Immigration

fslServices

FSL Solicitors Immigration Work Steps and Costs

Immigration matters can often be complicated and time consuming, the current UK immigration system is turbulent.  At FSL Solicitors, our wealth of knowledge and experience allows us to focus on you and your needs to deliver the outcome in your best interest.

We cover a variety of issues, including but not limited to:

  • Naturalisation
  • Entry clearance
  • Judicial review
  • Sponsorship licence & compliance
  • Appeals
  • Business immigration
  • Skilled worker visa
  • Detention, Bail and Injunctions
  • Point based system applications
  • Personal immigration matters including spouse/partner visa entry clearance
  • Extension of spousal visas
  • Settlement/indefinite leave to remain applications

FSL Solicitors Cost Information for Immigration Work 

All regulated Solicitors are required to provide price information when assisting clients with the preparation and submission of immigration applications, excluding asylum applications.

The following types of applications are covered by the rules:

    • 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
    • Registration of Minors as British Citizens.
    • Applications under the Immigration Rules, including:
  • student and work experience visas
  • visit visas (for tourism, or visiting friends / family)
  • spouse and partners applications, including fiancé(e)s or proposed civil partners
  • applications for work, business or study under the Points-Based System;
  • dependent relative and family reunion applications
  • ancestry visas
  • other categories, such as applications on the basis of long residence

However, Solicitors are not required to publish prices for the following types of applications:

  • Asylum applications
  • Statelessness applications
  • Human rights / private life applications
  • Applications for Secretary of State immigration bail
  • Reconsideration and legacy requests
  • Judicial review, such as claims for unlawful detention and removal
  • Immigration services to businesses (e.g. applications for certificates of sponsorship or confirmation of acceptance for studies).

It should be noted that all our costs are excluding VAT and disbursements (such as interpreters fees) and Home Office fees.

Charging VAT in relation to immigration matters can be complex as it may depend on where the client lives and what immigration permission they have. In any event for the purposes of the Transparency Rules VAT is charged @20% where it is applicable.

There are various applications that prospective applicant would make which will involve taking instructions, preparing, submitting the application and follow up the application with the Home Office.

All those works are charged at an hourly rate: £350 per hour plus vat @ 20%.

On average, this type of work takes between 4-6 hours to complete. This is dependent on factors such as the amount of supporting evidence needed, the number of dependents if any, the language spoken by the client.

This means that on average the costs are between £1400 and £2100. Plus, VAT which is charged at @ 20%. However, as stated above VAT is charged subject to the jurisdiction of the client’s presence. That is to say no VAT is chargeable if the applicant is overseas.

If you are able to provide sufficient evidence at our first meeting and clearly meet the applicable Immigration Rules, the cost is likely to be at the lower end of this range. As for the disbursements you will be expected to pay the following charges:

  1. Home Office fees.  This would vary depending on the type of application
  2. Interpreter’s fees most likely to be at an hourly rate of £50 per hour
  3. Translation of any documents into English.

Please note that we will be in a position to give a better cost estimate once we have the specific instructions.

Please further note that we have Arabic and Swahili speaking Solicitors and you may not need an interpreter or a translator to assist with your application.

What services are included:

The work will involve:

  • discussing your circumstances in detail and confirming whether this is the most appropriate application for you to make and what other options may be available to you;
  • giving you advice about the requirements of the Immigration Rules and whether you meet the criteria.
  • if you do not fulfil certain criteria, whether this can be overcome and how, which on average takes 2 hours;
  • considering the supporting evidence you have provided, which we anticipate will take 2 to 4 hours*;
  • where necessary, helping you obtain further evidence (such as medical records and bank statements), including taking statements of any witnesses;
  • preparing your application and submitting it on your behalf, which we anticipate will take 2-4 hours;
  • Attendance at a Home Office interview: if the Home Office ask you to attend an interview, we will give you clear advice (and discuss the possibility of us attending with you) at the appropriate time. This could be between 4 and 6 hours of work.
  • giving you advice about the outcome of the application and any further steps you need to take.

*the amount of hours depends on the number of documents, whether they need to be translated, whether anything is missing and how long it will take to obtain the missing documents 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 at £50 per hour. This kind of application will normally require between 1-2 hours with an interpreter, depending on the complexity of your case.  In any event interpreters charges may not be incurred as we have Arabic and Swahili Speaking Solicitors.
  • 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.

The costs quoted here do not include:

  • Any Home Office fees for making the application. You will pay this to the Home Office directly as part of the application process.
  • Where the Home Office refuse your application, advice and assistance in relation to any appeal
  • Any court fees, home office fees and any disbarments will be added on to your fees.
  • Interpreter’s fees
  • Translation of documents fees

How long will my application take?

We cannot guarantee how long the Home Office will take to process your application. Read the current processing times.

We will normally be able to submit this type of application within 2 weeks of you instructing us, but we will let you know at the earliest opportunity if it is likely to take longer than this.

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

It is always hard to give costs estimate without knowing the nature of the application and how long it would take.  Therefore, the above time scale is a simple estimate, as that is the best, we are able to provide at this stage without knowing the specific instructions from clients.