Advice ‘sham’ costs ex-boss £2,600
AFORMER company director is £2,600 out of pocket after admitting supplying ‘sham’ immigration advice.
Tariq Hussain, who used to run Immigration Assistance Services Ltd, on Milkstone Road, Deeplish, ‘misrepresented his company as being qualified to provide immigration advice’ to clients seeking to bring relatives to the UK.
He was fined £600 and ordered to pay £1,999 compensation at Manchester Crown Court, having pleaded guilty to three charges of providing unregulated immigration advice.
Hussain, 34, of Livesey Street, in the town centre, claimed IAS, which was dissolved in January 2017, was supervised by three companies, including one based in Malta, another in Peterborough and a London firm headed by a lawyer based in Romania.
But this was a ‘sham’, the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner found.
Despite this being highlighted to Hussain, ISA, which on its Facebook page was described as a ‘unique service guaranteeing spouse visas without the usual problems involved’, continued to seek to provide immigration advice whilst exploiting socalled ‘Surinder Singh’ applications to the Irish authorities, a now closed immigration route, used by UK nationals who want to bring in close relatives from outside the European Economic Area.
It meant that if a UK national lived and works in another European country for a period of time, they could be considered under EU rather than British law on their return.
If they were joined by a non-EEA spouse, they were allowed to bring them into the UK without having to meet certain immigration requirements that applied to Britons.
Sentencing Judge Paul Lawton said: “You set up a company providing immigration advice and by your plea today acknowledge your neglect in the supervision claimed.
“You put an artificial gloss on your claim to supervision to enable your company to provide immigration advice.
“You have pleaded guilty and I bear in mind persons have lost money”
Speaking after the decision the Deputy Immigration Services Commissioner, Ian Leigh, said he was ‘delighted’ with the outcome.
He added: “We have clear standards outlining what we expect in terms of the fitness and competence of regulated advisers. Tariq Hussain chose to operate outside the law.
“I am delighted with the outcome of this case, and I hope this sends a clear message to other people considering providing immigration advice under sham supervision arrangements.
“Either act within the law or you will find yourself in court.”