Former Immigration Advisory Service clients can retrieve their files until 28 May 2012

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The Chief Registrar, Mr Registrar Baister, announced that any former UK Immigration Advisory Service (IAS) clients will be able to retrieve their files from the archives from now 27 February 2012 until 28 May 2012.

This announcement was made on 28 February 2012 at the hearing of the Joint Administrators' application for directions as to what to do with the files that were in the IAS archive at the time when IAS closed down.

The IAS was a free charity service that gave legal advice and representation to immigrants and asylum seekers in England and Scotland. From April 2009 until March 2010, the charity handled more than 24,000 cases. On 11 July 2011, IAS went into unannounced administration, blaming financial difficulties caused by government changes to legal aid funding given to help immigrants and asylum seekers.

A statement released by Mr Registrar Baister stated, "If you are a former client of IAS and want to retrieve your file, pursuant to a court order made on 27 February 2012, you now have only until midnight on 28th May 2012 to make a request for retrieval."

It also noted that if you don't make the request for the file within this time frame, any files held by IAS cannot be retrieved and they will be securely destroyed.

If you would like to retrieve your file, please contact IAS and provide them with your name and as many other contact details as you can. There is also an form you can fill out on their website to submit for file retrieval.