish Refugee Council who you can call on 0808 1967 274. If you need legal advice in relation to protection, you can find a lawyer through the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner or the Law Society of Scotland.
Booking an appointment
You can book an appointment with an adviser using the online booking system.
An adviser might offer you up to two follow-up appointments, depending on your circumstances. The adviser will talk to you about follow-up appointments at the end of your first appointment.
Appointments for people who have recently moved to Scotland and international students
You can book an appointment with Citizens Advice Scotland:
- From 9am to 8pm, Monday to Friday
- From 10am to 4pm on Saturday
- Up to three weeks in advance
- At least three days before your selected date
You can choose to have the appointment on Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or by phone. Your appointment will last up to one hour.
You will get a confirmation email after you've booked an appointment. The email will explain what information you should prepare and what will happen at the appointment.
If you cannot find an appointment time, you should email Citizens Advice Scotland at migration@cas.org.uk.
Book a free advice appointment with Citizens Advice Scotland.
Appointments for employers and inward investors
You can book an appointment with Seraphus:
- On Monday from 2pm to 5pm
- On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9am to 5pm
- On Friday from 9am to 1pm
- Up to four weeks in advance
- At least three days before your selected date
You can choose to have the appointment on Zoom, WhatsApp, Google Meet, Skype, FaceTime, or by phone. Your appointment will last up to one hour.
You will get a confirmation email after you've booked an appointment. The email will explain what information you should prepare and what will happen at the appointment.
If you cannot find an appointment time, you should email Seraphus on scotlandsmigrationservice@seraphus.co.uk.
Book a free advice appointment with Seraphus.
How the service is regulated
The provision of immigration advice is regulated by part V of the 1999 Immigration and Asylum Act. Advisers must be registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) or be a member of a specified professional body.
Citizens Advice Scotland is regulated by the OISC. Citizens Advice Scotland advisers operate under the Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Providers.
Seraphus is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Scottish Government is not liable for any information or advice provided by our third-party service providers. Only the advice provider is liable for the quality of advice provided to people who use the service.
How to contact us
If you have a general enquiry or would like to give feedback about the service, you can email: migration@cas.org.uk.
How to complain
If you are not satisfied with the service you received, you can raise a complaint.
Complain to Citizens Advice Scotland
Email: migration@cas.org.uk.
For more information about how Citizens Advice Scotland handles complaints, read the Citizens Advice Scotland complaint policy.
Complain to Seraphus
Email: complaints@seraphus.co.uk.
For more information about how Seraphus handle complaints, read the Seraphus complaint handling policy.
How we use your personal information
We collect personal data or information for the purposes of delivering Scotland’s Migration Service, and to help us better understand your needs so we can continuously improve our service.
Information on how scotland.org uses your personal information is set out in the privacy policy on Scotland.org.
When you leave Scotland.org to book an appointment with Citizens Advice Scotland or Seraphus, your personal information is covered by their privacy rules. They follow General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and keep your data safe.
For information about how your data will be used when you book an appointment, please read the Citizens Advice Scotland privacy policy.
For information about how your data will be used when you book an appointment, please read the Seraphus privacy policy.
Citizens Advice Scotland and Seraphus will securely store your personal data for 7 years. This is for the purposes of delivering the service and to satisfy legal, accounting, and reporting requirements. The lawful basis used to process your information is Art 6 (1) (f) ‘legitimate interests’ and Art 9 (2) (a) ‘consent’ of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Disclaimer
The content on the Scotland's Migration Service platform is created by Citizens Advice Scotland and Seraphus. We make every effort to keep the information on our website accurate. The materials contained on our website are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute legal or other professional advice. Scottish Government accepts no liability for loss which may arise from reliance on information contained in this site, or any other site linked to this site.
Information and advice received through the Scotland's Migration Service does not constitute ongoing legal representation. If, after using the service, you require further legal advice or representation, you may wish to instruct another provider. You can find a qualified adviser through the Law Society of Scotland or the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC).
Terms and conditions of Scotland.org
Scotland's Migration Service is hosted on www.Scotland.org. Scotland.org is a site operated by Brand Scotland, a partnership between the Scottish Government, VisitScotland, Scottish Development International (the international arm of Scottish Enterprise) and Universities Scotland.
For Scotland.org’s policies and procedures, please see the privacy policy on Scotland.org.