Fees

Some of our services are offered on an hourly rate basis and as our clients’ matters are often complex, there is rarely a typical case. We provide our clients with an estimate of costs after our initial meeting or after a discussion of the circumstances of the case. In most circumstances we are able to be more indicative and, as in accordance with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) guidance on price transparency, we have published our price and service information where it is possible to be upfront about charges without full knowledge of all the circumstances of the case.

Price information for private individuals

This information is intended to inform private individuals about our fees for immigration and nationality matters. These fees do not apply to work undertaken for corporate clients.

We have set out the hourly rates for lawyers at different levels. Full details of the specific qualifications of each of our fee earners can be found on the immigration team page.

The below rates and fee estimates are exclusive of VAT. Professional fees and disbursements will be subject to VAT at 20% where this is applicable.

These rates are subject to annual review.

Partners - £250 - £350

Associates - £250 - £300

Immigration Managers - £200

Paralegals - £150

Some matters will involve work by lawyers at different levels.

Your matter will always be supervised by a partner. Work will be completed by lawyers of varying experience. The time spent on your matter will vary depending on a number of factors including the complexity and nature of the case.

The estimates provided here give a range of likely fees for standard applications. Once we have discussed your case with you, we will typically agree a fixed fee in most circumstances.

Your fee estimate or fixed fee would be agreed upon prior to us formalising our engagement with you.

The exact number of hours required or the fixed fee will depend on the circumstances in your case. Such as:

• The amount of supporting evidence that we need to consider

• 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 the range.

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;

• giving you a detailed list of documents and information to be provided, assisting you with templates where possible;

• collating and reviewing supporting document;

• liaising with third parties where required to obtain evidence;

• considering the supporting evidence you have provided, which depends on the type of case and the complexity of the issues;

• where necessary, helping you obtain further evidence (such as medical records and bank statements), including taking statements of any witnesses;

• preparing the relevant application forms, submitting these on your behalf and booking any necessary appointments;

• drafting a comprehensive covering letter in support of your application;

• giving you advice about the outcome of the application and any further steps you need to take; and

• if you do not fulfil the relevant criteria, whether this can be overcome and how.

*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. Disbursements may be liable to VAT at 20%.

• Translation – these depend on the size of the document and the amount of text to be translated. We will always discuss the cost with you before instructing the translation company to proceed.

• Independent expert reports e.g. medical experts. These are not required in most 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 travel to see you, there may 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

How long will my application take?

We cannot guarantee how long the Home Office will take to process your application. The Home Office offers service times ranging from same-day decisions to 6 months. We will advise on the likely service time in each case.

We will normally be able to submit this type of application within 2-3 weeks of you instructing us, but we will let you know at the earliest opportunity if it is likely to take longer than this.

Urgent matters can be prioritised but this may impact on cost depending on the circumstances of the case.

Please note the anticipated 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.

Application types:

Naturalisation or Registration as a British citizen under the British nationality Act 1981

Typical fixed fee costs are between £1000-£3000 depending on the complexity of the case. All figures exclude VAT unless specifically stated.

Applications under the immigration rules:

Student and Youth Mobility visas

Typical costs are between £800-£1500 depending on the and complexity of the case. All figures exclude VAT unless specifically stated. Out of country applications do not attract VAT unless made within the EEA.

Visit visas

Due to the particular nature of this type of application, i.e. having to demonstrate an intention to leave the UK over and above holding a return flight ticket, typical costs are between £1500-£2000 depending on the and complexity of the case. Visit applications do not attract VAT in most circumstances.

Spouse and partner applications, including fiancé(e)s and proposed civil partners

Typical costs are between £1600-£3000 depending on the complexity of the case, for example, whether the financial requirement is met from employment, savings, or self-employment. All figures exclude VAT unless specifically stated. Out of country applications do not attract VAT unless made within the UK.

Dependent relative applications

Under the existing law, these matters are highly complex and are likely to incur a fixed fee of between £2000-£3500 depending on the complexity of the case. All figures exclude VAT unless specifically stated. Out of country applications do not attract VAT unless made within the UK.

Ancestry

Typical costs are between £1600-£2000 depending on the complexity of the case. All figures exclude VAT unless specifically stated. Out of country applications do not attract VAT unless made within the UK.

Long residence

Typical costs are between £1800-£3000 depending on the complexity of the case. All figures exclude VAT unless specifically stated.