We help with every type of UK visa application and employment of migrants in the UK
December 5, 2018
Immigration Health Surcharge will increase from £200 to £400 per year, with a discounted rate of £300 per year for students and Youth Mobility visa applicants. Visitors to the UK are not required to pay the immigration health surcharge. It is desirable, though, to have a travel insurance covering medical care as visitors are not allowed free access to the NHS. If you are applying for a visa permitting a stay of more than six months, you will be charged the Immigration Health Surcharge in addition to the visa fees.… Read More
May 28, 2018
The government has announced that the new Windrush Scheme will come into operation on Wednesday, 30 May. The scheme addresses Commonwealth citizens who came to the UK in the wake of the Second World War and before January 1973. The scheme may also benefit people from outside the Commonwealth who have been living in the UK lawfully since before 1973 and may have undocumented settled status. A new Windrush Scheme Casework Guidance has been published although about one-third of it is restricted for Home Office internal use only.… Read More
August 10, 2016
Some immigration decisions are unfairer than others, and this was a rather extreme, though not unusual, example of manifest indifference to natural justice. The client initially applied for extension of her spouse visa herself, without help from immigration solicitors, confident that she easily met the requirements of the immigration rules and her case was not complicated. Unfortunately, she failed to provide a full set of bank statements because she had changed her bank and was unable to access her old bank account.… Read More
May 2, 2016
We are delighted to have finally won this appeal after more than two years of fierce fighting in immigration tribunals. Our client’s barrister in the Upper tribunal was Sonali Naik of Garden Court Chambers whose expertise, commitment and painstaking preparation was vital for the success of this case. The appellant was a Syrian national, currently resident in Egypt, who wished to visit her daughter’s family in the UK and who was denied a visitor’s visa due to political situation in Egypt and the war conflict in Syria.… Read More
There are so many immigration lawyers in the UK that selecting one can be a real challenge. We hope the following information will assist you in this process.
Immigration is one of the most important decisions one makes in life and leaving it in the hands of semi-professional people may be a rash decision with dire consequences. Check if the immigration solicitors have a strong record of success, how long have they been known and what clients say about them. Do they offer professional, efficient and reliable service? Are they qualified and registered with the appropriate regulating body? What is their reputation based on? Are you as important to them, as they are to you when your immigration affairs are in their hands?
You may be confused by the variety of legal qualifications in the UK. There are solicitors regulated by the Solicitors Regulating Authority, Barristers regulated by the Bar Council and there are other immigration professionals regulated by the Office of Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC). Solicitor firms usually undertake a wide scope of legal work and it is important to check if your solicitor actually specialises in immigration. Immigration law is extremely complex, and is getting more and more complex by the hour. Solicitors doing a variety of work may not be fully up to date with the ever changing immigration rules and we would advise to instruct someone who is fully devoted to immigration.
Barristers are lawyers who specialise in presenting the case in court. Traditionally, barristers have been instructed by solicitors or OISC advisors. Some barristers now offer direct access to lay clients. However, barristers will not be running routing correspondence with the Home Office, calling the caseworkers, preparing the bundles of documents and putting together evidence. Cutting out a solicitor may often turn out neither cost effective nor expedient.
OISC regulated immigration advisers may be professional solicitors or barristers working under the supervision of the OISC, or they may have no formal qualifications in law but would have passed the OISC examination to be approved and registered at a specific level of competence. OISC has three levels of competence which allows advisers to undertake work of varying complexity. Top level 3 registration authorises the adviser to represent clients in immigration courts, currently known as First-tier Tribunal and Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). OISC firms would usually charge less than big firms of solicitors as their overheads are lower than those of big solicitors? firms. Our advice is to check that the firm is properly regulated and get in touch with them to see if you gel.
Whether your lawyers are based in London or not is not massively important. Modern means of communication make it easy to give and take instructions over the telephone, by email or skype. The best way to find out what your immigration adviser will be like to deal with is to get in touch. You should be able to have a brief conversation regarding your case and receive some general advice. This will give you an indication of the advisers level of knowledge and professionalism. They should respond to your emails, return phone calls and book appointments in a timely manner.
You may ask yourself whether it is worth hiring an immigration lawyer to represent you in your immigration matters. There are several factors to consider such as the complexity of your case and whether you intend to make the application yourself or wish to instruct professionals to represent you.
If you are unsure, then you should consider booking a consultation with an immigration specialist who can assess your situation, answer your specific questions and clarify what options are open to you. A consultation may not provide you with all the details you need to make a UK immigration application by yourself, but it can help you decide whether it is worth instructing someone to assist you.
It is important to agree on terms before instructing an immigration lawyer to represent you. These should be set out in a Client Care Letter which confirms your instructions, the fee structure (as well as clarification on Home Office fees) and the complaints procedure in case you are not satisfied with the service you receive.
Price will always be an important factor in choosing a solicitor. However, making your selection solely on this basis is not a good idea. It could mean handing your case over to someone who is taking on too many clients and therefore unable to dedicate enough time to each one. Good lawyers' fees are likely to reflect the amount of time and effort they will put into preparing your case. Selecting the right specialist could save you a lot of time, hassle and money, especially in the long run. However, the overheads your solicitors are likely to bear, such as an address in a posh London location, would involve an extra cost which is inevitably transferred to the client. You might wish to note this as one of the factors in your assessment.
Kadmos Consultants have been specialising solely in immigration since 2007 and have an excellent reputation and an impressive track record of success. Our clients' testimonials speak for themselves. We are professional lawyers and we are accredited by the OISC at the top level. We are very approachable and you can call us at any time or send us an email and we will respond without delay. You can also visit our offices in Wembley Park in London.
We offer a free 15 minute telephone consultation to assess the merits of your case and tell you whether there is scope for us to help you. When a more detailed discussion of your affairs is necessary we will offer you a paid consultation and if necessary may organise to get an independent second opinion. We are not the cheapest company you will find, but the money you pay will go into careful and thorough preparation of your case. We will advise you of our fees in advance and you will receive from us an engagement letter which sets out our terms and conditions.
Visit our blog for discussion of the current developments in the UK Immigration policy and law
What happens when your employee’s visa comes to an end and they apply for extension? Do they have the right to work? Is the employer safe if anything goes wrong? In my experience, over 90% of employers simply do not know what the law requires them to do to ensure immigration compliance, but most are aware that potential fines are in the tens of thousands of pounds.…
Read this articleDo I need a visa for my child who was born in the UK? This was a question of a Tier 2 migrant who has been living in the UK for the last three years and has a valid visa for another two years.…
Read this articleI was recently helping a client with an application for permanent residence. When the application was approved, the client qualified to apply for British citizenship, and I asked if we could help with this next application. To my dismay, he told me that citizenship is easy – why would he need legal help?…
Read this articleBritish citizenship has never been a question of black and white, yes or no, British or not British. There have always been subtleties and nuances and, if we think of Citizens of UK Colonies (CUKCs) or British Overseas Citizens, one may even suspect some form of duplicity about the concept.…
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