Immigration matters can affect where you live, your ability to work and whether you can remain in the UK with your family. Whether you are applying for a visa, bringing a partner to the UK or dealing with a refusal from the Home Office, it is important to understand the requirements and what options are available to you.
At Reeds Solicitors, our immigration solicitors in London advise individuals, families and businesses on a wide range of UK immigration matters. We assist with visa applications, extensions, settlement, British citizenship and immigration appeals, including cases involving previous refusals or complicated immigration histories.
Our immigration team is headed by Nicola Maynard, alongside Senior Immigration Solicitor Melissa Vangeen and Immigration Consultant Naina Devi. We provide advice tailored to your circumstances, explain what the Home Office will need to see and assist with preparing applications and supporting documentation.
You can arrange an appointment through our London office or speak to our immigration team remotely.
Immigration Advice for Individuals and Families in London
London is home to people with a wide range of immigration circumstances. Some clients are moving to the UK to join family members, others are extending permission they already hold, and some need advice because their circumstances have changed unexpectedly.
Our immigration solicitors advise on matters including:
- Family and partner visas: Applications for spouses, civil partners, unmarried partners, children and other eligible family members.
- Work visas: Applications under the Skilled Worker route and other eligible work immigration categories.
- Student visas: Advice on applications, extensions and immigration issues affecting international students.
- Settlement: Applications for indefinite leave to remain and advice on qualifying residence requirements.
- British citizenship: Naturalisation applications and nationality matters.
- Visa refusals and appeals: Advice on Home Office decisions, administrative reviews and appeals where a right of appeal exists.
- Business immigration: Immigration advice for employers recruiting overseas workers and managing sponsorship obligations.
- Complex immigration cases: Matters involving previous refusals, immigration breaches, family circumstances or human rights considerations.
We can assist with a new visa application or review your immigration history before advising on the most appropriate route.
How Our London Immigration Solicitors Can Help
Immigration applications are often refused because an applicant has not demonstrated that they meet a particular requirement, even where they believe they are eligible.
For example, an applicant may meet the financial requirements for a partner visa but fail to provide the evidence required under the Immigration Rules. In other cases, a previous period of absence from the UK or a change in employment may affect eligibility for settlement.
Our solicitors examine the relevant immigration requirements, identify the evidence needed and advise on potential difficulties before an application is submitted.
Where a client has previously received a refusal, we review the decision and the original application rather than simply preparing another application using the same information.
We aim to provide clear legal advice throughout the process, from the initial assessment to the Home Office decision.
Where someone has previously had a visa application refused, we need to establish why the Home Office reached that decision before advising on the next step.
Sometimes the applicant may have met the eligibility requirements but failed to provide sufficient supporting evidence. In other cases, the problem may be that they applied under an immigration route for which they were not eligible.
We would review the refusal letter, the original application and the documents submitted before advising whether an appeal, administrative review or fresh application may be appropriate.
Why Choose Reeds Solicitors for Immigration Advice in London?
Reeds is a national law firm with an established immigration practice and an office in central London.
Our immigration team is led by Nicola Maynard, who established the firm’s private immigration department. The team provides advice on family visas, work immigration, settlement and more complex immigration matters.
We understand that immigration decisions can have significant practical consequences. A refused work visa may affect employment plans, while a delay with a family visa can mean spending longer apart from a spouse or partner.
We take time to establish what you are trying to achieve and assess the relevant requirements before recommending how to proceed.
Our role is to support clients through the process, explain potential risks and work towards achieving the best possible outcome available in their circumstances.
Speak to Our London Immigration Team
If you need advice about a UK visa, settlement application, immigration refusal or another immigration matter, contact Reeds Solicitors.
London office: 3rd Floor, 20 Farringdon Street, London, EC4A 4AB
Telephone: 0333 240 7373
Email: [email protected]
Contact:
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Applying to join a spouse, partner or family member in the UK can involve detailed eligibility and evidence requirements.
Our London immigration solicitors assist with spouse visas, civil partner applications, unmarried partner visas and applications involving eligible children and other family members.
For many partner visas, applicants must demonstrate that their relationship meets the relevant requirements, that the applicable financial requirement is satisfied and that suitable accommodation is available.
The supporting documentation can be particularly important. Applicants may need to provide employment records, payslips, bank statements, evidence of their relationship and other documents depending on their circumstances.
We can advise on applications where a couple has lived in different countries, where income comes from several sources or where there has been a previous visa refusal.
We also assist with visa extensions and settlement applications for clients who are already living in the UK with their partners.
If you are planning to work in London, the immigration route available to you will depend on your nationality, the type of work you intend to undertake and whether you have a qualifying employer or sponsor.
The Skilled Worker visa is one of the main routes for eligible overseas workers who have been offered a qualifying job by a licensed UK sponsor.
Applications can involve requirements relating to the job, salary, sponsorship and English language ability. These requirements can change, so eligibility should be assessed against the rules in force when the application is made.
Our immigration solicitors also advise on other UK work visa routes, extensions, changes of employment and applications involving dependants.
We can also advise on other relevant routes, including the Youth Mobility Scheme visa where the applicant meets the nationality, age and other eligibility requirements.
If you are already in the UK and considering changing employers or immigration categories, it is important to check whether you can make the relevant application from within the UK and what restrictions apply.
Businesses recruiting internationally need to understand both the immigration requirements for individual workers and their own responsibilities as employers.
Our business immigration services include advice on sponsor licence applications, the Skilled Worker route and the obligations associated with employing sponsored workers.
Employers holding a sponsor licence must comply with Home Office requirements, including appropriate record-keeping, reporting relevant changes and maintaining systems to monitor sponsored workers.
A failure to comply can lead to enforcement action, including suspension or revocation of a sponsor licence.
We can advise businesses considering their first sponsor licence application, as well as employers with existing sponsorship arrangements who need assistance with compliance or changes in circumstances.
We also assist with immigration matters affecting individual employees, including visa extensions and changes of sponsored employment.
London attracts students from around the world, and immigration requirements can affect both the start of a course and a student’s plans after completing their studies.
Our immigration team advises on Student visa applications, extensions and relevant conditions attached to immigration permission.
Students may need advice where their course changes, their studies are interrupted or their existing visa is approaching expiry.
We can also advise graduates considering their options for remaining in the UK, including whether they qualify for the Graduate route or an alternative work visa.
Different routes have different requirements and restrictions. For example, time spent on some temporary visa routes may not count towards settlement under the route an applicant ultimately wishes to pursue.
Understanding these differences early can help applicants make informed decisions about their longer-term immigration plans.
For many people who have lived in the UK for several years, obtaining indefinite leave to remain is an important step towards greater long-term security.
Settlement applications can involve requirements relating to the length and continuity of residence, immigration status, absences from the UK, English language ability and the Life in the UK Test.
The requirements depend on the immigration route under which the person is applying.
Our immigration solicitors can review your eligibility for indefinite leave to remain, including your immigration history, qualifying residence and supporting documentation.
We also advise on settlement and British nationality applications, including naturalisation and citizenship matters.
A person who has obtained indefinite leave to remain does not automatically become a British citizen. Citizenship is a separate process with its own eligibility requirements.
If you already have permission to remain in the UK but are experiencing difficulties proving your status, our solicitors can also advise on immigration status documents and eVisa issues.
We can help you understand which application is appropriate and when you may become eligible.
Receiving a refusal from the Home Office can be particularly difficult if it affects your ability to remain in the UK, continue working or live with your family. However, a refusal does not always mean there are no further options.
The available response depends on the decision and the reasons given. Some decisions carry a right of appeal, others may be eligible for administrative review, and in certain circumstances a fresh application may be appropriate.
Our immigration solicitors review refusal letters and the evidence submitted with the original application to establish what options may be available.
We also advise on complex immigration matters involving human rights considerations and challenges to Home Office decisions.
In appropriate cases, judicial reviews may be considered where there are grounds to challenge the lawfulness of a decision and no suitable alternative remedy is available.
Judicial review is not simply an opportunity to ask a court to reconsider an application because the applicant disagrees with the outcome. It involves specific legal grounds and procedural requirements.
Immigration appeals and judicial review proceedings can also be subject to strict deadlines, so it is important to seek advice promptly after receiving a decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cost depends on the type and complexity of your immigration matter. A straightforward visa application may require less work than an appeal or a case involving previous refusals. We can discuss the work required and the likely legal fees before you decide whether to proceed. Home Office application fees and other charges are generally separate.
You are not legally required to instruct an immigration solicitor for most visa applications. However, legal advice can be useful where the requirements are complicated, supporting evidence is difficult to obtain or you have previously received a refusal.
Yes. We can review the refusal decision and advise whether you may be able to appeal, request an administrative review or make a fresh application. The options and deadlines depend on the type of decision.
You may be eligible for a spouse or partner visa if your partner has a qualifying immigration status and you meet the relevant relationship, financial, accommodation and other requirements. We can assess your circumstances and advise on the application.
It may be possible to switch from the Student route to the Skilled Worker route, provided you meet the applicable eligibility requirements and any restrictions on switching. We can review your current permission, proposed employment and sponsorship arrangements.
Processing times vary depending on the immigration route, whether you apply inside or outside the UK and whether additional checks are required. Some applicants may be eligible for priority services. We can explain the published processing times relevant to your application, although Home Office decisions cannot be guaranteed within a particular period.
Yes. Our immigration team advises on matters involving previous refusals, complicated immigration histories, family circumstances and other issues which may require more detailed legal consideration. We can review your position and explain the available options.
Not necessarily. We can provide immigration advice remotely where appropriate, so you do not always need to attend our London office in person. If a meeting would be helpful, we can discuss the available arrangements.
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