Details of the services we provide on an estate administration matter
We advise in relation to both business and personal immigration matters, with the exception that we do not advise in relation to asylum, refugee or human rights applications. We also advise in relation to applying to become a British citizen.
When we provide you with a fee proposal for advising in relation to a specific immigration application or project, we will usually provide details of the scope of work, including a breakdown of the aspects upon which we are advising, any assumptions we have made and those aspects which are excluded from our scope. Each matter is different so once we have a better understanding of your application or the specific advice needed, we can provide you with a fee quote and details of the scope of work in relation to your matter.
We have provided an indication of our fees below, based on our advising in relation to a “typical” immigration application in so far as this is possible. We have assumed that our services would include the following key stages:
- Taking initial instructions;
- Assessing you and your dependants’ (if applicable) eligibility to apply for the particular type of immigration application(s);
- Advising on the documentation/information required for the application(s);
- Reviewing the documentation and advising on any ‘gaps’ in the evidence and any further documentation required;
- Reviewing an initial draft of the immigration application form(s) and amending if necessary;
- Preparing a detailed cover letter to the Home Office in support of the application(s) and advising you on submitting the documents to the Home Office (where appropriate);
- Liaising by email and brief phone calls; and
- Checking that the visa has been issued correctly and a note of advice afterwards regarding your immigration/British nationality status.
There is no “standard” time frame for an immigration application as every immigration application has its own characteristics which will impact upon timings. For example, the time taken depends on a number of factors, including the type of application, whether you are applying in the UK or from overseas, your previous immigration history, whether you have any criminal convictions, the time of year when you submit your application and the method of application, including whether you pay extra to the UK immigration authorities for a priority service.
Please note that the fees mentioned below do not include any immigration application fees or other Home Office fees or other additional expenses. We have provided details below of the likely expenses in relation to an immigration application but these differ depending on the particular application, the length of the visa required and whether the application is submitted from within or outside of the UK.
Overview of fees
No one immigration application is exactly the same as another – the process will depend upon a number of factors, including the type of application, your own personal circumstances and where you are applying from. Our fees will reflect the particular requirements of the immigration application in question and so we cannot provide a “typical” fee for immigration matters. In light of this, we cannot provide a meaningful estimate of the cost of us helping you until we have details of your circumstances. That said, our fees for straightforward immigration applications start from around £3,500 plus VAT.
Our fees for dealing with a straightforward immigration application, such as straightforward spouse applications, straightforward applications to become a British citizen, indefinite leave to remain applications, ancestry applications, Skilled Worker or Senior/Specialist Worker applications and student applications usually tend to be in the region of £3,500 to £6,500 plus VAT and any additional expenses.
However, where such applications are less straightforward, they are more likely to cost in the region of £4,500 to £7,500 plus VAT and disbursements.
Finally, we also advise in relation to UK Expansion Worker, and Innovator Founder applications. These types of applications are generally more complex and our fees for these types of application are typically in the region of £9,500 to £25,000 plus VAT, depending on the complexity of the matter and the type of application.
Whatever the nature of the immigration or nationality application or advice, there are certain complicating factors that are likely to increase costs. These include (but are not limited to) the following:
- There are a number of dependants;
- You or your dependants (as applicable) do not meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules, the EU Settlement Scheme or the relevant British Nationality Act, depending on the particular circumstances of the matter;
- You or your dependants (as applicable) meet the relevant immigration, EU Settlement Scheme or nationality requirements but there are complexities around proof or evidence of this;
- There is a requirement to attend meetings or have lengthy discussions on the phone;
- The documents are not sent promptly and we have to chase for these or there is a lengthy delay between first instructions and submission of the application;
- You or your dependants (as applicable) have an adverse immigration history or criminal convictions or previous immigration refusals;
- Required documentation, for example from previous employers, cannot be obtained;
- Children applying are not the biological children of the adult applicant or sponsor (as appropriate);
- There are particular time constraints involved with the application;
- Technical difficulties with the Home Office application and/or payment systems or appointment booking process.
At the start of any immigration matter, we will consider your circumstances and the work required in relation to it. We usually charge for initial advice on the basis of our hourly rates – see below. If you then want advice on submitting the immigration application, we can provide an individual fee proposal for that further work which takes into account the actual circumstances relating to your matter and reflects any complexities we are aware of at the outset.
To the extent that unexpected complications arise during the progress of the matter, we will inform you of this and will discuss the potential consequences, including in relation to fees.
Our fee proposals are based upon the estimated hours it is likely to take to provide the advice or complete the application. Our hourly rates vary according to the nature of a particular engagement and the seniority of the lawyers. In considering pricing we take into accountmany factors such as your objectives and the complexity, novelty, urgency, value and risk of a project. Our hourly rates are as follows (these are usually reviewed in April each year):