Immigration

The applications we can advise you on are as follows:

• Applications for naturalisation or registration under the British Nationality Act 1981
• Applications on behalf of European Economic Area (EEA) nationals and their family members under the applicable EEA Regulations or Immigration Rules, including applications for permanent residence, residence cards, and registration certificates
• Applications under the Immigration Rules, including:
  
  • Applications for indefinite leave to remain (ILR)
  • Entrepreneur and investor visa applications

Key stages and costs:

Our hourly rate charges vary between £180 and £380 per hour, depending on the seniority of lawyer working on your matter.

When we work on your matter, we will advise you, and provide you with estimates for the different stages involved. Typically, these stages will be split as follows:

Stage 1 – discussing your circumstances in detail and confirming what are the most appropriate application(s) for you to make and what other options may be available to you. This may also include a detailed comparison of several options.

Our fees for this stage will be between £1,500 and £5,000 (plus VAT where appropriate). The lower end of the scale will be for matters where there is only one application option which you would like advice on and the higher end will be where there is more than one application option, or you require advice for you and your spouse/minor children and a detailed report needs to be prepared.

Stage 2 – once we receive your instructions on the application you would like to make, we will provide you with a detailed summary of the application process and a time estimate for completion. The time chart may be subject to change depending on your personal circumstances.

Our fees for this stage will be between £750 and £5,000 (plus VAT where appropriate) and our fees will vary depending on:

• The type of application being made
• Any issues with making the application that we have identified and we need to assist you with
• If we need to consider applications for your spouse/minor children
• If we need to advise you on the tax implications of your application

Stage 3 – at this stage we will look to prepare the application.

Please note: we outsource the completion of the application forms to a third party. The third party will charge separate fees, which are calculated on a case by case basis, and we will ensure that these are made clear to you at the outset.

In terms of our role at this stage, we would be assisting you with any queries you have about the application, ensuring that any additional documents required, such as medical records or bank statements are requested and liaising with the third party company regarding the application.

Our fees for completing this stage are likely to be between £750 and £2,000 (plus VAT where appropriate) depending on the complexity of the application and the amount of supporting documents we need to request and subsequently review.

Stage 4 – we will then advise you about the outcome of the application. This could include:

• Queries you have regarding your new immigration status
• Pre-immigration planning such as, assisting you with finding accommodation
• Ensuring you are compliant with any tax obligations as and when they arise

We will also be able to assist you with advice if you have been asked to attend the Home Office for an interview before your new immigration status can be granted or if there are issues with the application which have caused it to fail.

Our fees for completing stage 4 will vary between £1,000 and £6,000 (plus VAT where appropriate). The lower end of this estimate will be where minimal advice regarding your new status is concerned and there is minimal tax advice required. If more complex advice is needed, such as if the application has failed or if you require our assistance with pre-immigration planning, then our fees will be towards the higher end of the scale.

Disbursements (not included in costs set out above):

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as visa fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

• Interpreters fees may be applicable if required. We will be able to provide you with an indication as to cost once we have more information from you.
• Outsourcing fees for the company preparing the application forms.
• Independent expert reports e.g. medical experts. These are not required in many cases: we will let you know as soon as possible if we consider an expert report is necessary.
• If there is an interview and we do attend with you, there will be additional disbursements in respect of our mileage/travel expenses.
• Application costs payable to the Home Office

How long will your matter take?

It is difficult to say at this point how long it will take us to prepare an application and complete the entire process, as this will be determined at Stage 2, once we are aware of your requirements. We also cannot guarantee how long the Home Office will take to process your application.

Factors that can make your matter more complex and may incur additional costs

Please note the anticipated fees and stages are an estimate based on the facts above. All applications are likely to vary depending on your personal circumstances and requirements and of course, we can give you a more accurate estimate once we have more information about your specific case.

If you have specific requirements which make your application more complex then it is likely that additional costs will be incurred.