Immigration Solicitors

When you or a family member are looking to visit or gain residency to the UK, our Immigration Solicitors in Manchester or Stockport can provide invaluable advice when you need it. We are available to discuss any aspect of the application or appeals process. Our UK immigration solicitors know that with every immigration application, you want to maximise your chances of success from the outset. That’s why our immigration experts provide personalised advice, taking the time to understand your situation and identify the appropriate immigration application for your situation.

With the UK government increasingly restricting the rights to appeal refused decisions and the ability to switch into different immigration categories, our Immigration Solicitors in Manchester understand the importance of clear, precise and timely advice.

How Can Our Specialist Immigration Team Help?

Clifford Johnston’s Immigration Solicitors can support you with all your immigration queries, whether it’s your first application, an extension or repeat application, or an appeal. We represent individuals coming to the UK from abroad, remaining in the UK, in the same or different immigration category, or challenging negative immigration decisions. We can also help with you and your family in securing ‘settled status’ also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain, as well as British citizenship.

We offer a range of service, from one-off advice, an application checking service, or comprehensive support throughout the application and appeal process.

Our Immigration Solicitors represent clients appealing to the Immigration and Asylum Chamber and advise on applications seeking permission to bring Judicial Review proceedings. They are dedicated to offering legal advice, assistance and professional support.

At Clifford Johnston & Co, we possess extensive legal expertise in handling Family and Partner UK visa applications, such as UK Spouse Visa applications, as well as UK visa applications for work or study purposes. Where your situation is family-related, you can count on Clifford Johnston to provide the highest standards of legal representation for spouses, partners, civil partners, proposed partners (fiancés), children and other dependent relatives. We understand the critical importance of giving visa applications the care and attention your family deserves, as visa refusals can lead to lengthy appeals processes. Therefore, seeking the best legal advice =for your applications is essential.

Partner, Fiance or Spouse Visa UK

Our ‘Spouse Visa Solicitors’ in Manchester will provide a complete service to help you through the application process. A Partner Visa, sometimes called a UK Marriage Visa or Spouse Visa, is a settlement visa designed for the partner of a British citizen or resident who has settled in the UK.

Commonly referred to as a spouse visa, the initial visa is typically issued for two and a half years. It can be extended for an additional two and a half years to reach the settlement goal of five years. If you aim to secure permanent residence for your Wife or Husband, then the Spouse Visa is the first step towards settled status in the UK.

Family Visa Application Services

Bringing family to the UK can be complex as can remaining in the UK if you have children here. We can advise on joining family in the UK, family visit visas, adult dependent relatives, child dependent application, also known as the Parent route.

Settling in the UK / Indefinite Leave to Remain

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or Settled Status is a form of immigration classification that grants an individual the right to live and work in the UK without any time restrictions. It essentially provides permanent residency in the UK. ILR or Settled Status allows a person to reside in the UK for an indefinite period, and it is often considered a precursor to obtaining British citizenship. With ILR, individuals have the freedom to come and go from the UK without worrying about visa or entry restrictions, making it a crucial milestone for those looking to establish a long-term and stable life in the country.

British Citizenship or Naturalisation

Naturalisation is the legal process by which a foreign national can apply to become a British citizen. person changes their nationality. . It typically involves meeting specific eligibility requirements, such as residency and good character criteria, and successfully completing the naturalisation application process. Gaining British Citizenship is considered the last stage of the UK Immigration process.

Appeals and Challenges

If you receive a refusal decision on an immigration application, our solicitors can advise you on your rights of challenge.

Asylum Applications

Anyone who fears persecution in their country of origin can claim asylum in the U.K. An asylum claim can only be considered after someone has entered the UK. It is crucial for asylum seekers to submit their claim as soon as possible. Our Immigration solicitors, accredited by the Law Society, have the experience you need to support you with your asylum claim or appeal.

Deportation & Removal

Deportation and removal are two distinct processes. Deportation applies when a non-British citizen is convicted of a serious crime with a 12-month or longer prison sentence. Removal, on the other hand, is when a non-British national faces removal from the UK due to unlawful presence, without any specific criminal conviction requirements.

If you or a family member are facing deportation or removal, it’s crucial to reach out to an immigration solicitor without delay. Our experienced immigration Solicitor can provide guidance to navigate this process.

Business Immigration Solicitors

Our Manchester Immigration solicitors provide expert legal advice surrounding various business immigration issues. We comprehensively support both education providers and employers with immigration applications for their employees, sponsor licence applications and immigration compliance duties.

Where employers need to recruit talent from overseas, our Business Immigration Solicitors in Manchester can advise on the options available.

Funding your Immigration Case

Legal Aid

Government funding, known as Legal Aid is available for some immigration representation services. Clifford Johnston solicitors do not undertake legal aid work for immigration cases. To check if you can get legal aid, please visit the Legal Aid Agency website here: www.gov.uk/check-legal-aid.

Our immigration cases are privately funded, and details of the various legal fees for our services are found below.

Legal Fees

At Clifford Johnston, our immigration solicitors will clearly explain the costs of your case at the outset so you know what you’ll need to pay to fund the work that we can carry out to help you achieve your goal.

We offer a range of service, from one-off advice, an application checking service, or comprehensive full support throughout the application and appeal process.

Where we are able to work on a fixed fee, or agreed fee basis we will do so. Some, more complex cases may not be suitable for fixed fee funding and we will provide fee estimates for each stage of your case.

Initial Consultation

In general, all cases typically begin with a consultation. During this consultation, the solicitor gathers information about your specific circumstances, explains the relevant immigration rules, and conducts an assessment to determine how these rules apply to your situation. It covers details about the application process, including the necessary forms and supporting documents required to make an application, as well as the fees that need to be paid to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). This appointment is usually once hour and is charged at £250 plus vat (if applicable) for:

• • Applications under the Immigration Rules, including:
  • student visas
  • visit visas (for tourism, or visiting friends / family)
  • spouse and partners applications, including fiancé(e)s or proposed civil partners
  • applications for work, business or study under the Points-Based System;
  • dependent relative and family reunion applications
  • ancestry visas
  • other categories, such as applications on the basis of long residence

A consultation fee of £200 plus vat (if applicable)  applies to advice on:

• Applications for naturalisation or registration under the British Nationality Act 1981
• visit visas (for tourism, or visiting friends / family)

Immigration services to businesses (e.g., applications for certificates of sponsorship or confirmation of acceptance for studies) will be provided a consultation quote after initial contact, as this depends on the size of your business and the type of application you wish to make.

Application Checking Service

If you’re applying to the Home Office and want a lawyer to review your application before submission, consider booking our online checking service.

If you choose to prepare your application yourself but wish to seek reassurance that you’re on the right track or have specific questions, our service is designed for you. We can provide you with feedback on your application (i.e., British citizenship or partner application) for a fee in the region of £400 to £600 plus VAT. The exact fee depends on the type of application, and we can fix the price once we have details of your individual application.

Full Application Service

If you encounter challenges while preparing your application, whether due to its complexity, the stress it brings, or time constraints, our service is tailored to address these concerns. We will guide you through the immigration application process of.

Our comprehensive support includes assembling your application, handling the intricacies of UK immigration law, and overseeing the entire application procedure. We offer guidance and assurance, guiding you seamlessly through each stage. If you seek legal assistance with your immigration application, our service is designed for you. We handle all aspects of the process and will liaise with you about the necessary data and documentation.

We maintain continuous communication with you, offering guidance and updates throughout. Our service comes at a fixed, transparent cost, ensuring accessibility and peace of mind.

The average cost for a Partner or Spouse visa application is in the region of £1800-2000 plus vat (if applicable). We can fix the price once we have details of your individual application.

An application for British citizenship is in the region of £1000 plus VAT.

VAT

Charging VAT for immigration cases can be complicated because it depends on where the individual lives and their immigration status. We’ll let you know if you need to pay VAT (at a 20% rate) at the start of your case.

Other Costs

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.
• Interpreter costs

We may also be able to provide payment plans. If you wish to discuss these and all of our legal services then please contact Clifford Johnston immigration solicitors.

For more information on our specific immigration specialisms – follow the relevant links:

Immigration Law: Immigration appeals and challenges

Immigration Law: Visiting or Studying in the UK

Why choose Clifford Johnston Immigration Solicitors?

Our Immigration, Nationality and Asylum solicitors discuss the options available to you and provide clear advice on the Immigration process and how it applies to you. Our solicitors work exclusively in immigration law and understand how stressful the immigration process can be. At Clifford Johnston you will receive a personal service and pragmatic, realistic advice on your options. Our lawyers know that taking advice on the process early on can save time, money and stress.

The fees for immigration applications are high and knowing which documents to submit with an application can be confusing. Our solicitors regularly submit complex applications to the Home Office, UK Visas and Immigration to obtain grants of immigration status on behalf of clients.

We tailor advice to your individual needs and offer realistic pricing structures. Clifford Johnston Solicitors do not offer legal aid for immigration applications, however if you are eligible for legal aid, we will advise you of this.

Contact Clifford Johnston’s Immigration Solicitors

If you are unsure about the next steps in the immigration process, contact our specialist immigration solicitors who will be able to explain the process to you, clearly and simply. Contact us to find out more about our services.

Immigration applications and appeals can often be subject to short time limits, our solicitors are accessible and responsive and will be happy to discuss your situation with you to see how they can help.

Our Solicitors in Stockport (Heaton Moor) & Solicitors in Manchester (Burnage) are easily accessible.  We represent clients not only locally and throughout Stockport, Cheshire, Lancashire & Manchester but also across the United Kingdom. You can count on us to help and guide you whatever your challenge or circumstance.

We are proud of the service we give and the impact we make for our clients.  If you need advice or representation please call and speak to one of our team or complete the online enquiry form and we will get back in touch with you quickly. We will always respond promptly and we will be happy to help.