UK Immigration Lawyers
Based in London and active internationally, we provide bespoke immigration solutions for both business and personal matters. Our dedicated immigration team has a wealth of experience advising on all aspects of immigration law, including audit and compliance.
We prioritise strong guidance on and direction for, all aspects of immigration, including the basis of application and compliance in an era of ever-changing law, guidance and processes.
Our corporate relocation services include the incorporation of business and complete support for the transfer and resettling of employees or potential employees.
UK Immigration Services:
Tier 1 (Investor) (Extension and ILR only)
Who is this visa category for?
The Tier 1 (Investor) visa is a passive investment program, designed for high-net-worth individuals who invest at least £2,000,000 into share capital or loan capital in active trading UK companies.
Visa Duration?
The initial visa is granted for 3 years and 4 months (or 3 years if processed in the UK).
Can the visa be extended?
A subsequent extension can be applied for, providing all criteria are met. Holders of the Tier 1 Investor visa may apply to extend their visa for a further 2 years.
Permanent Settlement?
The Tier 1 (Investor) route can lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in 2–5 years and citizenship in 5–6 years, subject to meeting the eligibility criteria. An accelerated settlement option is available and dependent on the amount of invested capital – £ 10 million leads to ILR after 2 years, or £ 5 million for ILR in 3 years.
Legal Fees?
The fees for individual Tier 1 (Investor) visa entry, visa extension, ILR and citizenship depend on specific issues, contingent urgencies and case complexities. We will provide a bespoke quote based on an in-depth assessment of your case.
Start-up visa
Who is this visa category for?
The Start-up visa category is for new entrepreneurs starting their first UK business. This category has no set initial capital investment requirement. To qualify for a visa, applicants must first obtain an endorsement from a Home Office-approved endorsing body confirming that their business is innovative, viable and scalable.
Visa Duration?
The maximum grant of leave in this category is 2 years.
Can the visa be extended?
Applicants will not be able to extend their visa in the same category, however they may switch to an innovator visa, if they meet the requirements.
Permanent Settlement?
The start-up visa UK does not directly lead to indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK, unless an applicant has switched to the Innovator category.
Legal Fees?
The fees for individual Start-up applications depend on specific issues, contingent urgencies and case complexities. We will provide a bespoke quote based on an in-depth assessment of your case.
Innovator visa
Who is this visa category for?
The Innovator visa route is aimed at experienced entrepreneurs looking to set up or run a business in the UK. Applicants are required to demonstrate an innovative, viable and scalable business idea which is supported by an endorsing body. With some exceptions, applicants should have access to at least £50,000 to invest in their business.
Visa Duration?
The initial visa granted is for 3 years.
Can the visa be extended?
A subsequent extension can be applied for, providing all criteria are met. Holders of the Innovator visa may apply to extend their visa for a further 3 years.
Permanent Settlement?
Migrants would be eligible for permanent residence, Indefinite Leave to Remain in 5 years, and for citizenship after 6 years after initial entry to the United Kingdom, provided all the requirements are being met.
Legal Fees?
The fees for individual Innovator applications depend on specific issues, contingent urgencies and case complexities. We will provide a bespoke quote based on an in-depth assessment of your case.
Skilled Worker visa
Who is this visa category for?
The Skilled Worker visa is the main UK visa route for skilled workers coming to the UK to take up employment. Applicants will need to have a job offer from a licenced sponsor, who will confirm that they can do the job they are hiring them for and if it qualifies them for a visa.
Visa Duration?
The initial visa is granted for a maximum of 3 years.
Can the visa be extended?
A subsequent extension can be applied for, providing all criteria are met. Holders of the Skilled Worker visa may apply to extend their visa for a further 2 years.
Permanent Settlement?
Migrants would be eligible for permanent residence, Indefinite Leave to Remain in 5 years, and for citizenship after 6 years after initial entry to the United Kingdom, provided all the requirements are being met.
Skilled Worker visa holders are permitted to bring their dependents to the UK on a Skilled Worker Dependent visa. Such migrants are eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain in 5 years and for citizenship after 6 years after initial entry to the United Kingdom.
Legal Fees?
The fees for individual Skilled Worker applications depend on specific issues, contingent urgencies and case complexities. We will provide a bespoke quote based on an in-depth assessment of your case.
Skilled Worker Sponsor licence
What is it for?
Under the points-based system, UK employers looking to hire highly skilled migrant foreign workers from outside the United Kingdom are required to obtain a UK Sponsorship Licence. A sponsorship licence is also necessary for educational institutions recruiting students from overseas.
Sponsors licence duration?
A sponsorship licence is granted for an initial period of four years and may be extended if the company wishes to continue to sponsor any foreign nationals.
Legal Fees?
The fees for Skilled Worker Sponsor licence applications depend on specific issues, contingent urgencies and case complexities. We will provide a bespoke quote based on an in-depth assessment of your case.
Renewal of Sponsor license
Sponsor licences are granted for an initial period of 4 years. If the sponsor company wants to continue to sponsor foreign nationals, they must renew their licence before it expires.
It is the responsibility of the sponsor to renew their sponsor licence. The renewal application is submitted via the Sponsor Management System (SMS). The Home Office may request further documents once the application has been submitted. The Home Office may decide to visit the business premises to assess if the sponsor has remained compliant to their obligations as a sponsor before making a decision.
Legal Fees?
The fees for renewal of Sponsor licence applications depend on specific issues, contingent urgencies and case complexities. We will provide a bespoke quote based on an in-depth assessment of your case.
Mock Audit
What is it for?
The grant of a sponsor licence has several important obligations for the sponsorship holders, which the Home Office hold them accountable to. A sponsor may receive a visit from the Home Office to assess if the company is suitably prepared before issuing a Skilled Worker Sponsor licence or to assess that the sponsor can maintain their obligations whilst they are a sponsor.
If a sponsor fails the Home Office audit, they risk having their licence curtailed and being publicly listed as non-compliant. This undoubtably will have great implications for the business as well as for the sponsored employee whose visa will subsequently be curtailed. A Mock Audit is the best way to avoid the risk of failing a Home Office audit.
A Mock Audit is conducted by our experienced legal experts at Immigration.UK, who will provide sponsor licence holders with comprehensive advice to ensure that their organisation is compliant and prepared for a Home Office audit.
Legal Fees?
The fees for conducting Mock audit depend on specific issues, contingent urgencies and case complexities. We will provide a bespoke quote based on an in-depth assessment of your case.
Intra-Company visa
Who is this visa category for?
The Intra-company visa enables skilled workers in a foreign country to transfer to a job in the UK branch of the same company. The applicant should have a minimum of 12 months experience in that company, unless they are being offered a salary of £73,900 or more a year to work in the UK.
There are 2 types of Intra-company visa.
Intra-company Transfer visa
This visa has replaced the Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) Long-term Staff visa.
Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa
This visa is for transfers to the UK as part of a graduate training programme for a managerial or specialist role.
You need to have worked for your employer overseas for at least 3 months immediately before the date you apply.
This visa has replaced the Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) Graduate Trainee visa.
How long applicants can stay?
The maximum total stay allowed for an Intra-company Transfer visa is:
- 5 years in any 6 year period if you are paid less than £73,900 a year
- 9 years in any 10 year period if you are paid £73,900 a year or more
The maximum total stay allowed for an Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa is 5 years in any 6 year period.
Can the visa be extended?
Migrants can apply to extend their stay in the UK for the maximum time allowed for their visa type, subject to meeting the eligibility requirements for the particular subcategory.
Permanent Settlement?
With the Intra-company visa, applicants are not permitted to apply for indefinite leave to remain at the end of 5 years in the UK, unlike Skilled Worker migrants.
Legal Fees?
The fees for individual Intra-company visa applications depend on specific issues, contingent urgencies and case complexities. We will provide a bespoke quote based on an in-depth assessment of your case.
British Citizenship
If someone has moved to the UK for a specified period of time, they may be able to apply for citizenship by naturalisation, depending on their situation. The most common way of becoming naturalised is to hold Indefinite Leave to Remain status for a continuous period of 12 months. The requirements for naturalisation as a British citizen differ depending on whether or not applicants are applying on the basis of marriage or civil partnership with a British citizen. Those who are applying as a partner, are exempt from holding ILR for a continuous 12-month period.
A decision can only be made to grant citizenship if applicants demonstrate that they satisfy certain legal requirements and the Home Secretary deems it fit to grant naturalisation.
You do not automatically get British citizenship if you were born in the UK. It depends on when you were born and your parents’ circumstances.
Legal Fees?
The fees depend on specific issues, contingent urgencies and case complexities. We will provide a bespoke quote based on an in-depth assessment of your case.
Representative of an Overseas Business visa
Who is this visa category for?
This visa is for foreign nationals who apply to come to the UK as a representative of an overseas business. This visa is granted to individuals that hold a senior position within the company whose headquarters are outside the UK. No investments are required for this type of visa, though there are several eligibility requirements that should be met.
Visa Duration?
Initial Representative of an Overseas Business visa grants entry for 3 years.
Can the visa be extended?
A subsequent extension can be applied for, providing all criteria are met. Holders of the
Representative of an Overseas Business visa may apply to extend their visa for a further 2 years.
Permanent Settlement?
After spending 5 years in the UK, the applicant can apply for permission to settle permanently in the UK, provided all the requirements are being met.
Legal Fees?
The fees for individual Representative of an Overseas Business applications depend on specific issues, contingent urgencies and case complexities. We will provide a bespoke quote based on an in-depth assessment of your case.
EU Settlement Scheme
The EU Settlement Scheme is designed for EU and Swiss citizens and their family members, who are living in the UK. The Scheme gives applicants the opportunity to protect their residence rights in the UK after the UK leaves the EU.
If the applicant has resided in the UK for 5 years or more, they will be granted ‘Settled Status’, which gives the applicant Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK. If the applicant has resided in the UK for less than 5 years, they will be granted ‘Pre-Settled Status’, which gives the applicant limited leave until their 5-year residence threshold, after which they can apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
Legal Fees?
The fees for EU Settlement Scheme applications depend on specific issues, contingent urgencies and case complexities. We will provide a bespoke quote based on an in-depth assessment of your case.
Partner Visas
This route is for those seeking to enter or remain in the UK based on their family life with their partner who is a British Citizen or a person who is settled in the UK.
If the applicant and their partner meet the eligibility criteria, they will be granted a visa for 2.5 years. If they continue to meet the rules after this period of time, they can apply to extend their visa for a further 2.5 years. They will be eligible to apply for citizenship directly after completing 5 years continuous residence as a partner.
Legal Fees?
The fees for individual visa applications depend on specific issues, contingent urgencies and case complexities. We will provide a bespoke quote based on an in-depth assessment of your case.
Permanent Settlement (ILR)
A person granted with Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK, also referred to as Settlement, can remain in the UK without any restrictions on their stay. This means that a person granted ILR may live and work without limitations imposed on how long they can be in the UK. This is also referred to as settlement in the UK. Once ILR status has been held for 12 months, a person is eligible to apply for citizenship in the UK, subject to meeting the citizenship requirements.
Indefinite Leave to remain is granted to those who have spent a qualifying period of continuous residence in the UK and meet the eligibility criteria for their visa category. The qualifying continuous period is generally 5 years, but there are some categories that have a reduced continuous period.
Legal Fees?
The fees for ILR applications depend on specific issues, contingent urgencies and case complexities. We will provide a bespoke quote based on an in-depth assessment of your case.
Entrepreneurs
We provide guidance from the outset for clients looking to set up a new business in the UK, going above and beyond the application process, to understand and meet the clients long-term immigration goals. Our experts advise entrepreneurs on which route best meets their needs, providing recommendations on extensions, settlement applications and accelerated routes, as well as detailed business plans and vital to the success of start-up and innovator visa applications.
Employers and employees
We provide end-to-end immigration assistance to businesses, developing strategic immigration plans and providing complete support, from sponsor licence applications and management, compliance training and audit services, to full support with obtaining initial Skilled Worker visas for employees and further extensions.
Relocation and Settlement
We provide comprehensive legal support to private clients and their families throughout the entire immigration process, from visa/entry clearance applications, extension applications, to indefinite leave to remain (ILR) to obtaining a British passport and citizenship.
Why Immigration.UK?
Immigration.UK’ lawyers have extensive knowledge of complex Home Office policies and implement effective management and processing of all Immigration applications, in the UK and worldwide.
Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), we have a proven track record of successfully obtaining UK visas for clients worldwide and operate within a strict set of rules and guidelines designed to ensure that all applicants are treated professionally, courteously and ethically at all times. Contact us today for a qualified consultation with our UK Immigration lawyers.
Decades of UK immigration expertise
Expert legal advice in the processing of UK visa applications, extensions and advice for UK settlement options.
SRA Regulated Lawyers
Trusted advice guaranteed. All applicants are treated professionally, courteously and ethically at all times.
Bespoke and Comprehensive Service
We guide our clients through the ever-changing legal landscape, providing expert immigration advice, with our objectives firmly set on the long-term immigration goal.
Confidentiality and Compliance
Our company is fully equipped and dedicated to protecting your security and confidentiality.