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Our Fees: Personal Immigration

Please note that where a client is liable for VAT, our fees as well as some disbursements are subject to VAT. This tax is set by the UK government and is currently 20%.

Stage 1 – Initial Advice

We offer a fixed fee for our initial advice on Personal Immigration options, including eligibility to make an application or to challenge a decision.

The fee depends on the level of advisor and the complexity of the case, including any previous refusals.

This work is undertaken by a Partner or Solicitor, except for advice on British Citizenship that may also be undertaken by a Paralegal or Trainee Solicitor.

The fixed fee for Personal Immigration advice (except British Citizenship) ranges from £250 – £500 + VAT.

The fixed fee for British Citizenship ranges from £200 – £450 + VAT.

The cost includes:

Face to face / Teams / Telephone meeting with the client (E mail only also available)
Taking instructions
Considering documents
Advising on options, eligibility and the prospects of success
Providing written advice following meeting

Potential disbursements:

Interpreter’s fees – usually £30 – £45 per hour (VAT may be payable) – the amount will depend on length of meeting, language required and availability.*

* If we need to pay any third parties then we will require the cost of this up front from you before proceeding. VAT may be payable.

Stage 2 – Application

If you wish to proceed with a Personal Immigration application then we offer a choice of paying at hourly rates or a fixed fee for our assistance.

This work is undertaken by Partners, Solicitors, Trainee Solicitors and Paralegals in our team. All team members are supervised by Bryony Rest.

The hourly rate or fixed fee depends on the level of advisor and the type and complexity of the case.

Hourly rates

Our hourly rates for Personal Immigration applications are (plus VAT):

Paralegal / Trainee Solicitor £170
Solicitor £225
Partner £300

Stages of the work may be undertaken by different grades of caseworker, depending on the type of case and complexity.

The exact number of hours it will take depends on the circumstances in each case including:

The complexity of the issues involved
The amount of supporting evidence that we need to consider
Whether there are multiple applicants e.g. more than one member of a family group
How long a case takes for the Home Office to determine

Fixed fees

Our fixed fees are based on the anticipated time that an average case of the type usually takes, calculated on the hourly rate.

All applications are likely to vary and we will be able to provide a more accurate estimate once we have more information about a specific case.

The cost may include:

Advising you on the requirements for an application
Advising you on the required supporting documents for an application
Preparing and submitting an application
Checking supporting documents
Drafting a letter in support of an application
Booking a UKVCAS / VFS appointment
Advising on progress
Advising on the outcome of an application

Additional costs:

Uploading supporting documents to the UKVCAS / VFS websites or Home Office portal – we charge an additional fee of £150 – £200 + VAT for this service per Applicant, depending on volume of documents and website
The cost of challenging a decision if the application is refused – we will advise on the likely if required – see Stage 3 below

Potential disbursements:

Home Office visa fee – paid to the Home Office directly. VAT does not apply to Home Office fees. The fee will vary depending on the type of application being made. The Home Office website provides information on fees:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-regulations-revised-table

Immigration Health Surcharge – paid to the Home Office directly. VAT does not apply. The fee is £1035 per year for an adult / £776 per year for a child. It is paid per 6 months so depend on the type and length of visa being applied for.*

Interpreter’s fees– usually £30 – £45 per hour (VAT may be payable) – the amount will depend on length of meeting, language required and availability.*

Translation of documents – the amount will depend on the length and complexity of the document report required.*
Medical reports / notes – the amount will depend on the length and complexity of the document report required.*
Any other disbursements / payments to third parties necessary for your case*

* If we need to pay any third parties then we will require the cost of this up front from you before proceeding. VAT may be payable.

How long will an application take?

We cannot guarantee how long the Home Office will take to decide an application.

The Home Office provide information on service standards, so typical timescales, for applications made both inside and outside the UK:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/visa-processing-times

For some applications it is possible to pay an additional fee for a Priority or Super Priority service and receive a quicker decision. We can advise you on the availability of this service.

Case Examples:

British Citizenship – Applications to Naturalise

We offer a choice of paying at hourly rates or a fixed fee for our assistance.

The hourly rate or fixed fee depends on the level of advisor and the type and complexity of the case. This work may be undertaken by a Partner, Solicitor, Trainee Solicitor or Paralegal.

On average, a Naturalisation applications take between 4 – 6 hours to complete, depending on complexity.

This means that our costs are usually between £700 – £1500 + VAT.

The Home Office service standard for this type of application is up to 6 months.

There is no priority service available.

Partner Applications

We offer a choice of paying at hourly rates or a fixed fee for our assistance.

The hourly rate or fixed fee depends on the level of advisor and the type and complexity of the case, in particular the source of income being used to meet the financial requirement. This work may be undertaken by a Partner, Solicitor, Trainee Solicitor or Paralegal.

On average, this type of application takes between 5 – 8 hours to complete, depending on complexity.

This means that our costs are usually between £900 – £2400 + VAT.

The Home Office service standard for this type of application depends on the route being applied in and whether the application is made inside or outside the UK.

There may be Priority and Super Priority Services available for an additional fee.

Applications made inside the UK:

Standard service – 8 weeks
Super Priority service – 24 hours (if available)

Applications made outside the UK:

Standard service – 12 weeks
Super Priority service – 24 hours (if available)
Priority service – 6 weeks (if available)

Visit Visa Applications

We offer a choice of paying at hourly rates or a fixed fee for our assistance.

The hourly rate or fixed fee depends on the level of advisor and the type and complexity of the case. This work may be undertaken by a Partner, Solicitor, Trainee Solicitor or Paralegal.

On average, this type of application takes between 5 – 8 hours to complete, depending on complexity.

This means that our costs are usually between £900 – £2400 + VAT.

A visit visa application can only be made from outside the UK.

There may be Priority and Super Priority Services available for an additional fee.

Applications made outside the UK:

Standard service – 3 weeks
Super Priority service – 24 hours (if available)
Priority service – 5 working days (if available)

Stage 3 – Challenging a negative decision

If you wish to challenge a decision of the Home Office, then we offer a choice of paying at hourly rates or a fixed fee for our assistance.

The fee depends on the level of advisor and the type and complexity of the case. This work is undertaken by a Partner or Solicitor in our team who may be assisted by a Paralegal or Trainee Solicitor. All team members are supervised by Bryony Rest.

Some decisions attract a statutory right to an Appeal or Administrative Review, depending on the type of case and stage it is at.

The key stages involved in an Appeal are explained by this flow chart:

Other decisions have no right to Appeal or Administrative Review but it is possible to consider a challenge by way of an application for permission for Judicial Review.

Hourly rates

Our hourly rates for challenging decisions are:

Solicitor £225

Partner £300

The exact number of hours it will take depends on the circumstances in each case including:

The complexity of the issues involved
The amount of supporting evidence that we need to consider
Whether there are multiple applicants e.g. more than one member of a family group
How long a case takes for the Home Office / Tribunal to determine

Fixed fees

Our fixed fees are based on the anticipated time that an average case of the type usually takes, calculated on the hourly rate.

Potential disbursements:

Administrative Review fee – £80. VAT is not payable.*
Appeal fee – £80 paper appeal / £140 oral appeal. VAT is not payable.*
Court fees – e.g. Judicial Review issue fee £174 / Civil appeal issue fee £171.*
Counsel’s fees to advise / for representation at a hearing – these will depend on the type of case, complexity, length of proceedings and Counsel’s experience and their fees structure. E.g. average cost to advise on the merits of a Civil Penalty appeal and draft Grounds £1500 to £3000. VAT may be payable.*

Interpreter’s fees– usually £30 – £45 per hour (VAT may be payable) – the amount will depend on length of meeting, language required and availability.*

Translation of documents – the amount will depend on the length and complexity of the document report required.*
Medical reports / notes – the amount will depend on the length and complexity of the document report required.*
Any other disbursements / payments to third parties necessary for your case*

* If we need to pay any third parties then we will require the cost of this up front from you before proceeding. VAT may be payable.

Examples:

Appeal to the First Tier Tribunal

Lodging appeal

To advise upon a refusal and to lodge an appeal to the First Tier Tribunal we offer a choice of paying at hourly rates or fixed fee.

The exact number of hours it will take depends on the circumstances in your case. Such as:

The complexity of the issues involved
The amount of supporting evidence that we need to consider
Whether there are multiple appellants e.g. more than one member of a family group

On average, this type of work takes around 3 – 5 hours to complete. This means that on average costs are between £700 – £850 + VAT.

The cost may include:

Advising on the options available
Preparing and lodging an appeal (if advised)
Advising on progress

Potential disbursements:

Appeal fee – £80 paper appeal / £140 oral appeal. VAT is not payable.*

* If we need to pay any third parties then we will require the cost of this up front from you before proceeding. VAT may be payable.

To prepare an appeal for oral hearing before the First Tier Tribunal

For assistance with preparing an appeal up to an appeal hearing, we only offer a paying at hourly rates.

The exact number of hours it will take depends on the circumstances in your case. Such as:

The complexity of the issues involved
The amount of supporting evidence that we need to consider
The number of witnesses
Whether expert evidence is required
The number of hearings involved

If the case proceeds from advising and up to a full appeal hearing then the total time estimate is likely to be 10 – 20 hours’ work. This means that on average costs could be between £2,250 – £6,000 + VAT.

The cost may include:

Advising on the Respondent’s evidence
Advising on and preparing Appellant’s evidence, including Witness Statements and Court Bundles
Drafting Appeal Skeleton Argument
Instructing Counsel to advise / prepare Appeal Skeleton Argument / for representation
Liaising with Respondent’s representatives including seeking to settle case

Advising on the outcome of the appeal, including any onward appeal including an applications for Permission to Appeal to the Upper Tribunal

Potential disbursements:

Counsel’s fees to advise / prepare Appeal Skeleton Argument / for representation at a hearing – will depend on the type of case, complexity, length of proceedings and Counsel’s experience and their fees structure. E.g. average cost to prepare Appeal Skeleton Argument £450 – £1000 or for representation £700 – £1500. VAT may be payable.*
Interpreter’s fees– usually £30 – £45 per hour (VAT may be payable) – the amount will depend on length of meeting, language required and availability.*
Translation of documents – the amount will depend on the length and complexity of the document report required.*
Medical reports / notes – the amount will depend on the length and complexity of the document report required.*
Expert reports – the amount will depend on the length and complexity of the document report required.*

* If we need to pay any third parties then we will require the cost of this up front from you before proceeding. VAT may be payable.

To prepare an application for permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal

We offer a choice of paying at hourly rates or fixed fee for an application for permission to appeal.

The exact number of hours it will take depends on the circumstances in your case. Such as:

The complexity of the issues involved
The amount of supporting evidence that we need to consider
Whether there are multiple appellants e.g. more than one member of a family group

On average, this type of work takes around 3 – 4 hours to complete. This means that on average costs are between £675 – £1200 + VAT.

The cost may include:

Advising on the options available
Instructing Counsel to advise on and prepare Grounds for permission to appeal
Preparing and lodging an application (if advised)
Advising on progress

Potential disbursements:

Counsel’s fees to advise / draft Grounds – will depend on the type of case, complexity, length of proceedings and Counsel’s experience and their fees structure. e.g. average cost to advise / draft Grounds £600 – £1000. VAT may be payable.*

* If we need to pay any third parties then we will require the cost of this up front from you before proceeding. VAT may be payable.

Onward appeals to the Upper Tribunal or Court of Appeal or Judicial Review

We only offer paying at hourly rates for onward appeals or Judicial Review.

The exact number of hours it will take depends on the circumstances in your case. Such as:

The complexity of the issue involved
The amount of supporting evidence that we need to consider
Whether there are multiple appellants
The number of hearings involved

It is not possible to provide an average cost for this stage of work as each case varies so widely depending on the issues involved.

The cost may include:

Advising on the options available
Instructing Counsel to advise on and prepare Grounds for permission to appeal
Preparing and lodging an application (if advised)
Advising on progress
Advising on the outcome

Potential disbursements:

Court fees – e.g. Civil appeal issue fee £171.*
Counsel’s fees to advise / for representation at a hearing – will depend on the type of case, complexity, length of proceedings and Counsel’s experience and their fees structure. VAT may be payable.*

* If we need to pay any third parties then we will require the cost of this up front from you before proceeding. VAT may be payable.

Judicial Review

We only offer paying at hourly rates for Judicial Review.

It is not possible to provide an average cost for this stage of work as each case varies so widely depending on the issues involved.

The exact number of hours it will take depends on the circumstances in your case. Such as:

The complexity of the issue involved
The amount of supporting evidence that we need to consider
Whether there are multiple claimants
The response to the Pre Action Protocol letter before claim
The number of hearings involved

If the case proceeds from advising up to pursuing the Pre Action Protocol then the total time estimate is likely to be 2 – 10 hours’ work. This means that on average costs could be between £400 – £750 (advice only) – £3,000 (advice and pursuing Pre Action Protocol) + VAT.

If the case proceeds from advising up to a full Judicial Review hearing then the total time estimate is likely to be 30 – 40 hours’ work. This means that on average costs could be between £400 – £750 (advice only) – £12,000 (advice and all steps to pursue Judicial Review) + VAT.

The cost may include:

Advising on the options available
Instructing Counsel to advise on and prepare Grounds
Preparing and lodging an application (if advised)
Advising on progress
Advising on the outcome

Potential disbursements:

Court fees – e.g. Judicial Review issue fee £174.*
Counsel’s fees to advise / for representation at a hearing – these will depend on the type of case, complexity, length of proceedings and Counsel’s experience and their fees structure. E.g. average cost to advise on the merits of a Judicial Review and draft Grounds £1500 to £3000. VAT may be payable.*

* If we need to pay any third parties then we will require the cost of this up front from you before proceeding. VAT may be payable.

This work will be undertaken by the team displayed below, all team members are supervised by Bryony Rest.