Fees for Immigration Services

To ensure our clients have a clear understanding of the hourly rates and fixed fees we quote  per  case,  we  have  set  out  in  this page  costs of our services with a  range  of  fees  to  accommodate  work  that  spans  both straightforward and complex or highly complex cases.

It  goes  without  saying  that  every  client  rightly expects  transparency  in  relation  to  costs of their case  and  require  realistic  assessment  of  the  merits/prospects  of  success  when  choosing  their solicitors. We have brought together a team of highly accredited and trusted Legal500 ranked solicitors to do just that, and to ensure every client receives the following:

• Certainty of their legal fees from their trusted legal advisor.
• On fixed fee cases to live without worry of fee-creep and the peace of mind that this fee is guaranteed throughout the life-cycle of their case with us.
• Certainty regarding the merits and prospects of success of their case.
• A guarantee of excellence and the quality of our services.
• Value and efficiency from a team of Legal 500 ranked solicitors carefully selected for their individual client

To ensure our staff as well as clients have a clear understanding of the costs per case, we have set out in  the  proceeding  pages  costs of our services with a range of fees to accommodate work that spans from straight forward to complex cases.

Hourly rate charges

Our charges will be calculated mainly by reference to the time actually spent by the solicitors and other staff in respect of any work which they do on your behalf. Please note all non-qualified staff, paralegal and trainee solicitors are always supervised by experienced solicitors from within each department. A profile of each solicitor and caseworker is provided on our website with details of their qualifications and accreditations and examples of cases they have dealt with.

Our consultation rate is £100 (+ VAT if applicable) for a 30-40 minute consultation or £200 (+ VAT if applicable) for a 60 minute consultation. This meeting will take place in confidence between yourself and one of our qualified lawyers to establish the full details of your specific circumstances; taking down your full instruction; we will consider all the applicable legislation, policy and any case law that will need to be taken into account in to your case; we will finally have a detailed discussion to advise on your options and merits of success in your case. A costs-benefit analysis and a full explanation of our duties towards you will be provided, with plenty of time for you to ask any further questions for clarification before the end of the consultation.  

We cannot offer legal advice over the phone or by email prior to being formally engaged as your legal representative, but our solicitors are happy to understand your matter over the phone/by email and offer a consultation if it is required.

Our current rates are set out below

• Trainee Solicitors, Paralegal & equivalent £130
• Most of our qualified and experienced Solicitors will charge £200
• Solicitors /legal executives, 4 years + qualified experience £300
• Solicitors over 8 years qualified experience £400
• Senior Consultants £500

These charges are reviewed annually and we will let you know if the rates increase.

All stated fees may be subject to VAT (Value Added Tax) where applicable and is usually charged at a rate of 20%. However, this may not apply for applicants applying from abroad depending on their individual visa/residency status. We will confirm whether VAT is payable when you instruct us and we can work out if VAT is properly chargeable.

Application for:

• naturalisation or registration under the British nationality Act 1981
  On average, this type of work takes between 8-10 hours to complete per applicant. This means that on average costs are between £1600-£3000 depending on the fee-earners hourly rate and complexity of the case. All figures exclude VAT unless specifically stated.
• 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
  On average, this type of work takes between 8-10 hours to complete. This means that on average costs are between £1600-£3000 depending on the fee-earners hourly rate and complexity of the case. All figures exclude VAT unless specifically stated.
• Applications under the Immigration Rules, including:
  *student and work experience visas
  *visit visas (for tourism, or visiting friends / family)
  On average, this type of work takes between 4-8 hours to complete. This means that on average costs are between £1000-£3500 depending on the fee-earners hourly rate and complexity of the case. All figures exclude VAT unless specifically stated.
• spouse and partners applications, including fiancé(e)s or proposed civil partners
  On average, this type of work takes between 10-12 hours to complete. This means that on average costs are between £2500-£3500 depending on the fee-earners hourly rate and complexity of the case. All figures exclude VAT unless specifically stated.
• applications for work, business or study under the Points-Based System (this does not include Sponsorship licence applications);
  On average, this type of work takes between 8-15 hours to complete. This means that on average costs are between £2500-£8000 depending on the fee-earners hourly rate and complexity of the case. All figures exclude VAT unless specifically stated.
• dependent relative and family reunion applications
  On average, this type of work takes between 8-12 hours to complete. This means that on average costs are between £2000-£4000 depending on the fee-earners hourly rate and complexity of the case. All figures exclude VAT unless specifically stated.
• ancestry visas
  On average, this type of work takes between 8-10 hours to complete. This means that on average costs are between £2000-£4000 depending on the fee-earners hourly rate and complexity of the case. All figures exclude VAT unless specifically stated.
• other categories, such as applications on the basis of long residence
  On average, this type of work takes between 8-12 hours to complete. This means that on average costs are between £2000-£5000 depending on the fee-earners hourly rate and complexity of the case. All figures exclude VAT unless specifically stated.
• Administrative Review
  On average, this type of work takes between 4-8 hours to complete. This means that on average costs are between £1500-£3000 depending on the fee-earners hourly rate and complexity of the case. All figures exclude VAT unless specifically stated.
• Advice and representation at the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) in relation to appeals against Home Office visa or immigration decisions
  On average, this type of work takes between 10-15 hours to complete. This means that on average costs are between £3000-£5000 depending on the fee-earners hourly rate and complexity of the case. All figures exclude VAT unless specifically stated.

In all cases, the exact number of hours it will take depends on the circumstances in your case. Such as:

• The amount of supporting evidence that we need to consider
• The complexities of the case
• Which language(s) you speak
• Whether you are applying with other dependants

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.

The work will involve (but is not limited to):

• 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, timescales and whether you meet the criteria.
• if you do not fulfil certain criteria, whether this can be overcome and how, which on average takes 1-3 hours;
• considering the supporting evidence you have provided, which we anticipate will take 3-6 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 3-5 hours;
• Attendance at a Home Office interview or carrying out mock interviews: 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 5-8 hours of work.
• giving you advice about the outcome of the application and any further steps you need to take.
• Bundle Preparation

*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.
Some examples of disbursements are (but not limited to) the following:

• Interpreters fees if required. This kind of application will normally require between 5-8 hours with an interpreter, depending on the complexity of your case.
• 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.
• Business plan writers for entrepreneur applications. These are independent plan writers who will quote fee separately and on average will cost between £1500-£3000 excluding VAT
• If there is an interview and we do attend with you, there will be additional disbursements in respect of our mileage/travel expenses.
• Any Home Office fees and/or NHS surcharge 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/review or further work on the matter
• Appeal/administrative review fees
• Barrister fees which vary depending on complexity of matter, the seniority of barrister and time spent on matter. On average this may cost between £650-£3000 excluding VAT

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 most applications within 4-8 weeks of you instructing us, but this depends on whether all documentation is ready and/or if the application has sufficient merits. 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.

For a more detailed discussion regarding your case, or to book an appointment with a member of our Individual Immigration team, please call us now on 0203 959 9123.