Team Members and Supervision

Our immigration department is led by Ashrat Khan and Bushra Khan, who are Solicitors and Partners of the firm.

Your matter would be dealt with by a qualified Solicitor supported by a Trainee Solicitor or Paralegal. Any work undertaken by a Trainee Solicitor or Paralegal would be supervised by Ashrat Khan (Partner) or Bushra Khan (Partner) who are all qualified Solicitors.  All solicitors in the team are supervised by a Partner.  Details of the individuals within the team and their qualifications and experience can be found in their profile.

Our Services

Our immigration team provide a complete range of services for individuals, business people, investors, employers, and families. Please see full list of services below:

• Skilled worker visas
• Tier 5 temporary worker visas – including the Charity Worker, Creative and Sporting, Government Authorised Exchange, International Agreement Worker visa, Religious Worker visa, and Seasonal Worker visas
• Indefinite leave to remain (ILR)
• British citizenship
• Asylum seekers and refugee applications
• Representative of an Overseas Business visa
• Tier 2 visas – including the Sportsperson visa and Minister of Religion visa
• Youth Mobility Scheme visa
• Tier 4 visas  – Study visas
• Ten-year settlement applications
• British passports
• Frontier worker permits
• Turkish Worker visa
• Health and Care Worker visas
• British National (Overseas) visas
• EU settlement scheme (EUSS)
• Long residence application
• Domestic Workers in a Private Household visa
• Child visas
• Ancestry visas
• Adults caring for a relative
• Spouse, fiancée, and civil partner visas
• Settlement as a victim of domestic abuse
• Family visa extensions
• Parent visas
• Sponsor licenses applications
• Global Talent visas
• Intra-company visas
• Innovator visas
• Start-up visas
• Appeals to Immigration Tribunal
• Judicial Review to HMCTS
• Administrative review
• Pre-Action Protocols
• Deportation, Removal & Immigration Bail

How long will my immigration matter take?

How long it will take from your instructions until the conclusion of your matter will depend on a number of factors. Please see current average process time below:

The processing times listed below are based on the current volume of visa applications.

All UK processing times are measured against agreed customer service standards.

• Non-settlement visa applications submitted outside the UK: 90% to be decided within 3 weeks; 98% within 6 weeks and 100% within 12 weeks of the application date (where 1 week is 5 working days);
• Settlement visa applications submitted outside the UK: 98.5% of settlement applications to be decided within 12 weeks of the application date and 100% within 24 weeks of the application date (where 1 week is 5 working days);
• Applications for leave to remain submitted within the UK, including as spouses, workers and students: 8 weeks to be decided;
• Applications for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) submitted within the UK: 6 months to be decided;
• Applications for no time limit (NTL) submitted within the UK: 6 months to be decided;
• Organisations seeking to sponsor a worker: 8 weeks;
• Organisations updating their sponsor licence details: 18 weeks.

The processing time standard for applications submitted via the priority service and super-priority service is 5 workings days and the next working day respectively, where these services are available (see further below).  Applications for a sponsor licence submitted via the pre-licence priority sponsor licence service should be decided within 10 working days.  

It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties circumstances and complexity of the matter. For example, if you are an overstayer, if you have criminal convictions, availability of Home Office and visa services.

Stages of the application process

The precise stages involved in an application to the Home Office to regularise, renew, replace or for settlement vary according to the circumstances. However, below we have suggested some key stages that you may wish to include:

• Take your instructions and give you initial advice
• Check supporting documents
• Preparation of your application and representations
• Obtaining further supporting documents
• Making enquiries or obtaining reports with third parties, if required
• Give you advice on all documents and information received
• Go through your application
• Submit your application with the relevant Home Office fees
• Book your biometric appointment at the relevant Home Office visa centre
• Scan and uploading of supporting documents or send to visa centre
• Liaise with Home Office until conclusion of your matter

Stage of Appeal for UK Visa & Immigration Refusal

The precise stages involved in an Appeal to the Immigration Tribunal vary according to the circumstances. However, below we have suggested some key stages that you may wish to include:

• Take your instructions and give you initial advice
• Check your refusal letter, application and relevant supporting documents
• Advise you the refusal and merits of appeal
• Preparation of your appeal application and grounds for appeal
• Lodge your appeal with the tribunal
• Prepare your appeal bundle and statements
• Instruct counsel to attend and represent you at the hearing
• File bundle and comply with Tribunal directions
• Review appeal determination and advise on further steps

You must give notice of appeal to the Tribunal no later than 14 calendar days after the date the notice of decision has been sent. If you are appealing outside of the UK, you will have 28 days to submit an appeal after you get your decision. If, however, you have to leave the country before you are allowed to appeal, you will have 28 days to appeal once you have left the country.

How long will my immigration appeal take?

The current estimated times for an appeal matter with the First-Tier Tribunal can take up to 12-months, it can be quicker or slower depending on the resources of the Tribunal and Home Office.

Judicial Review

A judicial review is a form of court proceedings in which a judge reviews the lawfulness of a decision or action taken by the Home Office.

A judicial review can challenge the way a decision has been made, if you believe it was illegal, irrational, or unfair.

An application for judicial review should be made no later than 3 months after the decision that you are trying to challenge was made.

Examples of when you may consider applying for judicial review:

• Certificates’ issued by the Secretary of State which effectively either limit or deny a person their right of appeal
• If your further submissions have been rejected as not a fresh claim, with no right of appeal
• If you have been detained unlawfully
• If you have been refused permission to appeal at the Upper Tribunal (the time limit for a judicial review in this case is 16 days)
• Unlawful removals to a safe “third country”
• Nationality decisions
• Unreasonable delays by the Home Office in taking administrative steps.

Fees

Our fees reflect and depend on a wide range of factors, including but not limited to:

• whether you are already living in the UK or are abroad,
• any previous immigration history,
• the amount of supporting evidence we have to consider,
• the urgency of your case,
• whether you are able to provide the documents necessary for your application speedily, 
• the complexity of your case and
• Home Office processing times, which vary greatly according to the type of application

All fees ranges below are estimates and our actual fees will depend on the particular circumstances of your case. The ranges below are for guidance purposes.

What will your case cost?

We charge on an Agreed Fee, depending on the seniority of the person dealing with your case. We can also offer fixed fees for certain applications, once we have reviewed the position and circumstances.

Our fees will not include any disbursements, such as Home Office fees, and are exclusive of Value-Added Tax (VAT). If a matter is terminated before completion (for example if you are unable to provide documents requested or you withdraw your instructions) we will charge for the time spent at our usual hourly rates. Any additional work required outside the scope of any Agreed fee will be charged on an hourly basis unless otherwise agreed. If such work is required, we will inform you and provide an estimate. 

Consultations

We do not charge for 30 mins initial consultation including, after which we then can give you an Agreed fee as appropriate taking into account the particular circumstances of the work to be undertaken, whether it is an initial or extension application, the estimated complexity of the matter, the type of matter, the number of applicants involved, and other relevant factors.

Our agreed fee ranges are set out on under General Fee heading.

Value-Added Tax (VAT)

Value-Added Tax (VAT) will usually be added to our fees and some disbursements. This applies if your usual place of residence is the UK, including if you had permission to stay in the UK but overstayed. If you are not resident in the UK, or you entered the country without permission or as an asylum seeker and do not yet have permission to stay, you are not normally liable to pay VAT. 

Third party or other costs

In addition to our costs, you will be responsible for paying costs payable to another organisation which are incurred by us on your behalf, such as, and not necessarily limited to:

• Home Office application fees,
• the Immigration Health Surcharge (if applicable),
• Tribunal and Court fees,
• barristers’ fees,
• expert report fees,
• interpreter/translation costs,
• our travel costs (if we have to travel outside our office on your behalf, for example to a Tribunal hearing or to the Home Office) and
• courier costs
• Postage costs;
• English language exam (and preparation if relevant);
• UK Naric;

Home Office fees

For information on the Home Office fees please see here.

For information on the Immigration Health Surcharge see here.

 Appeal Tribunal appeal fees

Tribunal appeal fees are currently £140 per appellant for an appeal to be decided at an oral hearing (which means that you will have a chance to give evidence in person before a judge).

For an appeal to be decided on the basis only of written evidence provided, the appeal fee is currently £80.

For information on Tribunal appeal fees see here.

Judicial Review court fees

Court Fees: £154 to lodge a Judicial Review, £385 to renew the application for permission orally (if necessary) followed by a further £385 if permission is granted at the oral renewal hearing or £770 if permission is granted on the papers.

For information on Court fees see here.

In Country Applications:

 UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services Fees

https://www.ukvcas.co.uk/additional-services

Out of Country Applications:

VFS Global

https://www.vfsglobal.com/en/individuals/index.html 

TLS Services

https://www.tlscontact.com/en/ 

Many of the above example disbursements may not apply to your case and are listed to give an indication of typical immigration related costs. As these fees do not relate to fees set by M & K Solicitors, we are unable to confirm the cost until we are formally instructed to act for you in your immigration case.