Immigration Law Solicitors Blackburn
FMB provide Specialist Immigration help and advice in dealing with all Immigration matters. Our Specialist Immigration Solicitors have over 15 years of experience in Immigration Law and we provide accurate advice with satisfactory results, having years of experience of obtaining successful applications and appeals.
Over the year’s immigration Law has changed considerably with even greater changes to come. It requires a lot of research and training to stay up to date, to ensure we achieve your end goal. We provide such dedication and the ability to provide high quality Immigration law services.
Immigration Law Services we can help with:
- Claims for Asylum
- Immigration Tribunal Appeals
- Judicial Review
- Human Rights Claims
- Applications for leave to enter or remain in the UK
- Work Based Visas
- Citizenship
- Deportation or Removal Appeals
- EEA Applications and Appeals
- Family Spouse & Settlement Visas
- Business and Sponsorship
- Bail Applications
- Visit Visa Applications and Reviews
We are a UK based Solicitors law firm and are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority [SRA] therefore we are exempt from being regulated by the Immigration Service Commissioner [OISC]. There are many OISC registered advisers in the UK, however there are many areas of immigration Law these advisors cannot deal with before the courts such as Judicial Review claims. FMB are a fully qualified and professional law firm and can take any type of complex immigration work.
Our specialist trained practitioners will demystify the immigration process for you. We have incorporated the Home Office UK Visas and Immigration webpage link below which we invite you to consider. This provides you with the appropriate information to assess whether you would require the relevant Visa and thereafter we can assist you in making that application.
Immigration Law
F.A.Q's
Do you offer free consultations?
Do you deal with Legal Aid?
What does an immigration solicitor do?
An immigration solicitor will prepare your case and complete a visa application. If you wish, you can make an application yourself. However, using the services of one will hugely increase your chances of success. This is because a qualified immigration adviser can lend you a perspective which you cannot have while making your own application. He can ensure your completed application documents and supporting evidence meet the required standard.
We will also write something called a Letter of Representation to support your application. This acts as a cover letter of sorts and is written using legal understanding and insight. It outlines the merits of your case and usually cites relevant legislation and case-law which supports your case. This is hugely beneficial for your case, as it does all the hard work for UKVI/Home Office officials, giving them all the information they need about your case in a digestible and navigable format.
What happens if my application is refused?
An immigration appeal length can vary depending on the complexity of your case and can take up between one and six months for the full appeal process to be complete.
If you receive a rejection from the Home Office, this letter will tell you whether you have a right to appeal. If you do, you can launch an appeal against the Home Office’s decision. You will have either 14 days (if you made your application in the UK) or 28 days (if you made your application outside the UK) in which to lodge your appeal. You can either appeal through a hearing or on paper.
Once you have lodged an appeal, the review process will begin. This is the process which takes the longest amount of time, so when asking ‘how long does an immigration appeal take’, this is an important phase to consider. The review stage usually takes around 19 weeks but can take longer depending on different factors (like the complexity of your case and the appeal unit who are dealing with your case).
Once your appeal has been reviewed, it will be given to an independent judge to consider. If your appeal was made on paper, the judge will independently review your case based on the evidence before him. If you have opted to attend a hearing, you will receive a letter with a court hearing date on it. This can be up to approximately 30 weeks after the date of your initial application refusal. At the court hearing, the judge will review evidence from
After the hearing, the judge who reviewed your case should have your appeal decision letter sent to you within four weeks. This will tell you whether or not your appeal has been granted and your original decision overturned.
I am a British citizen. How can my foreign spouse come to live with me in the UK?
If your spouse is not a British citizen or a national of a European Economic Area country, then they will need a visa in order to come to the UK to live. Most people in this situation will apply under the Immigration Rules for family members, although it is always worth considering whether other immigration categories might be better. For example, they may prefer to be sponsored by a UK employer under the Tier 2 (General) category.
If applying under the Rules for family members, you will need to meet requirements relating to the genuineness of your relationship, your good character (including criminal convictions), English language and your finances.
The financial requirements look at your recent earnings, anticipated future earnings and specify a minimum salary amount based on whether you have any children who also need to apply for visas. The minimum income you need to show is £18,600 where no children are applying with you. You then need to demonstrate an additional £3,800 for the first child and an additional £2,400 for each child after that. The Immigration Rules contain very strict requirements as to the documents which will be accepted as confirmation of earnings. If you are unable to satisfy the financial requirement through your earnings then you may be able to satisfy it by showing that you have held cash savings totalling at least £62,500 for at least six months before applying.
The family member Rules are very complicated and are interpreted very strictly by the Home Office and Entry Clearance Officers overseas.
What is the Immigration Health Surcharge and how do I pay for it?
The Immigration Health Surcharge is a statutory fee which must be paid by all foreign nationals applying for a visa from overseas or for leave to remain in the UK which will be granted for longer than six months. The amount of the Surcharge is currently £200 for each applicant for each year that their visa or leave to remain will be valid (£150 for applicants under the Tier 4 or Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) categories).
The Surcharge must be paid in full by credit or debit card when you make your immigration application and at the same time as paying the other fees associated with your application. If your application is refused then the Surcharge should be refunded.
I am in the UK with a spouse visa. When can I apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain?
I am in the UK on a visitor visa. Can I switch to a different visa?
I am married to a British citizen. How do I obtain a British passport?
To be issued with a British passport you need to be a British citizen. If you are not a British citizen yourself then even if you are married to a British citizen this does not automatically make you British. To become a British citizen, you need to apply to the Home Office to be ‘naturalised’. The requirements for the spouses of British citizens to be naturalised are as follows:
- Aged 18 or over
- Of sound mind
- Meet a good character requirement
- Speak and understand English to a satisfactory standard
- Pass the Life in the UK Test
- Have been granted indefinite leave to remain or acquired permanent residence under EU law
- Meet the residency requirements, which in most cases require you to have:
- Lived in the UK for at least the three years before your application is received
- Spent no more than 270 days outside the UK in those three years
- Spent no more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months
- Not broken any immigration laws while in the UK