A photo from Asylum Welcome's Oxford through my eyes project. Click on the photo for a bigger version - and more on the photographer.
advice
The core of our work is our office advice service. The advice is given from our offices in the Cowley Road, a multi-cultural area of Oxford where many asylum seekers are housed. The premises are in an old vicarage, set back from the road between ISIS Properties and East Oxford Action (the old church hall).
Our Advice Workers, together with around 20 office volunteers, see people on an appointments-only basis.

To access our advice service, please contact the office by phone (01865 722082) or drop in to make an appointment (click here for map and directions)

Advice Workers
The Advice Workers are registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner to provide general help for asylum issues. Where possible, the advice workers will signpost clients to other more specialised services.

Advice given covers a range of issues: finding legal representation in matters before the Home Office and immigration appeal courts; support entitlements for those who are not allowed to work (the large majority of asylum seekers); benefit entitlements for those with permission to stay who are unable to work; and access to health care. In essence, we are a sort of Citizens Advice Bureau for refugees and asylum seekers!

The Advice Workers see clients on a one-to-one basis, and liaise with Social Services, NASS, legal representatives and many other organisations.

Lawyers
Where possible, we will try to refer clients to one of the specialist immigration advisors that operate in the Oxford area. However, many clients are not able to find a local advisor, or are already represented by somebody who is based elsewhere, so we also liaise closely with suitably qualified legal representatives all over the UK, and particularly in London.


Click here for information on our "visitors to detainees" programme
The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) allows us to give you advice at Level 1 (Ref. no N200100583), and we have the Community Legal Service Quality Mark at the General Help Level.
Asylum Welcome, 276a Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1UR, tel 01865 722082, fax 01865 792532
e-mail office@asylum-welcome.supanet.com

Our office is open on every weekday except Thursday between 10 in the morning and 3 in the afternoon. It is closed at the weekends, and is usually closed on Bank Holidays.