“We will disrupt and prosecute unregulated immigration advice,” said the Immigration Advice Authority after two men were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on 6 January 2026 for a bogus EU Treaty Rights scheme. The IAA published details on 7 January. ([gov.uk](Link

Syed Ali Shah Gilani, 51, of Solihull, received a 14‑month prison term, suspended for two years, and must pay £11,000 in victim compensation plus a surcharge. Risalat Hussain, 38, of Wolverhampton, was fined £250, payable within three months. Both pleaded guilty on 16 June 2025 to offences including unqualified immigration advice (Immigration and Asylum Act 1999) and fraud by false representation (Fraud Act 2006), according to the regulator. ([gov.uk](Link

Investigators said clients were charged around £5,000 and told to travel to Ireland to open bank accounts and obtain local identification numbers to create the appearance of relocation. Some were met in Dublin, but no genuine applications were lodged; many struggled to contact the organiser once money changed hands. ([gov.uk](Link

For readers across the North-from Manchester and Leeds to Bradford and Sunderland-the pitch will sound familiar: social media posts and WhatsApp messages promising a “shortcut” to EU rights. It isn’t. If someone claims a quick hop to Dublin can fix status, treat it as a warning sign.

The regulator at the centre of the case has changed shape. The Immigration Advice Authority replaced the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner on 16 January 2025, with a brief to tighten oversight. Gaon Hart took up post as Immigration Services Commissioner on 12 December 2025 to lead that work. ([gov.uk](Link

Ministers say tougher rules now back enforcement. Under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act, rogue advisers can face civil penalties of up to £15,000, aimed at protecting people who need help while supporting lawful routes. ([gov.uk](Link

Home Office minister for Migration and Citizenship Mike Tapp, appointed on 6 September 2025, has responsibility for immigration rules, the EU Settlement Scheme and Border Force operations-underscoring the department’s focus on regulated advice and compliance. ([gov.uk](Link

For Northern families, students and small employers, the takeaway is simple: check who you’re dealing with before handing over a passport or a penny. Ask for an IAA registration number or a practising certificate if they’re a solicitor or barrister, insist on written terms, and keep records of every payment and message.

Since Brexit, routes once known as EU Treaty Rights are closed to new cases. Today, rights largely flow through the EU Settlement Scheme, where the main deadline passed on 30 June 2021, with only limited late or joining‑family applications allowed. A quick trip to Dublin won’t create new rights. ([gov.uk](Link

If you need help, the IAA advises checking an adviser on its Adviser Register and reporting concerns through its portal. If you think you’ve paid for work that never happened, speak to a regulated adviser or a law centre quickly and ask your bank about chargebacks. ([gov.uk](Link