We assist individuals in relation to the various immigration services set out below. Details of our immigration services for commercial organisations can be found on this link.

Duncan Bain is our lead lawyer in relation to immigration. Details of his qualifications and experience can be seen by clicking here.

We have provided estimates below for individual applications which are based on the hourly rate of £250 plus VAT that is charged by a senior immigration lawyer (10+ years’ experience). VAT is chargeable in addition to the fees stated, though if you are overseas you may be exempt from paying VAT.

Consultation service – We have provided estimates below for individual applications which are based on the hourly rate of £250 plus VAT that is charged by a senior immigration lawyer (10+ years’ experience). VAT is chargeable in addition to the fees stated, though if you are overseas, you may be exempt from paying VAT.

Fixed Cost: £250 plus VAT*

Review service – If you know the immigration category that you wish to apply for, you can complete your application and gather all supporting documents and then ask us to check it for you to ensure that all requirements are met and to identify if any additional evidence is necessary.   We will then provide you with a list of recommended actions, or otherwise, confirm that the application cannot be improved. If you require assistance implementing our recommendations then further costs will be applicable.

Fixed Cost: £450 plus VAT*

*Our costs for identity verification are £40 plus VAT in addition to the above fixed costs.

Applications – We can assist with every aspect of an application. We will work with you to gather the evidence, complete the relevant application form and will guide you on every step of the process. We will provide a covering letter to accompany your application and deal with any arising correspondence. We can act for you whether you are in the UK or overseas.

Typical fees charged by us depend on the application type. These fees do not include the fees and charges that you are required to pay to the government. These are not fixed costs unless specifically agreed with you. Please see the notes on our fees below for further information.

INITIAL, EXTENSION OR SETTLEMENT APPLICATIONS

Category Typical fee (excluding VAT)
Visitor visa application. £1,000
As partner/spouse/fiancé, fiancée of a UK resident or to come to the UK. £1,500
To study (i.e. Tier 4 of the points based system). £1,000
To work for a UK based sponsor (i.e. Tier 2 or Tier 5 of the points based system). £1,000 (£1,500 to settle)
To be an entrepreneur under the Start Up or Innovator categories £2,000
To be an investor under Tier 1 of the points based system. £3,000
Family member under points based system. £1,000
As dependant relative or child being reunited with UK resident parent. £2,500
Work in the UK as a Commonwealth citizen with a British born grandparent (i.e. Ancestry route). £1,500

 

OTHER TYPES OF SETTLEMENT ROUTES

Category Typical fee (excluding VAT)
To settle in the UK after 10 years lawful residence (i.e. Indefinite Leave to Remain on the basis of Long Residence). £2,000
To settle in the UK on the basis of private/ family life – for example, on the basis of unlawful residence of  at least 20 years. £3,000

 

EU/ EEA APPLICATIONS

Category Typical fee (excluding VAT)
EU Settled Status application for pre-settled status or settled status (Main Applicant) £350
Family Permit under EU Settled Status Scheme £500

 

 

CITIZENSHIP AND RIGHT OF ABODE

Category Typical fee (excluding VAT)
To become British ((i.e. application for naturalisation or registration). £850
To obtain confirmation that you already are British or have the right of abode (e.g. passport or certificate of entitlement to right of abode). £1,000

 

CHALLENGING DECISIONS

Category Typical fee (excluding VAT)
Preparation of administrative review application where you do not have the right  of appeal against a refusal. £1,000
Preparation and representation in appeal to the First Tier Tribunal where you have a right of appeal. £3,000 – £5,000

 

NOTES ON OUR FEES

Our fees for an initial consultation or a review are fixed but our other fees are not. The menu of our immigration services shows the fees that we will charge you if your case is a typical one. However they are not fixed fees and certain factors can lead to increased costs.

Our actual fees for these applications will depend on the amount of time spent, and this will be influenced by a number of factors. The following factors will lead to costs being higher that than the typical cost:

  • A client has family members that are applying at the same time as dependants, requiring separation applications;
  • There is a serious complicating factor with a client’s application – for example, they have a record of not complying with immigration rules, have used deception in a previous application, or have a criminal record;
  • The case involves Human Rights and involves considering a large amount of evidence or taking witness statements;
  • We are instructed at the last moment, requiring us to prioritise the client’s application and work urgently;
  • The client does not respond to our requests for information;
  • The client’s plans or circumstances change whilst the application is being prepared;
  • The Home Office requests an interview.

Once we understand your case we will provide you with an updated estimate.

Our fees for dealing with an application include all work required to prepare and submit the application. This will involve obtaining information from you about your circumstances, reviewing all relevant evidence, advising you on the limits and requirements of any relevant immigration category and ensuring the application suits your circumstances. We will also handle all correspondence up to the point when a decision is received.

We can offer no guarantees that applications will succeed. We will warn you where there is a particular risk of the application being rejected, for example, if the evidence that you qualify is not strong. However in addition the Home Office may make mistakes or unusually harsh decisions. We charge separate fees to challenge refusals, as shown on the menu of costs.

If we find a problem which means that you cannot expect to be successful with the application we will advise you at the earliest possible moment and we will recommend that we stop work, unless a solution can be found or different application prepared.  If a matter does not proceed we will expect you to pay only for the time spent at the point that we stop work.

ESTIMATES

When we start work for you we will provide you with details of our terms and an estimate of cost and timescales that is specific to your circumstances. Estimates are not binding but we should not exceed these costs without good reason or warning you in advance that extra cost is likely to be incurred.

OTHER COSTS

Our fees do not include the Home Office fees and you will need to budget to pay these separately. For details of the current Home Office fees you will need to check their website for the latest fees.

Many categories also require payment by you of the Immigration Health Surcharge. Please click here for further information.

Our standard fees do not include the cost of a professional interpreter or of any translation work that is required (evidence that is not in English normally must be translated before being submitted). We can help you find providers of these services. You will need to cover the cost of their work. If you have a friend or family member who you would like to use as an interpreter then this is fine. However translations usually must be done by an official translation company.

In some cases expert input is required from third parties – e.g. DNA reports/ medical examinations. The work of such experts is not covered by our fees.

TIMESCALES

Immigration applications normally take 2-4 weeks to prepare, assuming all evidence is available. The Home Office decision making times vary significantly between different types of application. Please click here to see their service standards. More accurate information about their processing times is available for applications made overseas by clicking here. Processing times can be reduced by purchasing premium service, where this option is available. We will let you know the full range of options.

NEXT STEPS

If you have an immigration matter on which you seek advice or assistance then please telephone or email Duncan Bain (01865 311133/[email protected]) to arrange an initial discussion, without any obligation.