UK Immigration Lawyers and Solicitors in London

We encourage all prospective clients to take advantage of the free assessment that Reiss Edwards Solicitors offer primarily on the phone so that we are able to provide you with some legal support without the exchange of fees. For example, if you have initial questions that you need to have answered to understand your options, we do not charge a fee for such a conversation. You can contact one of our solicitors using our general enquiries line to have an initial assessment on 020 3744 2797. If you prefer to make contact via email, you can email info@reissedwards.co.uk. We advise that you call our enquiries to line primarily to make assessing your case as efficiently as possible. We will usually follow up in writing, so you have an understanding of what options we discuss.

In our free initial assessment, we will review the following:

The facts of your case or appeal;

What your objectives are for both the short and long term;

The immigration routes that help achieve your goals;

The merits of each route;

Which route we suggest is best for you given the facts and the objectives.

Once we have assessed your cases and have confirmed that we are able to proceed, our fee will depend on the type of immigration application that we will make for you. If you know the type of application you want to make, you can speak to one of our lawyers so that they are able to quote you a fixed fee.

We understand the importance of having control of costs, so we do not operate using hourly rates. Instead, we apply what is called an agreed fixed fee. This means that for the designated service, we will quote a fixed fee for us to provide you with all of the legal support you need for your immigration application. The fee usually will include the following:

Assistance in the completion of the relevant application forms;

Ongoing advise and the review of documentation (as often as required);

All emails and telephone calls exchanged;

Booking of appointments;

Covering letter with legal argument;

Liaising with the Home Office where required;

Submission of the application/appeal (depending on which service you have selected).

Home Office disbursement and third-party fees are treated as a separate fee to our Reiss Edwards Legal fees. We ask clients to pay third-parties directly, for example, a visa fee to be paid to the Home Office will be paid using the Home Office online payment portal. We will have this fee paid by you directly, so the only fee you pay to Reiss Edwards is our legal fees.

We believe that investing in the latest technology makes the location of our clients academic. The use of encrypted messaging, video calls, emails and the telephone has allowed our client base to expand far beyond the UK.

We do not allow the tradition of the legal world to stop us from investing in the best technology. We build bespoke systems for the benefit of our clients, systems that help keep you informed and up to date.

Offering global immigration services means our clients regularly are thousands of miles from our London office. Our client testimonials prove that these global clients remain satisfied with how we work. We encourage all prospective clients, no matter where you are, to make contact with us to discuss how we can work efficiently with you even if you are not based in the UK or London.

The immigration rules are regularly revised and it can be difficult for those that do not practice immigration law to keep up to date. It is our job to know what changes are expected before they are introduced, so you can concentrate on gathering the evidence required for your application rather than second-guessing whether you understand the process correctly.

UK Visa and Immigration have different processes for various visa applications. For example, some applications can be lodged using Super Priority Services, whilst others cannot. UK Visa and Immigration guidance notes are drafted in a complicated convoluted way to make things appear more challenging than they need to be. Having a solicitor’s firm to decipher the meaning of the law and guidance, will lift the burden from your shoulders and place them onto ours.

Having worked with over 6000 clients, we understand the practical application of the law to the facts of any type of case. Reading the Home Office guidance gives only an understanding of the theory, genuinely preparing applications is when one can truly understand the nuances of the process.

Preparing an application to be submitted and awaiting the decision can be a smooth and efficient process with the help of our solicitors. However, if you do not have support, and your application is refused, the appeals process can take years to resolve and thousands of pounds in wasted costs. We, therefore, advise that If you have employees that you need to relocate globally, or loved ones that you want to be reunited with, using our service will conclusively place you on the most efficient and suitable path.

Extending a visa depends on what type of visa you hold. Below I have included a list of some of the visas that we can help you extend. If you fit into one of these categories, you can reply with your availability so we can arrange a consultation or we can speak on the phone:

Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa extension this is a form of business visa where you will need a Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa lawyer to help meet the pbs rules;

Tier 1 Investor visa extension Visa for high net worth people;

Tier 2 General extension related to a work permit to allow you to work. This is only if you already have been issued a Tier 2 General visa and your sponsor has a licence to employ you known as a sponsorship licence;

Tier 2 Intra company transfer visa extension;

Tier 4 General visa extension a form of a student visa; Sole representative of an overseas business visa extension a form of business visa

Spouse visa extension family-related visa Unmarried partner visa extension Same-sex partner visa extension Civil partnership visa extension

There are many others, however, the above is a good starting point and I welcome a call to take further instructions. UK Visa

Appealing a refusal comes in various forms. Some cases attract a full statutory right of appeal and others attract only the right to an administrative review. I will need to have sight of the reasons for the refusal letter to offer you the options that you have in appealing your immigration refusal.

Following an assessment of the merits, I can then give you options of either appealing or re-applying. There had previously been the option to re-apply within 28 days of refusal if section 3c of the immigration rules had extended your old leave. This has now been amended and is reduced to 14 days only if there is good reason to re-apply.

One of our qualified immigration consultants is able to guide you on what you need to do with your immigration application moving forward. We can offer a free telephone assessment or an in-person appointment. Most of our lawyers are trained as immigration solicitors and as a result, you will receive the highest standard advice available.

Long residence

In order to sponsor your husband, you join you, the requirements in Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules set out what the requirements that need to be satisfied and they can be summarised as follows:-

Suitability, this is, in essence, the good character requirements. However, it is not only tied to criminal convictions but also looks at any previous non-compliance in applications, outstanding bills with the NHS and any reason which may be deemed as reasons that are, not conducive to the public good. There is no need to provide specific evidence to prove this requirement other than to answer the questions on the relevant online application form.

Relationship, this looks at whether or not your marriage is valid in the country in which it took place in, whether or not the marriage is genuine and subsisting and whether or not there is an intention to live permanently together in the UK. Again, there are no specific documents that must be provided but to establish this requirement it is advisable that you provide the following types of documents-

Marriage certificate and evidence of previous divorces (if applicable).

Evidence of any visits to see or meet each other.

Evidence of contact whilst you and your husband are in separate countries.

A good selection of photographs during the course of your relationship.

Any other documents you would like the Entry Clearance Officer to consider.

Financial unless you are in receipt of specific benefits, you will need to show an income of £18,600 (assuming only your husband will be joining you in the UK). What documents you will need to submit in support of this application will depend on whether you are in employment, self-employment or whether you rely on savings (in part or in full). There are also specific documents that must be submitted depending on the route you rely on. You will also need to provide evidence of accommodation-

If you own your property, then the relevant entry Land Registry Deed with a Property Inspection Report to confirm that your husband's residence in the property will not create over-crowding conditions.

If you rent your property, you will need to submit your tenancy agreement and a letter from your landlord to confirm your husband can live in the property.

Depending on where your husband currently resides, he may also need to submit a Tuberculosis certificate.

Please remember that any document that is not in English must be translated if you want the Entry Clearance Officer to consider it.

UK Immigration

If you have had your application rejected, you may be able to appeal the decision. We have successfully handled a number of appeals. We are able to access your situation to determine all possible grounds of appeal.

There are various types of appeal with which we can help:

Appeals against settlement visa refusals;

Appeals against non-settlement visa refusals;

Appeals against Points-Based System visa refusals;

Appeals against dependent Points-Based System refusals;

Applications for permission to appeal (to both the First-tier and Upper Tier Tribunal);

Bail applications and appeals;

Requests for a review of your case with the Home Office.

Our UK immigration lawyers are able to read the decisions and possibly spot errors made by in the decision.

One of my clients paid the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1000. Her application was refused and we have since appealed. She had an NHS treatment and she has been billed for it. Does she have to pay after paying the Health Surcharge? Her treatment was only for abdominal problems.

A: If she has paid the NHS surcharge, this may arguably cover her as she has acted in good faith. This is a question that I suggest we investigate further to make sure as traditionally if you do not succeed with an appeal, the IHS surcharge is refunded. You could present such evidence to the NHS so that they can investigate the matter further and then advise whether there are any forthcoming bills to cover.

We deal with immigration applications and this type of enquiry is not within our traditional remit. If you want to engage us in negotiation and discuss this issue with all parties involved, we can take further instructions and advise you on what you will need to do.

You will need to apply for a spouse visa if are a Non-EU national who is married to a British national or an indefinite leave to remain holder. If however, you are looking to come into the UK to get married to your British partner or someone with settled in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for a fiance visa. Contact one of our advisers if you are not sure

The requirements of a spouse visa include:

Both partners must be over the age of 18.

They must be legally married. Traditional marriages or other forms of marriages that are not legally binding in the country in which it happened may not suffice.

There must be a piece of demonstrable evidence to live together permanently in the UK.

You, the UK sponsor must be earning at least £18,600 per year or have enough savings. Please note that with child dependants, the financial requirements increases. Please contact our immigration advisers if you are not sure how much savings you should have.

You must have suitable accommodation for yourself, your partner and dependents if any.

You must satisfy the English language requirements.

With regards to fiance visa applications, it is normally granted for a 6 months period. You are expected to get married within 6 months and switch to a spouse visa.

Our team of lawyers are experts in the UK and global immigration services. We regularly assist corporations to employ and transfer skilled workers across the globe. We also assist individuals that need to apply for visas in the UK or across the globe. Immigration law is our passion, our strength and our world. If you are a business and need a skilled worker for the first time, we can help. If you are British and need to bring your spouse to the UK, we can help. If you are a business with several international offices that want to transfer your skilled workers between your branches, we can help. We can help with all of your immigration law needs.

You will need to apply for a spouse visa if are a Non-EU national who is married to a British national or an indefinite leave to remain holder. If however you are looking to come into the UK to get married to your British partner or someone settled in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for fiance visa. Contact one of our advisers if you are not sure

The requirements of a spouse visa include:

Both partners must be over the age of 18.

They must be legally married. Traditional marriages or other forms of marriages that are not legally binding in the country in which it happened may not suffice.

There must be demonstrable evidence, to live together permanently in the UK.

You, the UK sponsor must be earning at least £18,600 per year or have enough savings. Please note that with child dependants, the financial requirements increases. Please contact our immigration advisers if you are not sure how much savings you should have.

You must have a suitable accommodation for yourself, your partner and dependants if any.

You must satisfy the English language requirements.

With regards to fiance visa applications, it is normally granted for a 6 months period. You are expected to get married within 6 months and switch to a spouse visa.

Visit visas are difficult to render a positive result. The appeal right has been limited and the burden has, in my opinion, become much higher. You are eligible to make a re-application, but it is likely that you will be issued with another refusal if the facts remain the same. That said, I should take a look at the reasons for refusal letter also known as a refusal letter. This may show that the decision has been made incorrectly. If that is the case, a reapplication with evidence to correct this mistake may be an option. You can email your refusal documents for us to consider. Family immigration UK

From the facts, I understand family reunification to mean a family permit based on the European Regulations. Are you working in the UK, which is known as exercising treaty rights? If so, we can apply for him to join you if we can prove that you are in a genuine relationship as well as working. EEA family permits are valid for 6 months and allow entry. After this, an application for a 5-year residence card will need to be made. At the end of 5 years, he may be able to apply for a Permanent Residence Card. We charge a fixed fee to help. If you want to speak to a lawyer, call us for an assessment. Family reunion in the UK

Have you submitted your application online or simply sent the spouse visa documents to your husband for consideration? If a spouse entry clearance application is pending, we can withdraw the application so that it is not considered unless it is no longer accessible. If it is not, we will need to speak with the decision-making post, in writing, to inform them that you are no longer sponsoring your partner as you are resolving some personal issues.

We need to be careful that we do not damage your credibility as you say in your email that you are having some problems. Does this mean they are irretrievable problems or that they are being worked on? If so, I suggest that your husband should withdraw the application and that little mention of the reason for this withdrawal should be offered. You can then make a re-application once you have addressed your differences.

If you want to speak to a regulated lawyer at Reiss Edwards, you can find our immigration consultants telephone number on our website. UK Settlement

The 10-year long residence rules require that you have not had a break in your legal residence. There had previously been a rule suggesting that any period of 28 days or less would not break continuous residence. This has now changed to 14 days under the statement of changes. As a result of this, we have a problem, whether under the old rules or new rules, about your continued residence. You have a prolonged period without a visa and so the 10 year period begins again.

I am likely to suggest that you will not succeed with your application for ILR long residence. However, we can speak about this at length in case we have missed any important facts. I can give a free assessment or one of the immigration lawyers in London can guide you on what, if anything, you can do. Turkish Businessperson visa

As you are married to a Polish national who is working here in the UK, you can make an application under the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 (EEA Regulations'). If you wish to enter the UK, you will need to apply for an EEA Family Permit. This is a free of charge application made to the Home Office which, if granted, will give you a six-month visa which you can enter the UK on. You will need to provide original evidence that you are married and that your wife is working. Once you enter the UK, you can then apply for a five year EEA Residence Card. Please note that Brexit due at the end of March 2019, this position is subject to change.

We can help with an FLRFP application but we like to assess merits in this before we accept the application. If you have an arguable case, we will quote a fee for our service.

What is the basis of your application? Do you hold a visa in the UK currently? If so, what is that visa and how long have you held it for? Do you have any dependents in the UK and are you of good character. These factors are all crucial to understand whether you can ask the Home Office to issue you with leave outside of the rules. FlrFP

If your partner has returned to the European Union or indeed has left the UK, your current leave is no longer valid. I have to immediately advise you to stop working as you are in breach of the immigration rules. Should the Home Office visit your work, they will likely detain you and your employer will face a fine.

Regarding your options, you may be able to submit an application outside of the rules. This type of application is under FLRFP and it is particularly challenging. You traditionally have to show that there are insurmountable obstacles in your return to your home country. You have worked hard and completed your studies, will not meet this standard. Are you now in a relationship with anybody or do you remain single? Do you have any children or anybody that you are in full-time care of? Whilst these factors may help, they certainly are not a guarantee to you being issued leave to remain. I suggest you meet with an immigration lawyer to hear your options. We will provide an honest assessment so that you can make a formal decision on what you should do. EEA Family permit

Thank you for your enquiry. We will be happy to provide advice to you regarding your immigration matter. Please contact us at the office so that we can speak about your matter and how we can help. Visa overstay

Thank you for your enquiry. You have two options that you may be able to explore but very much depend on your circumstances. The first option we can explore is an application for confirmation of your Permanent Residence under the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 (EEA Regulations'). You will need to show that you were living in the UK with your parents (the EEA nationals) for a continuous period of five years. Evidence will need to be provided that your parents were exercising treaty rights (employed, self-employed, self-sufficient or a student) throughout the five year period. Permanent Residence is automatic for family members of EEA nationals, therefore you may already hold this status. This would be the option we would strongly recommend. The second option is to make an application on the basis your partner is a British national under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules. There are a number of requirements that need to be satisfied, including a financial requirement (a minimum of ? 18,600 per annum) and evidence you are in a genuine and subsisting relationship. We strongly recommend you contact us so that we can advise you of your options and prospects of success.

Yes, we can. London lawyers

Thank you for your enquiry. Where an individual wishes to make an application for Leave To Remain (LTR') on the basis of their relationship with a British partner and/or child, it will be made under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules. Does the Home Office define a partner as the spouse, fiance?or unmarried partner you have been living in a relationship akin to the marriage of two years or more. In order to regularise your immigration status, an application form and supporting evidence will need to be submitted to the Home Office detailing your circumstances and why you wish to remain in the UK. As you are without legal status in the UK, the Home Office will consider whether it is possible for you to continue your family lives abroad. In your circumstances, you have two options. The first is to make an application for Leave To Remain in the country. The second is to return to your country and make an application for permission to enter the UK (known as entry clearance). In your circumstances, we strongly recommend that you seek advice from us so that we can advise you of the best option. Illegal but with family in the UK

Our lawyers are predominantly trained solicitors and so can help with your need for a second opinion. What type of immigration application do you have? Do you want to speak on the phone or in person? We suggest that you pre-prepare any questions that you have so we can consider them before your arrival so you can get the best out of an assessment from one of our immigration lawyers in London Free immigration Consultation

Your partner, meaning your girlfriend, will need to be exercising her treaty rights to make an application. This would mean that she must be doing one of the following: - Working as an employee or self-employed; - Self-sufficient with private medical insurance; - Student with private medical insurance; - Jobseeker We can talk through what each of the four bullet points means in more detail over the phone Ankara arrangement

When did you have indefinite leave to remain? When it was issued, how long did you stay in the UK for? Have you left the UK for more than 2 years in a row? If so, you may your ILR will have been, in law, revoked. If not, you may be able to return without having to do too much. We will need to speak on the phone about your immigration matter to start with. Free immigration advice

In order to qualify for Further Leave to Remain as the spouse of a British national, you will need to meet the relevant criteria found in Appendix FM. See the requirements below for your ease of reference: Suitability: you will need to show that there are no issues as to your character such as criminal convictions (whether pending or previous), immigration breaches or otherwise which suggest that you are of bad character and therefore should not be permitted to remain in the UK. Relationship: you would need to show that your relationship continues to be genuine and subsisting and that you and your husband continue to intend to live together permanently. The predominant method in order to establish this is to provide evidence that you and your husband have lived together for the duration of the grant of the initial 2.5 years spouse visa. Financial: you would need to show that through income and/or savings that you can meet the relevant financial threshold. Assuming you do not have any non-British children, the relevant threshold is? 18,600 gross (before tax). We would be happy to arrange a time to talk in order to take further instructions from you in order to ascertain whether your income meets this requirement as this requirement is very case-specific and can be difficult to provide general advice on. Accommodation: you would need to establish that you have adequate accommodation to reside in moving forwards. This can be through renting, owning your own property or living with family/friends. Subject to your housing arrangements, a property inspection report may also be required in order to demonstrate that the living conditions do not amount to over-crowding. English Language: unless you are exempted (which will be primarily based on your nationality or having a degree or higher taught in English) you will need to sit and pass the A2 Life Skills examination from an approved English Language provider. We would be happy to arrange a consultation in order for us to take further instructions from you and to advise you further on how we can assist and present an application for further leave to remain on your behalf. Visa Renewals

In light of the fact that your wife's EEA Residence Card is due to expire, we can potentially assist her in an application for Permanent Residence in the UK as the family member of an EEA national. We will need to establish first that you have been a qualified person for 5 consecutive years. This means that you have been a- 1.Worker/employment 2.Jobseeker (as a rule of thumb for no more than 6 months) 3.Self-employed person 4.Student (with comprehensive sickness insurance for both you and your wife) 5.Self-sufficient (with comprehensive sickness insurance for both you and your wife) You can rely on a combination of these activities as opposed to simply relying on one category. We will also need to establish that your marriage is a genuine one and not one of convenience. Finally, the Home Office will consider your character as well as whether or not either you or your wife have been absent from the UK for more than 6 months in every 12 months for the last 5 years. We would invite you to call us so that we can take further instructions from you in order for us to advise you further on the application, process, timeframes and costs involved.

Thank you for your enquiry. We are sorry to hear of the problems you have encountered. When a visa is refused, you normally have two options. The first is to appeal the decision to a First Tier Tribunal whilst the second option is to make a new application In the event that the Entry Clearance Officer (who makes decisions on behalf of the Home Office on applications made from outside the UK) has made a serious omission or error when considering your application, there is an opportunity to complain about the handling of the application. This option, however, is only advisable if all relevant documents were provided. We recommend you contact us so we can advise you accordingly. What visa do I need

In order to qualify for Further Leave to Remain as the spouse of a British national, you will need to meet the relevant criteria found in Appendix FM. See the requirements below for your ease of reference: Suitability: you will need to show that there are no issues as to your character such as criminal convictions (whether pending or previous), immigration breaches or otherwise which suggest that you are of bad character and therefore should not be permitted to remain in the UK. Relationship: you would need to show that your relationship continues to be genuine and subsisting and that you and your husband continue to intend to live together permanently. The predominant method in order to establish this is to provide evidence that you and your husband have lived together for the duration of the grant of the initial 2.5 years spouse visa. Financial: you would need to show that through income and/or savings that you can meet the relevant financial threshold. Assuming you do not have any non-British children, the relevant threshold is? 18,600 gross (before tax). We would be happy to arrange a time to talk in order to take further instructions from you in order to ascertain whether your income meets this requirement as this requirement is very case-specific and can be difficult to provide general advice on. Accommodation: you would need to establish that you have adequate accommodation to reside in moving forwards. This can be through renting, owning your own property or living with family/friends. Subject to your housing arrangements, a property inspection report may also be required in order to demonstrate that the living conditions do not amount to over-crowding. English Language: unless you are exempted (which will be primarily based on your nationality or having a degree or higher taught in English) you will need to sit and pass the A2 Life Skills examination from an approved English Language provider. We would be happy to arrange a consultation in order for us to take further instructions from you and to advise you further on how we can assist and present an application for further leave to remain on your behalf. Visa Renewals

In light of the fact that your wife's EEA Residence Card is due to expire, we can potentially assist her in an application for Permanent Residence in the UK as the family member of an EEA national. We will need to establish first that you have been a qualified person for 5 consecutive years. This means that you have been a- 1.Worker/employment 2.Jobseeker (as a rule of thumb for no more than 6 months) 3.Self-employed person 4.Student (with comprehensive sickness insurance for both you and your wife) 5.Self-sufficient (with comprehensive sickness insurance for both you and your wife) You can rely on a combination of these activities as opposed to simply relying on one category. We will also need to establish that your marriage is a genuine one and not one of convenience. Finally, the Home Office will consider your character as well as whether or not either you or your wife have been absent from the UK for more than 6 months in every 12 months for the last 5 years. We would invite you to call us so that we can take further instructions from you in order for us to advise you further on the application, process, timeframes and costs involved.

How old is your son? Did he have a spouse dependant visa with you or was he herein his own right? Has he been charged with a criminal offence or has his visa expired? If he has not got a visa, we will need to assess his age and whether he may be eligible to apply for a visa in his own right. If he is a minor, there may be alternative grounds to consider. When I am made aware of the facts, I can go through exactly what options he will have. There may be an option for an in-country application or he may have to leave the UK to apply. The type of category may include a child dependant visa, a spouse dependant visa or others. Immigration detention

It is extremely unlikely that you would be eligible for a grant of leave to remain in the UK under the same category as your wife as you are not the parent' (albeit we appreciate that you are the day-to-day parent) of a British national child. However, it may be the case that you could be eligible for a grant of leave to remain for a reason outside of the Immigration Rules on a wider human rights basis - in this case on the basis of your private and family life in the UK as protected by Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights. The essence of any application submitted is that the child's best interests dictate that you should remain a part of her upbringing. It is therefore fundamental that you provide evidence that you play an active and central role in the child's upbringing so that it would be ultimately unfair on the child for you to be removed from the UK and therefore be removed from her upbringing. Such documentation could include a statement from the mother of the child, correspondence from the child's school and other institutions which can comment on the role you play for the child. However, the application will be discretionary as it is being made outside of the Immigration Rules. In light of the fact that the merits of the case are not fanciful, it should be the case that you will be granted an in-country right of appeal against any decision from the Home Office to refuse your application. In this case, you have the right to appeal before the First-Tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) in order for a Judge to hear the circumstances of your case and decide whether or not the child's best interest is sufficient to justify a grant of leave to remain despite not falling into a category within the Immigration Rules. Marriage to a British national Visa help

We can meet with you on 2nd September. Our offices are in Central London in Holborn. We usually suggest that you speak to an immigration specialist on the phone before you have an appointment. This is a free assessment before you then have a paid consultation if you feel you need to take an appointment thereafter. Do we usually charge? 100 plus Vat for an initial meeting however, the first 20 minutes on the phone is without cost. UK Visa lawyers

Your brother may qualify for a child dependant visa if we can show that you have sole responsibility for his care. Where are his parents and who is caring for him in Ghana? If he has a family providing him support in Ghana, this may not be a straight forward application. We have a team of family immigration lawyers in London. We need to take more information, which we usually do over the phone before we invite you to our offices for a consultation. British citizenship

I am not sure if you are in a relationship with your enquiry. I will need to speak with you before I can advise about your enquiry. Permanent residence

From your enquiry, I cannot see your specific question and so I will assume that you want to make an application for a Permanent Residence Card. You may be eligible to apply for the right to stay permanently if your Italian partner has exercised his treaty rights for 5 years, whilst you have been married. Exercising treaty rights is referred to as working, studying with private medical insurance or being self-sufficient with private medical insurance. The best way for us to ultimately confirm that you are eligible is to speak to one of our EEA lawyers. We offer initial free immigration advice over the phone or in-person to make sure that you can apply.

I am not sure whether your boyfriend is currently living in the UK from your enquiry. That said, getting married in the UK whilst on a tourist visa is not an option traditionally. Moreover, if your boyfriend does not have permanent residence, you will not be able to apply for a fiance visa to get married in the UK and so will need to get married overseas before applying to enter the UK on the basis of your relationship. You will first need to apply for a family permit, once you are married and then for a residence card once you have arrived. Your boyfriend has a job offer and so will be regarded as exercising his treaty rights. This will allow him to sponsor you as his family member once you are married. You may also qualify as an extended family member as you have been in a relationship for some time. If you have lived together for 2 years, this may be enough for you to make an application without leaving the UK. We need to speak with you to take further instructions. One of our immigration lawyers will give you a detailed free assessment. Ultimately, there will be a route for you to enter the UK if your boyfriend is working and you intend to get married. It is now a case of us discussing where you can get married and indeed whether you need to do so before you can make your visa application. Immigration Solicitors

From the information that you have provided, you may be able to apply under the 10-year rules. This allows people that have had a combination of visas to apply for indefinite leave to remain after being the in UK for 10 years. We will need to check that your absences from the UK are not over 18 months in the 10-year qualifying period and that you have no gaps between the visas issued. Gaps of 28 days or less may be OK, but I suggest you call one of our immigration lawyers to discuss this further.

What visa do you hold currently? Are you on a spouse visa? When was your spouse visa issued and have you applied for a spouse extension previously? You need to hold a family visa like this for 5 years under the current rules. Only then can you apply for indefinite leave to remain. If you meet the residence requirements and your income is suitable, we can apply either by post or using the same day service for permanent stay known also as indefinite leave to remain. There are many services if you are a qualified person, postal service or premium appointment with the Home Office. Visa Extension

Thank you for your email and immigration question.

You refer to your wife having a 5-year visa. With you being an Italian national, I assume that the visa that she has is a Residence Card under the EU Regulations based on you exercising your treaty rights in the UK.

England has opted to leave the European Union. Your wife’s visa was issued under the EU Regulations in place at that time and it remains valid. However, at some stage, EU based visas all need to be changed to a UK immigration visa. The Home Office has introduced the settled and pre-settled status schemes to help with situations like the one you are in. Unlike the rules related to applying for a Permanent Residence Card, we do not need to show the EU national had been working for a continuous 5-year period or exercising his treaty rights. Instead, we concentrate on evidence of living in the UK for the qualifying period.

You had mentioned that you would like to extend the 5-year visa instead of what I have advised above. An extension is not in your best interests as it will need for you to follow the above advice at some point and will come at an additional unnecessary cost to you. This route is the quickest to lead to naturalisation becoming British. When you apply for naturalisation, you will need to pass English exams as well as the life in the UK test. For settled status, these tests are not required.

I suggest that the next sensible step to take would be a verbal discussion on the requirements. We can explain the process to expect and provide an agreed fixed fee for our support with this application.

What visa do you hold currently? Are you on a spouse visa? When was your spouse visa issued and have you applied for a spouse extension previously? You need to hold a family visa like this for 5 years under the current rules. Only then can you apply for indefinite leave to remain. If you meet the residence requirements and your income is suitable, we can apply either by post or using the same day service for permanent stay known also as indefinite leave to remain. There are many services if you are a qualified person, postal service or premium appointment with the Home Office. Visa Extension

There are various exemptions for people in the Economic travel area. I will need to take further instructions to see if you are one of those people. Refugee visa application

How old is your son? Did he have a spouse dependant visa with you or was he herein his own right? Has he been charged with a criminal offence or has his visa expired? If he has not got a visa, we will need to assess his age and whether he may be eligible to apply for a visa in his own right. If he is a minor, there may be alternative grounds to consider. When I am made aware of the facts, I can go through exactly what options he will have. There may be an option for an in-country application or he may have to leave the UK to apply. The type of category may include a child dependant visa, a spouse dependant visa or others. Immigration Detention Solicitor

Hi there. I am a South African citizen currently in the UK on a Tier 2 ICT visa. I first arrived in the UK in September 2013 and last year extended my visa until September 2017. During this time I have since become engaged. My fiancee' is a UK citizen. We have booked a date with a registrar to be married in October 2017. I would like to find out how to go about changing my visa type, and whether I would need to try extending my current ICT visa until after the wedding that is within the 5 year limit of the Tier 2 ICT visa - so that I am not forced to leave before then. Tier 2 ICT

Reiss Edwards does not offer legal aid. If you want a private immigration lawyer we can help. If you want the help of a legal aid firm, I suggest that you contact a firm that has the authority to offer free legal help. Deportation cases are complicated and may result in the offender being removed whilst an appeal is underway. This is known as certification and does not preclude the offender from appealing. That said, it does make the appeal more difficult as he may have a better chance if giving live evidence in court. Do you have the secretary of States refusal letter confirming the grounds for refusal and whether the appeal has been certified? What is the reason for his detention initially? If you decide that you would like to instruct a lawyer privately, you are welcome to call us. We are also happy to give some free guidance as I can see time is sensitive. Free immigration advice

Thank you for your email enquiry.

Can you confirm what experience you have professionally and what your expertise is? If your vocation is included on a list that the Home Office called the Standard Occupation Codes or the Shortage Occupation List, you may be eligible to make a Tier 2 General visa application. There are a number of further requirements that you will need to satisfy, for example; English language, minimum salary band (depending on your age and job title) and funds you hold to support yourself.

You have suggested that there is a UK company that may be willing to offer you sponsorship. This may be suitable however, the role must be for a genuine vacancy, as this forms a part of the assessment criteria when a decision is being reached. In addition, the UK company will need to:

Advertise the job for 28 days to the UK Labour Market

Apply for a sponsorship Licence

Apply for you to get a restricted Certificate of Sponsorship

Apply for you to get a Tier 2 General visa

Although there is no legal requirement in the rules, I would advise against a company applying for a licence if they do not have physical office space. The Home Office typically want to see a designated space for migrants to work from, where Home Office inspections can also be conducted if they choose to visit.

The process takes in the region of 6 weeks for the sponsor licence approval and around 3 weeks for the visa to be approved, depending on the service we opted for at the time of making the application. With the initial licence, the Home Office may choose to visit your employer's office and conduct a compliance check. They will want to see that the employer is capable of sponsoring and understand the responsibility imposed on them once a licence has been issued.

The sponsorship process requires your employer to understand the expectation placed on them by the Home Office. I am happy to have a conversation with the HR of the company, at no cost to you, and offer insight on the process and check to see if your role is one that is sponsorable. If you would prefer to check for yourself, I recommend that you go to the Home Office website and review the SOC codes (Standard Occupation Codes). You will see a list and each list is labelled as Table 1 or Table 2. Please look only at these two tables, as they are skilled occupations that are acceptable for sponsorship under the Tier 2 General scheme.

If you have any questions when conducting your research or want me to speak with your prospective employer, feel free to contact us via email or telephone.

The situation that you have described with regards to your Tier 1 General visa is a common problem that many applicants have faced, often many years after being issued your visa. At the time the visa route was available, the Home Office did not realise that the sum being declared with visa applications often differed from the amount declared to HMRC, which affected the points scored. In your case, if you had not been awarded points for your self-employed income, you would not have been issued your visa extension, as you would have fallen below the points needed to extend. If the error would not have made a material difference to the decision, there may be grounds to challenge the refusal. Can you confirm the breakdown of the points scored for both your employed and self-employment income?

We have had success handling similar cases before, but in the scenario described, I am not confident that you have any merits in proceeding to challenge this refusal. You confirmed that you had not had any income declared by your old accountant to the HMRC and that this has now been declared and tax is being settled currently. As a business owner/self-employed person, you have a duty to ensure that your tax affairs are up to date. If you did not receive a bill from HMRC or a document to sign from your accountant to lodge your returns, it is likely that the Home Office will suggest that you did not take reasonable steps and that your defence does not change the decision made. Whilst this may not be the news you wanted to hear, we always prefer to be transparent so that you can make an informed decision on your next steps. Ultimately, it looks like you may not succeed with your application and it may be worth us discussing potential alternative visa routes for you to remain in the UK.

As a gesture to you, we will look at the refusal letter and have a 20-minute telephone assessment to go through the grounds for a refusal to see if perhaps, there is a defence which we have missed.

UK Naturalisation, UK Permanent residence

Subject to your nationality, it may be the case that you can apply within Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules for a spouse visa (on the basis that you are British) or for an EEA Family Permit and/or an EEA Residence Card if you are a European national. The Immigration Rules also slightly different if you are a Points Based System migrant (for example Tier 1, 2 or 4). We would invite you to contact us in order for us to take further instructions from you so that we can advise you further as well as advise you on the process, time frames and costs Visa help

Before you can naturalise, you need to apply for a permanent residence card. You need to exercise treaty rights for 5 years before you can apply for a permanent residence card. The reason for the need to apply for permanent stay first is because the Home Office has introduced this requirement in order to apply to naturalise. However, in law, Permanent Residence is automatic and so you may already hold this right. With you have been in the UK every weekend, the Home Office may see this as enough for you to have been exercising your treaty rights, despite you being in Poland. This will dependant on whether you had been transferred together with other important details. When I take further instructions, I can confirm when you have held PR from and when you can apply for naturalisation and thereafter a British passport. UK Naturalisation, UK Permanent residence

In order to offer a fixed fee, I need to know on what basis you are a qualified person. We quote a fee based on the time we expect to spend on a case. As each case differs, it would not be fair to charge all clients the same fee. We offer competitive fees from a central London firm. The questions I will need for you to answer include: 1. What nationality are you? 2. You say you are a qualified person. Can you explain what you have been doing for the past 5 years so I can confirm if you are eligible for the right of permanent residence? I suggest you call and speak to one of our immigration lawyers in London so we can confirm what options you have. We will also confirm our fee after this so you can prepare in advance of our cost. Permanent residence

Is your husband on a Tier 2 General visa or Tier 2 ICT visa? If he has a Tier 2 General visa, he may be able to apply for an extension of this status if he can find another sponsor. First, the employer will need to advertise the job to the UK labour market and then he may be able to switch sponsors and have another Tier 2 General. If he has a Tier 2 ICT, he will not be able to switch as easily. With this category, he will need to be mindful of the cooling-off period, which prevents him from staying beyond the 6-year term. If he has had an ICT visa, this usually does not count towards indefinite leave to remain and so it will be important for us to speak so I can tell him if he needs to start the 5-year residence again or whether the time spent in the UK so far will count towards permanent stay. UK Work Permit

We charge GBP 100 plus VAT (where applicable) per consultations. This fee is deducted from any future charges if you instruct us. More importantly, we offer a free assessment over the phone. So rather than you paying before coming to see us and being told there are no merits for success in your case, we have been gracious enough to give a free assessment over the phone to gauge whether you are eligible or not.

Yes, we give free immigration advice over the phone on the initial call. The free immigration advice is limited to 10 minutes depending on the availability of advisers. The initial call is usually to access the eligibility of the caller. We would need to invite you over for a consultation for a bit of more detailed immigration advice.

We are able to offer you a full service for a fiancé visa, but first would like to assess your case, as your email does not provide a factual background. Once we assess your case and ascertain that you meet the eligibility of the route, we can go on to quote you a fixed fee for our legal fees and provide a full breakdown of the Home Office fees that you can expect to pay for the visa.

A fiancé visa will allow you and your partner to get married in the UK. It only provides 6 months for this to take place and you will then need to switch visa categories to a spouse settlement visa under Appendix FM. The spouse visa is issued for 2.5 years and allows the applicant more freedom to work, study and generally remain in the UK.

If you decide to work with Reiss Edwards Solicitors on your immigration application, our fee includes the following:

Legal support and guidance

A detailed list of the documents needed for the application

A detailed review of the documents as often as required

Completion of application forms and suitable templates

Scanning of application packs

Detailed cover letter with factual background and legal argument

All emails and telephone calls to UK lines only

We are able to submit an application for a spouse visa extension. There are various services that the Home Office offer for such an extension, either the super-priority service or the standard postal service.

When you made your last visa application, the Home Office or Visa Centre required original documents to be lodged for review. This has now changed, which is good news to you and the safety of your original documentation. The documentation is uploaded onto a portal for the Home Office caseworker to review.

The requirements for your wife to extend her spouse visa will need to be satisfied if you want to be able to secure the additional 2.5 years the visa is typically issued for. These requirements include:

Earning £18,600 or holding savings. As you work full time, we will not need to rely on your savings as long as your income exceeds the threshold. Can you confirm how much your salary is per year?

Have suitable accommodation for the two of you to reside in exclusively

Can evidence you have lived together for the past 2 years

Your wife also needs to pass an English language test which is slightly more advanced

We will need to know if there are any criminal convictions or any issues that may impact the case

I am sorry to hear that you received the wrong guidance with your husband’s spouse visa extension.

If your husband left the UK without cost to the UK government, he will not have a restriction set against his re-application of a spouse visa. So, he will be eligible to make an application for another spouse visa from Albania to return to the UK.

In your email enquiry, you have not confirmed when your husband left the UK but from the information, it seems clear that he entered the UK post-July 2012 when the rules become more complicated and the salary requirement was introduced. This indicates to me that you are aware of the basic requirements from your first application, such as:

You, as the sponsor, must earn over £18,600 per year

You must have suitable accommodation

Your husband must pass an English test. As he is entering the category again, the test will need to be within 2 years of the re-submission of his application

Your relationship must be genuine and subsisting

There must be no general grounds for refusal against the good character

An adverse immigration history alone will not usually result in rejection of a spouse visa application. But because there is a complicated immigration history, I would recommend that I review the determination of the Tribunal as well as Home Office Refusal letters, so I can confirm what impact this history will have on the application. I would also want to be sure that there have not been other grounds for refusal raised.

When making a fiancé visa application, we will need to provide evidence that we meet the following requirements:

That you have met your fiancé before – the presence of your son makes this a question I can safely confirm without the need to speak with you first

That you have considered where you would get married in the UK

That the sponsor (the British national) is either employed or self-employed earning £18,600 per annum or more

If he is an employee of a business, he will need to have been employed for at least 6 months

If he is self-employed, he will need to have a full 12 months of evidence to show his income

As you are an American citizen, you automatically meet the English language standard required Can you confirm that you hold a valid American passport?

That you do not fall foul of the good character requirements.

It is best practice for an immigration solicitor to speak in detail with either you, your husband or on a conference call with you both. This way, we can consider the pros and cons of your case and advise on the cost and how long the process will take.

A fiancé visa is issued for 6 months and you will need to get married in the 6 month validity period. Once you are married, we will need to make a further visa application for you to remain in the UK for a further 2.5 years. This 2.5-year spouse visa allows you to work and study in the UK, a fiancé visa does not as it is a short term visa.

If we meet the fundamental requirements listed above, this visa is extended for a final 2.5 years. At the end of that, Indefinite Leave to Remain can be applied for, often referred to as Spouse ILR.

Thank you for your email enquiry.

We offer an agreed fixed fee for our service but have to speak to you about the facts of your case before we can give you an accurate cost. I am able to confirm that our fees range from £1000 onwards for a spouse visa application. This excludes the disbursements applied by the Home Office for both the visa and any third party exams/translations needed.

We very much want to be able to help support your young family in being reunited in the UK. For us to provide you with the most accurate information, I will need to gather the following information from you:

Are you employed currently? If so, how long have you been employed for? You mention you were living in Dubai, so I assume that the answer is likely to be no to this question

If you are not working, do you have savings? If so, how much do you have saved and for how long have you held the funds for?

How many bedrooms do you have access to in the property you are residing in? Is it rented or owned and do you have permission for your husband to join you at the address?

Has your husband passed an English language test in the last 2 years, or completed a degree/masters/PhD taught in the English language?

Does either of you have any children from a past relationship?

Is either of you divorced?

Does either of you have any criminal convictions?

Are there any other facts you feel we should be made aware of?

If you do not hold the savings to circumvent the need for employment and are not currently working, it may be that applying for a spouse visa currently is not a viable option. As you have only just relocated to the UK, we could also look at the routes that Appendix FM suggests if a family are relocating back to the UK at the same time. If you have worked in Dubai earning over £18,600 and have a job offer in the UK to start within 3 months of your arrival, you may be able to still proceed with a spouse visa application.

Given the ambiguity in the facts, I would welcome consultation for us to go through this in more depth. We will ensure that we gather all of the information needed to decide what options you have and which makes the most sense. If we do not find a settlement visa route that works for you, it may be that we consider a visit visa application although I am always particularly cautious with married couples applying for visit visas. This is because the Home Office treat them with contempt as it can be challenging for a married couple to prove intent to return to the country of origin at the end of a visit.

As a leading UK immigration law firm in London, a large number of our clients are based overseas and we never have to meet with them. So yes, you can feel comfortable to instruct us knowing that we deliver the same level of success remotely.

During the consultation, the immigration specialist will listen to your case and needs carefully and then provide you with a strategy and details on what needs to be done.

You will be meeting with a specialist London immigration lawyer or trained solicitor. The adviser that will be assigned to you will be someone who is not only regulated to give immigration advice but also one who has a great deal of experience in dealing with similar cases that you have (as documented in your initial call)

If you are invited by one of our immigration lawyers for a free consultation, the consultation would normally last for about 20 minutes. However, a paid consultation will last for about an hour.

Before I continue in responding to your query, I will make an important distinction between Permanent Residence (PR) and Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). PR is the right to remain in the UK permanently and is a term used under EU law. ILR also is the right to remain in the UK permanently/Indefinitely but is a term used if you have had a visa based on the UK immigration rules and not the EU regulations. Ultimately, the provide you with the same rights in the UK, but you arrive there using a different set of law.

Getting Permanent Residency in the UK is usually achieved if you are the holder of a visa under the EU regulations, such as a Residence Card. Following Brexit, Permanent Residence will no longer exist, as it is a term that is derived for EU law. In place of Permanent Residence, the Home Office has announced the pre-settled and settled schemes for EU nationals and their family members.

As you have referred to Permanent Residence in your email, I will discuss the process of an EU national or their family member, securing a PR card. Proving that the EU national was working for 5 years and living in the UK will need to be evidenced with the paperwork you present. If you are not able to show employment for the entire 5 years, it will make more sense for you to proceed to make a settled status application instead. In fact, my advice I would endorse would be for you to make a settled status application as your primary choice. This is because it comes without the cost and is a more straight forward application to submit to the Home Office. In our experience, it takes far less time to receive a decision. As mentioned above, getting settled status will future proof your right to reside in the UK.

I will need a clear understanding of the facts and so await your contact to take instructions and confirm what my opinion is conclusive.

You have suggested in your email that you have a no time limit stamp in your passport. In legal terms, this would mean that you have Indefinite Leave to Remain already in the UK and so do not require our service for ILR. There are clients that regularly refer to a no time limit stamp and mean that they are exempt from immigration control having served in the British army. Alternatively, you may have ILR and want to have it transferred to a BRP card following the expiration of your passport.

Responding in line with the later possibility, that you want to transfer your Indefinite Leave to Remain Vignette to a Biometrics Residence Card, we can assist with this process. We will need evidence that you have not left the UK for 2 years from when your ILR was issued. This can be done with the use of utility bills and bank statements. If instructed to support you with your application for a No Time Limit BRP application, we will provide a list of the documents we suggest will be suitable for us to proceed with your application.

The processing time for an NTL application is around 6 weeks from submission. Preparation time ranges from a week – 4 weeks depending on how quickly you are able to provide the supporting evidence that we request. Once we have had an assessment of the facts on a free telephone discussion, we can confirm our fixed fee and the Home Office disbursements associated with the process.

If you are exempt from immigration control and have been in the UK for 10 years, you may be eligible to apply under the 10-year long residence rules, as long as your most current visa is not an exemption for immigration control. If you have already done this and in return got the no time limit stamp you referred to, you will have correctly observed that you have ILR. I would like us to arrange to speak, so I can answer the question that you need an answer to rather than providing guidance on a process you may have been successful with already.

Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa business plan

For the in-country same day (premium service) visa applications, it would normally be decided by the Home Office' Public Enquiry Office (PEO) within 24 hours. Also, processing times for in-country UK spouse visa applications submitted by post is decided in line with the Home Office processing times. Lastly, for UK spouse visa application made outside the country; they would first and foremost have to submit to the British Embassy / High Commission in the applicants country of origin and/or the country the applicants has legally resided for the last 12 months prior to the application. The processing times for applications in this category is also decided by the Home Office in line with their Visa Processing Times. As leading spouse visa lawyers in London, we advise on a wide range of spouse visa applications. Feel Free to contact us for a free initial assessment.

Tier 1 Entrepreneur

If your visa application is refused or rejected, your next line of action will largely depend on the reason for the visa refusal. However, for PBS applications, you be able to apply for an administrative review and for other applications especially family-related visa applications, you will be given a right of appeal. If you are looking to go ahead with an administrative review, you need to make sure that you have fresh evidence that you submitted to the Home Office; and if you are looking to appeal, you can only do so on Human rights grounds.

For in-country applications, you will need an FLR (M) application form. For out-of-country applications, you will need to apply online.

Every time spent lawfully and continuously in the UK counts towards the long residence. Section 3C and 3D of the Immigration rules falls under the lawful residence, therefore they would count towards the long year residence period. Importantly, if a person reaches the 10 years having continually and legally resided in the UK while they have an outstanding application or appeal they can vary such application or appeal for Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) on the basis of 10 years long residence.

resident card UK for European resident permit card

Permanent Residency under the EU rules is applied for either online or using a paper form if you are not an EU national and not applying with the EU national at the same time for PR.

Settled status applications, which in theory replace Permanent Residence, is an online application of which is streamlined to make the application and processing times more efficient. I would recommend that the settled status scheme is the most suitable for those people that would have previously made an application for a Permanent Residence Card.

I would like to have answers for the following questions which can be sent via email or telephone:

What is your nationality?

What visa do you currently hold?

How long have you been on this visa in the UK?

Before this visa, did you have another one, if so what visa was it?

Have you been in the UK illegally in the last 10 years?

In the last 5 years, do you have a record of the time you have spent outside of the UK?

Have you worked continually for the last 5 years?

Do you have any criminal convictions?

Once I have the above information, I can safely direct you on the appropriate action to take. After holding PR or settled status for 1 year, you may be eligible to apply for naturalisation, which is the way you secure a British passport to remain in the UK.

UK Resident card Resident permit card

When visiting the UK, an application cannot be made from inside the UK to switch to another visa category. All options we discuss will need to be applied for from your home country of India, or a country where you have the right to remain beyond a short visit.

The Home Office have immigration rules that dictate the options available to us. The immigration routes that I would suggest we discuss are as follows:

Tier 1 Investor visa – This requires access to £2 million

Tier 2 General visa – This is a form of work visa and requires the applicant to have a skilled occupation where they will work for a specific company. For example, a lawyer or solicitor would be seen as a skilled role. Using the same example of a solicitor, if a law firm has a sponsor licence and are willing to offer a job to one of you, this will allow you to apply for a Tier 2 General visa. There are other requirements, which are easier to discuss in an initial telephone call so that we can be sure this is a route that is suitable for your objectives.

Tier 4 student visa – this allows you to study in the UK and work part-time, depending on the course of study.

Startup or Innovator visa – These visa categories replaced the Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur visa and Tier Entrepreneur visa. If you have a business idea and can get an endorsement from an endorsing body, these routes may be suitable for you. We can discuss them further once you confirm which route interests you most.

A representative of an Overseas business – If you work for a company in India and they want to set up a UK office, the ROB visa may be worth exploring.

All routes allow depends to apply too, so one of you would need to be eligible for one of the above and the other can apply as the main applicant’s family member.

I hope the above helps and welcome your reply by email or call to further expand.

I would recommend that we make an application using the Home Office settled status scheme rather than via the EU Regulations PR scheme. This will future proof your immigration status as PR will only be valid until the Home Office transitional arrangement comes to end in December. That said, your absence from the UK will still need to be addressed and it will become a discretionary application for settled status. If we discuss this matter further and decide that it has less prospects of success, we may want to consider going the route of pre-settled status. This will still allow you to work and remain in the UK even after Brexit.

You mention that you were sent abroad for work. If you were still being paid into your UK bank account, this will help with our argument as to why discretion needs to be exercised. If you were not being paid into your UK bank and spent more than 6 months per year outside of the UK, my opinion is that your application will become difficult for settled status or PR.

Gathering the facts to your case and establishing which immigration route fits those facts is the sensible first step that should be taken. We do this without charge and will direct you on what options make sense, the cost and how we can help.

Fiance visa

Permanent residence

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eea permanent residence, Apply for permanent residency UK

British Citizenship

EEA family permit EEA family permit apply for residence card

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Our immigration lawyers have answered this question in a private email.

This enquiry has been dealt with by our immigration advisers

If you have exercised your right to appeal and have successfully lodged your appeal in time, you should be able to stay in the country up until a decision is made. However, whether or not you have a right to work while the appeal is going on is a different question. Your rights to work will depend on your particular circumstance, especially circumstances prior to appealing. We will need more information on your immigration matter in order to give a proper answer.

Civil Partnership Application

We are sorry to hear that the company's application for the sponsorship licence has been refused. Considering that the application was refused on the basis that the Home Office was not satisfied that the company can offer genuine employment, a "cooling-off" period would have been applied. This means that the company may only submit a fresh application only after 6 months from the date of the decision. Your best option is to stay with your current sponsor or secure another employment with another company with a sponsor licence.

First of all, congratulations on the birth of your child. In order to apply for leave for your baby, a formal identification must be provided. It is advised that you obtain a passport for the baby prior to submitting the application.

This enquiry has been answered in a private email by one of our immigration solicitors

This enquiry has been dealt with privately by our immigration advisers. Click here to know more about permanent residence application

In order for your spouse to apply for the fiance visa. The following requirements must be satisfied: 1. Evidence of Genuine and Subsisting relationship - You are required to provide evidence of your relationship. Personal statements and Photographs are examples of what you can provide. 2.Evidence that the marriage will take place - You will have to evidence that you have contacted the Civil Registrar to notify them that you and your fiance will be attending an appointment to give notice to marriage. 3.Financial Requirement - As the sponsor, you will need evidence that your income is at least £18600. We will need to obtain more information from you to ascertain how you would satisfy this requirement. We always charge a fixed-fee and our fee is based on our assessment of our client's individual circumstances.

This enquiry has been dealt with privately by our immigration advisers. For more information on visit visas, Click here

We write further to your enquiry. We would be happy to arrange an initial free telephone consultation with one of our Senior Associates in order to discuss your enquiry in more detail.

However, please find below an overview of the visitor visa requirements.

That the applicant has an intention to return at the end of their visa.

That the applicant (or their sponsor) can meet the costs of their flight to and from the UK as well as for the time they will spend in the UK

That the applicant has adequate accommodation

Visitor visas are often refused because of the intention to return requirement (the first of the three general requirements). The way that the Home Office will review these applications is to assess an applicant's connections to their country of residence. This can be a number of different factors such as work, business, family or property, but may include a number of other factors. We would be happy to discuss this further in our initial consultation.

In order for his application to be valid, he will need to provide updated documents to evidence your income. If he is unable to provide these, his application will not be successful.

Please find below an overview of the visitor visa requirements. 1. That the applicant has an intention to return at the end of their visa 2. That the applicant (or their sponsor) can meet the costs of their flight to and from the UK as well as for the time they will spend in the UK 3. That the applicant has adequate accommodation In the event of a refusal, you cannot appeal the decision to the First-Tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). Instead, you would instead submit a Judicial Review application to the Upper Tribunal (which will be sitting as the High Court).

We write further to your enquiry.

In order to be better placed to advise you on the requirements to extend your current visa and be able to advise you on the general documents needed, we will need to first understand what visa you are currently on. Please feel free to provide us with more information in relation to the current visa you are currently on so that we can advise you further.

Your eligibility for British Citizenship is dependent on your "deemed date of acquiring Permanent Residency". If you have been in the UK for a continuous period of 8 years, you may rely on any 5 continuous years provided that during this relevant period, you are able to evidence that you are " exercising Treaty rights" This would mean that you must either be in employment, self-employment or as a student or self-sufficient. If you rely on a 5 year period for example 2012-2017 and your deemed date of acquiring Permanent Residency is 2017, this means that it has now been more than 12 months since that date and you may submit an application for Naturalisation without having to wait for a further 12 months.

It may be possible for you to apply for an application for "No Time Limit" provided that you have not been absent from the United Kingdom for a continuous period of 2 years or more since your Indefinite Leave to Remain was granted and only if you are currently in the United Kingdom.

Certainly. We assist in all aspects of Immigration and in order for us to do so, we will need to obtain more information from you. Please provide your contact details for us to be able to contact you, alternatively, you may call us on our office number which can be found on our website.

Enquiry has been dealt with in private by one of our specialist

Enquiry has been dealt with in private by one of our specialist

Enquiry has been dealt with in private by one of our specialist

We write further to your enquiry. In order to obtain a visa to specifically work in the UK, you will need to obtain a Tier 2 visa. There are two types of Tier 2 visas-

General - for those that have not worked in a branch abroad; or

Intra Company Transfer - for those that have worked for a branch abroad for 12 months or for those who have worked less than 12 months but is being offered a salary of at least £79,000 per annum.

If you have remained in the UK without leave for more than 14 days, the Home Office is unlikely to accept any application for Leave based on employment. The reason for this is that a requirement for either Tier 2 visa is that you must have valid leave that allows you to switch to the Tier 2 category. Currently, you are not in such a position. As a consequence, you will need to leave the United Kingdom in order to submit the application for a Tier 2 visa. However, in the event that you have over-stayed in the United Kingdom for more than 30 days, you will have a re-entry ban to the United Kingdom for at least 12 months (assuming you leave on a voluntary basis, at your own costs). This is a Mandatory Grounds of Refusal and it is extremely unlikely that any application submitted within those 12 months will be accepted.

Enquiry has been dealt with in private by one of our specialist

We write further to your enquiry. We generally do not charge for an initial consultation of 20 minutes.

However, at the present moment, there is no amnesty announced by the Home Office or the Home Secretary. There has been talks of the Home Office announcing an amnesty, but this has not be officially announced and no details have been provided as such. As a consequence, at this moment in time, we would advise you not to rely on the current talks of an amnesty.We would be happy to arrange a time to speak with one of our Senior Associates for us to advise you on your friend's circumstances and to see if we can assist them in their immigration matter. However, before arranging an initial free consultation, it would be helpful to perhaps arrange a time to speak on the telephone so that we can take initial instructions.

We write further to your enquiry. We would be happy to arrange an initial free telephone consultation with one of our Senior Associates in order to discuss your enquiry in more detail as well as advise you on how we may be able to present your appeal on your behalf As a starting point, it would be helpful for us to review the application submitted as well as the reasons provided by the Home Office in refusing the application. If an appeal has already been lodged with the First-Tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber), then the Grounds of Appeal as well as any supporting documents filed with your appeal will also be important. If you have not lodged an appeal, you have 14 days or 28 days to file an appeal (depending on whether your friend is inside or outside the UK). It is therefore important we have sight of these papers as soon as possible. Generally speaking, it can take up to 9 months for your appeal to be listed. During this time, we can collate the documents we believe are important for your appeal as well as arrange a barrister to appear on your behalf at the appeal. Once you have collated the documents as set out above, please contact us so that we can arrange an initial consultation in order to advise you further.

Thank you for your question.

Under the EEA Regulations, you are only required to prove you have obtained Permanent Residence to show you are settled in the UK. If you were the non-EEA family member of an EEA national, this would have been confirmed by way an endorsement in your passport. This endorsement will state it is a Residence Documentation, have your picture on it with the date it was issued and will have confirmation that it is a Permanent Residence card. According to the

Home Office's Right to Work guidance (see here), it is still an acceptable way for you to prove your right to work. It follows having said this, we are in the midst of Brexit. The Home Office has created new rules know as Settled Status for EEA nationals and non-EEA nationals who are/were family members of EEA nationals. You will be required to apply through the scheme to obtain Settled Status. They will ask you to provide basic information through which the Home Office will confirm whether you have been in the UK for over five years by checking with HMRC. The deadline to do so is currently 30 June 2021 if there is a Brexit deal and 31 December 2020 if there is no Brexit deal. We recommend applying as a matter of urgency.

Thank you for your enquiry. As you are an overstayer, you may make an application on the basis of you having children in the UK. When considering your application, the Home Office will consider the period of time you have all lived in the UK, the age of the children and the strength of ties that both you and the children have to the UK. What the Home Office is in law considering is whether under human rights law it is proportionate for your human rights to be breached and for you to be required to leave the UK. Generally, if the children have been in the UK for seven years or more or are British, it will be more difficult for the Home Office to justify that it is proportionate to expect the children to continue their family life abroad. The longer a child is in the UK, the more that they have developed ties through family, friends and education to the UK. It is therefore potentially harder for a child to integrate to a country they may have never been to or have no memory of. If your application is successful, you will be granted 30 months of Leave To Remain ('LTR') under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules. You will be allowed to work, study and enter and exit the UK during this time. You will be on the ten-year route to settlement (known as Indefinite Leave to Remain ('ILR'). You will, therefore, be required to extend your visa a number of times before you are eligible for ILR. We strongly recommend you contact us so that we may advise you on the specifics of your case and the merits in making an application.

Enquiry has been dealt with in private by one of our specialist advisors

We write further to your enquiry. We would be happy to arrange an initial free telephone consultation with one of our Senior Associates in order to discuss your enquiry in more detail. Although we appreciate you have collated the documents, please see below a summary of the key requirements for a Partner based visa-

Suitability Requirements - although the Rules set out a number of factors to be taken into account, these factors can be categorised into two categories - criminal convictions and immigration breaches (whether in the UK or elsewhere)

English Language Requirements - unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, you will need to evidence one of the following-

(a) that you have a degree or higher that was taught in the UK

(b) that you have a degree or the equivalent of a degree or higher that was taught in a majority English speaking country

(c) that you have a degree or the equivalent of a degree or higher that was taught in English and verified by UK NARIC

(d) That you have passed the A1 Life Skills examination with IELTS

Relationship Requirements - you will need to evidence that you were both free to marry before you married each other in the UK and that your relationship is genuine and subsisting. We would expect to see documents such as proof of living together/cohabitation (if applicable), photographs, messages and other communication to evidence a genuine and subsisting relationship.

Immigration Requirement - you must currently hold a visa in the UK which is not as a visitor and one that allows you to reside in the UK for more than 6 months.

Financial Requirements - assuming that there you and your partner do not have any non-British children, you and/or your partner will need to show that you earn at least £18,600 before tax. Only income lawfully gained can be taken into account. There are a number of ways of evidencing this and this can include-

(a) Employment income (b) Income as a sole trader (c) Salary/dividends as a Director of a specified limited company (d) Investments (e) Property rental income (f) Savings (savings of £62,500 must have been held for 6 months)

Accommodation Requirements - we will need further instructions from you in order to establish whether or not your current accommodation is suitable - for example do the conditions amount to over-crowding and will the landlord agree for you to live in the property if you are renting your accommodation.

Once the application has been submitted online, an appointment can be booked at a Visa Application Centre for your partner to provide the application form, the relevant confirmation emails as well as his passport. There is no longer a requirement to bring your original supporting documents to the appointment as all documents are uploaded to the Home Office before your appointment. Please feel free to contact one of our Senior Associates so that we can discuss your case in more detail and for us to give you a quote on our fees.

This enquiry has been dealt with in a private message by one of our immigration solicitors

This enquiry has been dealt with in a private message by one of our immigration solicitors

This enquiry has been dealt with in a private message by one of our immigration solicitors

We can assist but in the first instance, we must understand what has happened to the passport. If the passport is lost, you will need to take certain steps in order to protect your identity. Firstly, you will need to notify the police that you have lost your passport. Then, approach the nearest embassy or consulate to explain what has happened. The next step would be to begin the application for a new passport in your home nation. As you have been in the UK for a "long time", then we would need to understand what visa you entered the UK on, and the duration of it. In the event that you may have overstayed on your visa, and subsequently, you are living in the UK unlawfully, we will need to get in touch with you immediately to discuss your potential options to regularise your status. If you have obtained an immigration status where you are free of immigration control (e.g. Permanent residence or Indefinite Leave to Remain), then essentially, you can apply for a Biometric Residence Permit. This is a card that will confirm your identity, your right to be in the UK and any services or benefits that you are entitled to. If you are unsure of your immigration status, you can apply for a Subject Access Request giving you access to your data, which should outline your immigration history and help you understand your current position. Our team is on hand, in any eventuality, to navigate you through the above options.

Yes, your baby will need to have a Russian passport before he can apply for a UK Visa. Once the passport has been obtained, we will be happy to assist you with applying for this visa.

This enquiry has been dealt with in private by one of our legal advisors

We write further to your enquiry. We would be happy to arrange an initial free telephone consultation with one of our Senior Associates in order to discuss your enquiry in more detail.

If you have a British passport after Naturalising as an EEA National, your child may be able to make an application under the new settled status scheme provided by the Home Office. This would allow for your child to register their details in line with the system. Your child will need to show that they have lived in the UK with you for 5 years.

>Permanent Residency is an application route that was provided for by EEA Regulations, after

Brexit these regulations will no longer apply. A settled status application allows for a simpler basis of application and requires far less evidence in support.

If your child was born after you were granted permanent residence yourself your child may in fact already be a British National. Please contact us so that one of our Senior Associates can take further instructions from you and advise you further.