Immigration

Our role is to advise you on the **correct visa category**, prepare a robust application with all necessary evidence, ensure strict compliance with immigration rules, and represent you in dealings with immigration authorities or in appeal hearings, maximizing your chances of success.

The most common route is the **Skilled Worker Visa**, which requires a job offer from an employer with a valid sponsor license and meeting specific salary and skill level requirements. We advise both employers seeking sponsorship and individuals applying for the visa.

You would typically apply for a **Family Visa** (often called a Spouse or Partner Visa). Key requirements include proving your relationship is genuine and subsisting, meeting strict **financial maintenance thresholds**, and ensuring adequate accommodation is available without recourse to public funds.

ILR, often called "settlement," grants you the right to live, work, and study in the country indefinitely without time restrictions. It is generally granted after a set period (usually 5 years) of lawful residence on qualifying visas and requires passing the **"Life in the UK" test**.

To apply for citizenship, you generally must hold **ILR for at least 12 months** (or less if married to a citizen), meet the residence requirements (limits on time spent outside the country), demonstrate good character, and pass the required language and knowledge tests.

Common reasons include insufficient or incorrect documentation, failure to meet the financial threshold, misrepresentation of facts, failure to meet the English language requirement, or failure of the **"genuine applicant" test**. We meticulously review all documentation to mitigate these risks.

Your options depend on the refusal reason and the type of visa. You may have the right to **Administrative Review**, a **full right of Appeal** to an immigration tribunal, or the ability to submit a **new application** with corrected information. We advise on the most viable route forward.

A Sponsor License is official permission granted to a UK employer to hire workers from outside the country via the Skilled Worker route. Companies must meet compliance and management duties set by the Home Office. We assist businesses with securing and maintaining this license.

This is particularly relevant for ILR and Citizenship. It involves assessing past conduct, including criminal convictions (no matter how minor), immigration breaches (overstaying), and failure to meet financial obligations. We assess any potential character issues before application submission.

You need comprehensive evidence showing you live together and share financial and social responsibilities. This includes joint tenancy agreements, utility bills in both names, joint bank statements, travel bookings, and communications (emails/texts) over the required period.

Yes, in most cases, you can switch from a Student Visa to a Skilled Worker Visa *from within the country*, provided you meet all the criteria for the new work visa, including securing a sponsored job offer. There are rules on when you can submit the application relative to your course end date.

Overstaying is a serious breach of immigration law and can lead to a ban on future applications and removal from the country. We advise individuals who have overstayed on potential options, such as applications based on compelling compassionate circumstances or human rights grounds.

Appeals involve a formal hearing before an Immigration Judge, where your legal counsel presents evidence, calls witnesses, and cross-examines the Home Office's representative. This complex process requires robust preparation and specialized courtroom advocacy, which we provide.

This is an application or appeal based on the right to **private and family life** (Article 8 of the ECHR) or the right to life/prohibition of torture (Articles 2 and 3). These claims are highly fact-specific, focusing on the insurmountable obstacles to integrating into another country or exceptional hardship.

**Book an in-depth consultation with our Immigration team.** We will assess your complete history, identify all potential pathways, and provide a clear, step-by-step strategy for your visa, settlement, or citizenship application, ensuring full compliance from the outset.