Personal Immigration Solicitors in London

Dedicated Personal Immigration Advice and Representation

At Jan Manuel Solicitors, we provide expert personal immigration services tailored to individuals and families seeking to enter or remain in the UK. Whether you are applying for a visa, challenging a refusal or deportation order, our specialist immigration solicitors in London are here to assist you

Our goal is simple – to help you achieve the best possible outcome with clear, compassionate, and results-driven legal advice.

Our Personal Immigration Services

Our experienced team handles a full range of personal immigration matters where each case is treated with the utmost care, and our immigration solicitors in London are committed to providing bespoke legal solutions that address your specific situation including the following:

  • Spouse Visas - Helping you bring your husband, wife, or partner to the UK to build a life together.
  • Family Visas - Supporting parents, children, and extended family members who wish to reunite in the UK.
  • Child Visas - Specialist advice for applications involving children, ensuring the best interests of the child are always protected.
  • UK Visa Applications - Comprehensive support with work, study, and visit visas.
  • Naturalisation and Citizenship - Guiding you through the journey to becoming a British citizen.
  • Appeals and Judicial Reviews - Expert representation for those facing refusals, removal
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High Potential Individual Visa

The High Potential Individual Visa is available to recent graduates of top global universities…

The High Potential Individual Visa is available to recent graduates of top global universities who wish to work, or look for work, in the UK.  The High Potential Individual route will open on 30 May 2022.

The High Potential Individual route does not lead directly to settlement in the UK. However, before your leave expires, you may be able to apply from within the UK to switch into another immigration route which does lead to settlement. Applicants may be joined or accompanied by a partner and dependent children.

Requirements for a High Potential Individual Visa

In order to qualify for a High Potential Individual Visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

  • You are aged 18 or over;
  • You have, in the last 5 years, been awarded an overseas degree level academic qualification from an institution which appears on the Global Universities List;
  • You are competent in the English language to at least CEFR Level B1 (equivalent to IELTS 4.0);
  • You have enough money to support yourself without relying on public funds;
  • You have not previously been granted permission under the Student Doctorate Extension Scheme, as a Graduate or as a High Potential Individual;
  • You have provided a valid TB certificate, if required.

The exact requirements you will need to satisfy may vary depending on your circumstances.  You may want to speak to an immigration lawyer for expert advice.

Global Universities List Overseas Degree Requirement

In order to qualify for a High Potential Individual Visa you will need to have been awarded an overseas degree level academic qualification.

Your overseas degree level qualification must have been awarded in the 5 years before the date of your High Potential Individual Visa application.

The institution which awarded your degree must appear on the Global Universities List in respect of the date when you were awarded your degree. The Global Universities List is a list of universities published by the Home Office, which is compiled on an annual basis and consists of all institutions that are ranked in the top 50 of at least two of the following ranking systems:

  • Times Higher Education World University Rankings; 
  • Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings; 
  • The Academic Ranking of World Universities.

You will need to provide confirmation from Ecctis that your qualification meets or exceeds the recognised standard of a UK bachelor’s or UK postgraduate degree.  Ecctis will also confirm the date when you were awarded your degree.

If you are an international student who has completed an eligible UK degree then you may qualify for the Graduate Immigration route instead.

High Potential Individual Visa English Language Requirement

In order to qualify for a High Potential Individual Visa you will need to demonstrate English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in all 4 components (reading, writing, speaking and listening) to at least level B1 (intermediate).

Recent graduates applying for entry clearance or leave to remain as a High Potential Individual will satisfy the English language requirement if they:

  • Are a national of a majority English-speaking country;
  • Have passed a Secure English Language Test;
  • Have been awarded a degree taught in English; 
  • Obtained a GCSE/A Level or Scottish Highers in English while at school in the UK; or
  • Have already shown that they met the requirement, of level B1, in a previous successful application for entry clearance or permission to stay.

High Potential Individual Visa Financial Requirement

Subject to the exemption below, you will need to have cash funds of at least £1,270 available.

You will need to have held the money for at least 28 consecutive days ending not more than 31 days before the date of your High Potential Individual Visa application.

If you are applying for permission to stay and have been in the UK with permission for 12 months or more at the date of application, you will meet the financial requirement and will not need to show funds.

Duration of a High Potential Individual Visa

If your application for a High Potential Visa is approved, the period of permission you will be granted will depend on the qualification that you relied on to meet the Global Universities List overseas degree requirement:

  • Phd or other doctoral level qualification – 3 years
  • All other degree qualifications – 2 years

Conditions of Stay as a High Potential Individual

If your application for a High Potential Individual Visa is approved you will be permitted to work (including self-employment and voluntary work), apart from as a professional sportsperson or sports coach. You will also be able to study other than on a course which would meet the requirements of the Student route. You will not be permitted to access public funds.

Settlement on the High Potential Individual Visa Route

The High Potential Individual Visa does not lead directly to settlement in the UK. However, before your leave expires, you may be able to apply from within the UK to switch into another immigration route which does lead to settlement, such as the Skilled worker route or the Start-up route when combined with the Innovator route.  You will need to satisfy the requirements of the immigration route that you wish to extend into.  Details of all the main immigration routes, including whether they lead to settlement, are available on our website. 

You may also be eligible to extend your stay until you qualify for settlement on the basis of Long Residence.

Dependants of High Potential Individual Visa Applicants

High Potential Individual Visa holders can be joined or accompanied by a dependent partner over the age of 18 and dependent children under the age of 18.

If you have any questions about the process or you would like to make an application, please contact our specialist immigration team on 0203 761 3993 or use our online contact form for a first consultation. We will only charge you if you decide to become our client and we can assist you.

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Temporary Work Religious Worker Visa

This is for persons who want to support the activities of…

The Temporary Work – Religious Worker Visa is for persons who want to support the activities of a UK religious institution by conducting religious work such as working in a religious order or undertaking non-pastoral work for a religious order, for no more than 2 years.

The Religious Worker visa is not a route to settlement, but Religious Workers can be joined by a dependent partner and children under the age of 18.

Minsters of Religion whose engagement in the UK will involve leading a congregation in performing rites, rituals and preaching the essentials of the creed should apply for a Minister of Religion (T2) visa instead.

Requirements for a Temporary Work – Religious Worker Visa

In order to qualify for a Temporary Work – Religious Worker Visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

  • You are aged 18 or over;
  • You have an offer of a job as a religious worker from a sponsor that holds a valid Temporary Work – Religious Worker sponsor licence (which requires a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the role you wish to undertake);
  • You genuinely intend, and are able, to undertake the role for which you are being sponsored and do not intend to undertake other employment;
  • You satisfy a financial requirement;
  • You have not had permission as a Religious Worker or Charity Worker in the previous 12 months (unless you were not in the UK throughout);
  • Your application does not fall for refusal under the general grounds for refusal;
  • You have provided a valid TB certificate, if required.

The exact requirements you will need to satisfy may vary depending on your circumstances.  You may want to speak to an immigration lawyer for expert advice.

Religious Worker Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) Requirement

In order to qualify for a Temporary Work – Religious Worker Visa you must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from a Home Office ‘A-rated’ licensed sponsor (unless you are applying for an extension to work for the same employer as in your previous grant of leave to remain).  Your sponsor must be authorised by the Home Office to sponsor the job under the Religious Worker route.

The Certificate of Sponsorship must confirm that the role you intend to undertake meets the religious worker requirements (see further below) and, if your sponsor is a religious order, whether you are a member of the sponsor’s order.

The Certificate of Sponsorship must have a start date of no more than 3 months before the application date and must not have been used in a previous application which was granted or refused. The Certificate will be valid for 3 months from the date it is assigned to you. If you apply for a Temporary Work – Religious Worker Visa after this date, your application may be rejected. The Certificate of Sponsorship must not have been withdrawn or cancelled since being assigned.

Religious Worker Visa Role and Activities

The Religious Worker Visa is available to individuals who are qualified to do the job of a Religious Worker.

Your role as a Religious Worker must involve performing religious duties within, or directed by, your sponsor’s organisation to support the activities of the religious institution.

Your religious duties must not include work which falls under the role of a Minister of Religion. This means that your core duties must not include leading a congregation in performing the rites and rituals of the faith and in preaching the essentials of the creed.

You will need to receive pay and conditions at least equal to those given to settled workers in the same role and your pay must comply with or be exempt from the National Minimum Wage.

Religious Worker Visa Resident Labour Consideration

If applying for entry clearance as a Religious Worker, your sponsor will need to confirm that the requirements of the resident labour consideration have been complied with in respect of your job.

In order to satisfy the resident labour consideration for a Religious Worker Visa application your sponsor will need to be able to confirm at least one of the following:

  • your role is over and above the sponsor’s normal staffing requirements and is not capable of being filled by an existing worker; or
  • your role will involve living mainly within and being a member of a religious order, which is a lineage of communities or of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion; or
  • they hold national records of all available individuals and can confirm that the records show that no suitable settled worker is available to fill the role; or
  • a national recruitment search was undertaken, with the role advertised in accordance with the Immigration Rules for at least 28 days and no suitable settled worker was available to be recruited for the role.

Financial Requirement for a Religious Worker Visa

Unless you have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months or your sponsor agrees to cover your costs during your first month in the UK (and this is confirmed on your Certificate of Sponsorship) you will need to have at least £1,270 in your bank account, held for at least 28 days, ending not more than 31 days before the date of your Religious Worker Visa application.

English Language Requirement for a Religious Worker Visa

The Temporary Work – Religious Worker Visa has no English language requirement.

Duration of a Temporary Work – Religious Worker Visa 

If your Temporary Work – Religious Worker Visa application is successful you will be permitted to enter and remain in the UK for either 24 months or the period of the role as stated on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days before and after, whichever is shorter.

Conditions of Stay on a Temporary Work – Religious Worker Visa 

If your application for a Temporary Work – Religious Worker Visa is approved, you will be allowed to work in the role you are sponsored for.  Supplementary employment will be permitted (up to 20 hours per week outside the hours of your main job, provided the second job is in the same sector at the same level as your main job or on the Skilled Worker shortage occupation list), as will study (for some courses you may need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate).  You will not be permitted to access public funds.

Settlement as a Religious Worker

The Temporary Work – Religious Worker Visa is not a route to settlement.  However, it may be possible to switch into another immigration route which can lead to indefinite leave to remain.

Temporary Work – Religious Worker Visa Dependants

If you are granted entry clearance or leave to remain as a Religious Worker, you can be joined or accompanied by a dependent partner and dependent children under the age of 18.

If you have any questions about the process or you would like to make an application, please contact our specialist immigration team on 0203 761 3993 or use our online contact form for a first consultation. We will only charge you if you decide to become our client and we can assist you

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Minister of Religion (T2)

Minister of Religion is for individuals who have been sponsored to perform a mainly pastoral leading role…

Minister of Religion is for individuals who have been sponsored to perform a mainly pastoral leading role within a bona fide faith-based organisation or religious order in the UK.

The T2 Minister of Religion route can lead to settlement in the UK and applicants can be joined or accompanied by a dependent partner and dependent children under the age of 18.

In order to qualify for a Minister of Religion Visa (T2) you will need to satisfy UK Visas & Immigration that:

You are aged 18 or over;

You have an offer of a job as a minister of religion from an approved sponsor that holds a T2 Minister of Religion Visa sponsor licence (which requires a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the role you wish to undertake);

You genuinely intend, and are able, to undertake the role for which you are being sponsored;

You satisfy an English language requirement;

You have personal savings to support yourself in the UK.

  • Your application does not fall for refusal under the general grounds for refusal;
  • You have provided a valid TB certificate, if required.

If you have any questions about the process or you would like to make an application, please contact our specialist immigration team on 0203 761 3993 or use our online contact form for a first consultation. We will only charge you if you decide to become our client and we can assist you.

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Spouse or Partner Visa

If you are married to, or in a civil partnership, with someone settled in UK and you wish to stay in the country.

If you are married to, or in a civil partnership, with someone settled in UK and you wish to stay in  the country with them, or come and join them in UK, you can apply for visa as a spouse. You can also apply as an unmarried partner of a person settled in UK, if you meet certain requirements. Spouse and partner visa  have a full right to work and study in the UK. You can also apply as a fiancé, fiancée, or proposed civil partner and your initial grant will be six months during which time you can get married and switch into spouse category.

Spouse Visa

This is a visa that allows an applicant to live together with their settled or British partner in the UK for up to 30 months.  It can be extended for another 30 months if the eligibility conditions are met.  Holding a partner visa for five years will lead to the grant of Indefinite Leave to Remain and eventually British citizenship. 

In order to make a successful application first and foremost:

  • If you wish to apply as a spouse or as a civil partner, you and your partner both need to be 18 years or over;
  • The couple must be in a genuine and subsisting relationship.
  • Meet the minimum income threshold which is the financial requirements.
  • Demonstrate the knowledge of English language. 
  • Provide evidence of suitable accommodation.
  • On some occasions pass a TB test, depending on their country of residence.

Documents to provide for a Spouse Visa :

  • You need to provide evidence that your marriage or your civil partnership is recognised in the UK. 
  • If you are a fiancé(e) or a proposed civil partner you must demonstrate that you intend to get married or enter into a civil partnership within six months of arriving in the UK. 
  • In addition, you must show that you satisfy the English language requirement and that you can financially support yourself and your dependent without recourse to public funds.

Unmarried Partner Visa

The immigration rules allow a person who is not married or in a civil partnership to join a partner who is settled in the UK provided that certain conditions are met.  

The main requirement for unmarried partners, is that they have been living with their sponsor in a relationship akin to a marriage or civil partnership for at least two years prior to the date of application.

What document is required for the Unmarried Partner route:

You will need to have evidence that you intend to live together in the UK, that you are co-habiting and that you are in a genuine and subsisting relationship.  

You will need to provide evidence that any previous relationship broke down and that the relationship on which you are making the application has lasted for two years. You will need to provide evidence that you have lived together in a relationship akin to a marriage or civil partnership for two years or more. You and your unmarried partner should not have been apart for more than six months and, if you have been apart, you must be able to show that there are good reasons for this, such as work commitments or illness.  

What visa will I get?

You will obtain leave to enter or leave to remain for a period of 30 months.

Please do  not hesitate to get in touch for expert advice if you require assistance in understanding these rules. Our expert team at Jan Manuel Solicitors is able to assist you in providing the right pieces of evidence to support your application.  

Fiancé visa

A Fiancé /Fiancée is a person who wishes to enter the UK with a view of marriage to a sponsor who is either present and settled in the UK or British.

Present and settled means that the sponsor is either settled in the UK and is physically in the UK or is coming to the UK with or to join the applicant with the intention to make the UK their home.  Settled is defined in paragraph 6 of HC395 and means free from any restrictions on the period on which they can live ordinarily in the UK. 

The applicant has to have met his or her fiancé before making the application and there have been a number of Tribunal determinations on how to interpret the phrase “to have met”.  Entry clearance officers in each case, will look into whether the parties have made the acquaintance of each other, and that will be a question of fact.  

What are the Fiancé / Fiancée visa requirements :

In order to qualify for a UK fiancé visa, the applicant needs to satisfy the UKBA that:

  1. Your partner is British or holds Indefinite Leave to Remain or Limited Leave to Remain under Appendix EU
  2. You are both over 18
  3. Have met in person 
  4. Both free to marry 
  5. The relationship is genuine, and the couple intend to live together permanently in the UK 
  6. You intend to marry within six months of your arrival in the UK
  7. Any previous relationship has broken down permanently 
  8. There will be adequate maintenance in the UK without recourse to public funds by meeting the financial threshold. 
  9. There is adequate accommodation for the applicant 
  10. Can satisfy the English language requirement 

If you have any questions about the process or you would like to make an application, please contact our specialist immigration team on  0203 761 3993 or use our online contact for a first consultation. 

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Child Visa

If  you are settled or applying for settlement in the UK and have children who depend on you.

The UK Child Visa is a type of visa that allows citizens or residents of the United Kingdom with no immigration restrictions to bring their non-EU child in the UK. Therefore, the main criterion for a child to be eligible for this type of visa, is to have one of their parents already residing in the UK. The requirements for this type of visa depend mostly on whether you were born inside the UK or outside.

The rules are different depending on whether you, as a parent, have been granted limited leave, or indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

If you, as a parent, have or are applying for limited leave to remain in the UK, the entry clearance requirements for your child are as follows:

  • The child must be under the age of 18 at the date of application.
  • The child must not be married or in a civil partnership.
  • The child must not have formed an independent family unit.
  • The child must not be leading an independent life; and
  • Either your current partner is the child’s other parent, or you have had and continue to have sole responsibility for the child’s upbringing.


Sole Responsibility

One of the requirements for entrance to the UK as a child of a parent, is that the applicant must show that the parent inviting the child has sole responsibility for the child’s upbringing.

This is a factual matter to prove and will be decided based upon all the evidence we provide with the application. The term responsibility in the Immigration Rules should not be understood as referring to theoretical or legal obligations but rather as a practical one. In other words, in each case we need to look at the facts of the case and see who is exercising responsibility for the child.

The responsibility may have been exercised for a short or long duration. Responsibility for the child’s upbringing may be undertaken by individuals other than the child’s parents and may be shared between different individuals. The issue of sole responsibility is not just a matter between parents. This means that even if only one parent is involved in a child’s upbringing, that parent may not have sole responsibility.

It is understandable that when a parent lives in another country the day-to-day responsibility or decision making for the child’s welfare may necessarily be shared with others such as relatives or friends because of the geographical separation. However, this does not prevent a parent having sole responsibility within the meaning of the Rules. The test is not whether anyone else has day to day responsibility in the child’s life, but whether the parent has continuing control and direction of the child’s upbringing. In other words, the key question is does the parent in the UK make all the important decisions in the child’s life.

In order to succeed in an application, the entry clearance officers must be provided with all the evidence that goes to show that the requirements of the Immigration Rules are satisfied. The Applicant needs to demonstrate financial and emotional support, ongoing communications, the delegation of duties and if there are serious and compelling reasons, why the exclusion of the child is undesirable.

Applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain for a Child

The application is to be made by a child of a parent or parents, or a relative who is present and settled in the UK and who is seeking to remain with them in the UK in one of the following circumstances:

  1. Both parents are present and settled in the UK; or
  2. One parent is present and settled in the UK and the other parent is dead; or
  3. One parent is present and settled in the UK and has sole responsibility for the child’s upbringing or the child normally lives with this parent and not the other parent; or
  4. One parent or relative is present and settled in the UK and there are serious and compelling family or other considerations which make the exclusion of the child undesirable and suitable arrangements have been made for the child’s care and he or she had limited leave to remain in the UK and is still under the age of 18 and was given leave to enter with a view to settlement.

If you have any questions about the process or you would like to make an application, please contact our specialist immigration team on  0203 761 3993 or use our online contact for a first consultation. 

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Adult Dependant Relative Visa

If you are the adult relative of someone who is settled or applies for settlement in UK.

If you are the adult relative of someone who is settled or applies for settlement in UK, and you depend on them for care, you may be able to come to the UK to live with them. Route is only open to applicants outside UK.

The rules which allow adult dependant relatives of non European Economic Area Nationality to settle in the UK only apply to those who can demonstrate that as a result of age, illness or disability, they require a level of long term personal care that can only be provided in the UK by their relatives here and without recourse to benefits.

The new rules seek to ensure that only those who need to be physically close to and cared for by a close relative in the UK, are able to settle here. Those who do not have such care needs can be supported financially in the country in which they live by their relatives in the UK. The route the Government will argue therefore continues to provide for those most in need of care but not for those who simply have a preference to come to live in the UK with a relative here.

The new route is also limited to applicants from overseas. Non dependant relatives can continue to visit family members in the UK for up to six months but must return home at the end of their visit. The Government hopes that as a result of these changes they will expect the number qualifying for settlement as an adult dependent relative to be lower than before.

If you have any questions about the process or you would like to make an application, please contact our specialist immigration team  on 0203 761 3993 or use our online contact for a first consultation. We will only charge you if you decide to become our client and if we can assist you.

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Returning Resident Visa

If you were previously settled in the UK and have been away for more than two years.

 

You may be able to live permanently in the UK as a ‘returning resident’ if you were previously settled here.

You must:

  • have had indefinite leave to remain in the UK when you last left
  • not have received financial support from the Home Office to leave the UK

What you need to do depends on how long you were away.

You cannot apply for a Returning Resident visa if you lose your settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

If you were away for less than 2 years

You still have your indefinite leave to remain if you were away for less than 2 years.

When you travel to the UK, show the stamp, vignette or biometric residence permit that originally gave you permission to settle here.

If it’s in an old passport, carry both your old passport and your new passport when you travel.

If you’ve lost your original stamp, vignette or biometric residence permit

If you do not have your original stamp, vignette or biometric residence permit, you may not be allowed to enter the UK.

You will need to get a replacement biometric residence permit (BRP).

If you were away for more than 2 years (Returning Resident visa)

You lose your indefinite leave to remain if you’ve been outside the UK for 2 or more continuous years.

You may be able to re-enter the UK and get indefinite leave to remain by applying for a Returning Resident visa.

You may not need to apply if your partner is in the British armed forces, or works for certain UK government departments or the British Council.

Eligibility

You must provide enough evidence to show:

  • your strong ties to the UK - for example you or your family have lived here most of your life
  • your current circumstances and why you’ve lived outside the UK

Family members (‘dependants’)

Your dependants (partner and children) need to apply separately for a Returning Resident visa if they’re eligible

If you have any questions about the process or you would like to make an application, please contact our specialist immigration team on  0203 761 3993 or use our online contact for a first consultation. 

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Domestic Worker Private Household Visa

Non- EEA national domestic worker in private household need to apply for visa in order to visit the UK.

Non- EEA national domestic worker in private household need to apply for visa in order to visit the UK with their employer. You can apply for a visa to visit the UK with your employer if you:

  • live outside the UK
  • are a domestic worker in a private household
  • have worked for your employer for at least one year
  • meet the other eligibility requirements

Domestic workers include:

  • cleaners
  • chauffeurs
  • cooks
  • those providing personal care for the employer and their family
  • nannies

Once granted valid for six months. Domestic workers include cleaners, cooks, nannies, chauffeurs, and people providing personal care for employer and family.

You must prove that you:

  • are 19 or older
  • have worked for your employer for at least 1 year
  • work in the same household as your employer or one they use regularly
  • plan to travel to the UK with your employer, their partner or children
  • intend to work as a full-time domestic worker in a UK household your employer will live in
  • plan to leave the UK at the end of 6 months
  • are able to support yourself in the UK without the need for public funds

Your employer must be either a:

  • British citizen who usually lives outside the UK and who does not intend to remain in the UK for more than 6 months
  • foreign citizen who is coming to the UK on a visit and who does not intend to remain for more than 6 months

Your employer must also pay you at least the National Minimum Wage.

If you have any questions about the process or you would like to make an application, please contact our specialist immigration team on  0203 761 3993 or use our online contact for a first consultation. 

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Student Visa

Non EEA nationals who wish to study in UK must apply for student visa.

 

You can apply for a Student visa to study in the UK if you’re 16 or over and you:

  • have been offered a place on a course by a licensed student sponsor
  • have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course- the amount will vary depending on your circumstances
  • can speak, read, write and understand English
  • have consent from your parents if you’re 16 or 17 - you’ll need evidence of this when you apply

If you’re 16 or 17 and you want to study at an independent school in the UK, you may be eligible for a Child Student visa instead.

This visa has replaced the Tier 4 (General) student visa.

If you or your family are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

If you or your family member started living in the UK by 31 December 2020, you may be able to apply to the free EU Settlement Scheme.

The deadline to apply was 30 June 2021 for most people. You can still apply if either:

  • you have a later deadline - for example, you’re joining a family member in the UK
  • you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for being unable to apply by 30 June 2021 - for example, you had an illness or were the victim of domestic abuse

How long you can stay

How long you can stay depends on the length of your course and what study you’ve already completed in the UK.

If you’re 18 or over and your course is at degree level, you can usually stay in the UK for up to 5 years. If it’s below degree level, you can usually stay in the UK for up to 2 years.

If you have any questions about the process or you would like to make an application, please contact our specialist immigration team on 0203 761 3993 or use our online contact for a first consultation.  We will only charge you if you decide to become our client and if we can assist you.

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Skilled Worker Visa

If you are planning to come to the UK to work, the likelihood is that you will need a skilled worker visa.

 

if you are planning to come to the UK to work, the likelihood is that you will need a skilled worker visa, the visa is commonly referred to as a high skilled worker visa or highly skilled migrant visa.

A Skilled Worker visa allows you to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job with an approved employer.

This visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa.

If you or your family are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

If you or your family member started living in the UK by 31 December 2020, you may be able to apply to the free EU Settlement Scheme.

The deadline to apply was 30 June 2021 for most people. You can still apply if either:

  • you have a later deadline - for example, you’re joining a family member in the UK who was living in the UK by 31 December 2020
  • you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for being unable to apply by 30 June 2021 - for example, you had an illness or were the victim of domestic abuse

Otherwise you need a visa to work in the UK.

To qualify for a Skilled Worker visa, you must:

  • work for a UK employer that’s been approved by the Home Office
  • have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your employer with information about the role you’ve been offered in the UK
  • do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations
  • be paid a minimum salary - how much depends on the type of work you do

The specific eligibility depends on your job.

You must have a confirmed job offer before you apply for your visa.

Knowledge of English

You must be able to speak, read, write and understand English. You’ll usually need to prove your knowledge of English when you apply.

If you’re not eligible for a Skilled Worker visa

You may be eligible for another type of visa to work in the UK.

How long you can stay

Your visa can last for up to 5 years before you need to extend it. You’ll need to apply to extend or update your visa when it expires or if you change jobs or employer.

After 5 years, you may be able to apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’). This gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you’re eligible.

You can include your partner and children in your application to stay in the UK if they are eligible.

If you have any questions about the process or you would like to make an application, please contact our specialist immigration team on 0203 761 3993 or use our online contact for a first consultation.  We will only charge you if you decide to become our client and if we can assist you.

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Settlement

Also  called Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), it gives you the right to live, work, and study in UK for as long as you like.

 

Settlement is how you settle in the UK, also called ‘Indefinite Leave to Remain’. It gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you’re eligible. You can use it to apply for British citizenship.

There are different ways to apply for indefinite leave to remain based on your circumstances.

If you or your family member are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you may be able to apply for settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme instead.

If you work in the UK

You may be able to apply if you have a work visa.

You must usually have lived and worked in the UK for 5 years. If you have a tier 1 visa, it can be 2 or 3 years. If you have an Innovator or Global Talent visa, it can be 3 years.

You may also need to meet the salary or financial requirements - this depends on your visa.

How you apply depends on whether you:

  • have a tier 2, T2, International Sportsperson or Skilled Worker visa
  • have a Global Talent, Tier 1 Entrepreneur or Investor visa
  • have an Innovator visa
  • represent an overseas business
  • have a Turkish Worker or Businessperson visa
  • are a private servant in a diplomatic householdwith an International Agreement visa, or a domestic worker

If you have family in the UK

You may be able to apply if you have a partner, parent or child or other relative settled in the UK - either as a British citizen or a person with indefinite leave to remain.

How you apply depends on which visa you have and how your family member settled.

There are other ways to apply if:

  • your partner has died
  • your relationship ended because of domestic violence

If you’ve lived in the UK for 10 years

You may be able to apply if you’ve been living here for 10 years or more.

There’s a different way to apply if you have a visa that’s on the basis of your private life. Applications open in June 2022.

If you’re a Commonwealth citizen

You can apply if you’ve been living in the UK for 5 years on a UK Ancestry visa.

Some Commonwealth citizens have ‘right of abode’ in the UK. This means you can live or work in the UK without immigration restrictions. Check if you can apply to prove you have right of abode in the UK.

You may be eligible for citizenship instead, for example by applying under the Windrush scheme.

Other ways to apply

You may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain if you:

  • you are a refugee or have humanitarian protection or discretionary leave
  • if you are returning to the UKhaving previously had indefinite leave to remain
  • served in the armed forces

If you have any questions about the process or you would like to make an application, please contact our specialist immigration team on 0203 761 3993 or use our online contact for a first consultation.  We will only charge you if you decide to become our  client and if we can assist you.

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British Citizenship and Nationality

We understand how important it is for our clients and their families to finally settle.

There are different ways to apply for British citizenship (or ‘naturalisation’) based on your circumstances.

If you’re eligible in more than one way you can choose which way to apply.

If you’ve applied for citizenship, you’ll need permission to stay in the UK until you’re granted citizenship. Your permission needs to last until you have had your citizenship ceremony.

If you have indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, this counts as permission to stay.

The deadline to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme for most people was 30 June 2021. If you did not apply to the EU Settlement Scheme by the deadline, you might still be able to apply.

If you were born in the UK

You do not automatically get British citizenship if you were born in the UK. It depends on when you were born and your parents’ circumstances.  

You may be eligible to apply for citizenship if you were born in the UK and are not automatically a British citizen.

If you’re married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen

To apply as the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen you must have lived in the UK for the last 3 years.

You’ll also need to have either:

  • indefinite leave to remain (ILR)
  • settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

If you do, you’ll be eligible to apply for citizenship immediately.

If you have indefinite leave to remain (ILR)

You can usually apply for ILR after you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years.

To apply for citizenship with ILR you must usually have lived in the UK for 12 months after getting it.

If you have ‘permanent residence’ status

You can no longer apply for British citizenship with ‘permanent residence’ status.

You might still be able to apply for settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, if you have not already. You can then use this to apply for citizenship.

The deadline to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme for most people was 30 June 2021. You can still apply if you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for not being able to apply by the deadline.

If you have any questions about the process or you would like to make an application, please contact Jan Nwokoro on 0203 761 3993 or use our online contact for a first consultation.  We will only charge you if you decide to become her client and if she can assist you.

If you’re a Commonwealth citizen

You may be eligible to apply for citizenship under the Windrush Scheme if both:

  • you or one of your parents arrived in the UK before 1973
  • you’ve lived in the UK and not been away from it for more than 2 years

If you have any questions about the process or you would like to make an application, please contact our specialist immigration team on 0203 761 3993 or use our online contact for a first consultation.  We will only charge you if you decide to become our client and if we can assist you.

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Visitor Visa

If you are a non- EEA who wishes to visit UK, on temporary basis you must apply for appropriate visitor visa. 

 

If you are a non- EEA who wishes to visit UK, on temporary basis you must apply for appropriate visitor visa. Visas in this category are usually issued for a short period, six months or less.

You can visit the UK as a Standard Visitor for tourism, business, study (courses up to 6 months) and other permitted activities.

You can usually stay in the UK for up to 6 months. You might be able to apply to stay for longer in certain circumstances, for example to get medical treatment.

What you can and cannot do (‘permitted activities’)

You can visit the UK as a Standard Visitor:

  • for tourism, for example on a holiday or vacation
  • to see your family or friends
  • to volunteer for up to 30 days with a registered charity
  • to pass through the UK to another country (‘in transit’)
  • for certain business activities, for example attending a meeting or interview
  • to take part in a school exchange programme
  • to do a recreational course of up to 30 days, for example a dance course
  • to study, do a placement or take an exam
  • as an academic, senior doctor or dentist
  • for medical reasons

You cannot:

  • do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person
  • claim public funds (benefits)
  • live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent or successive visits
  • marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership - you’ll need to apply for a Marriage Visitor visa

Eligibility requirements

You must have a passport or travel document to enter the UK. It should be valid for the whole of your stay.

You must be able to show that:

  • you’ll leave the UK at the end of your visit
  • you’re able to support yourself and your dependants during your trip (or have funding from someone else to support you)
  • you’re able to pay for your return or onward journey (or have funding from someone else to pay for the journey)
  • you’ll not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK your main home

You may need to meet extra eligibility requirements if you’re visiting the UK:

  • to study, do a placement or take an exam
  • as an academic, senior doctor or dentist
  • for medical reasons

If you have any questions about the process or you would like to make an application, please contact Jan Nwokoro on 0203 761 3993 or use our online contact for a first consultation.  We will only charge you if you decide to become her client and if she can assist you.

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Immigration Detention, Bail, Removal

If you have been detained, require bail or  are  facing removal or deportation,  we will be there to assist you. 

The Home Office has the power to detain individuals when exercising Immigration control. However, this is highly discretionary, the Home Office also has the power not to detain and to allow the individual to be in the UK on a temporary basis.

Detailed guidelines on how the power to detain is to be exercised provide that:

  • there is a presumption in favour of release
  • special consideration must be given to families and unaccompanied children
  • there must be strong grounds for believing that a person will not comply with conditions of release for detention to be justified
  • all reasonable alternatives to detention must be considered before detention is authorised
  • each case must be considered on its merits, including consideration of the duty to have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of any children involved
  • to be lawful, detention must be based on one of the statutory powers and accord with Home Office policy and with the limitations implied by domestic and Human Rights case law
  • detention must be used sparingly and for the shortest period necessary
  • it is not an effective use of detention space to detain people for lengthy periods if it would be practical to detain later in the process once any appeal rights have been exhausted, and
  • detention is most usually appropriate:
    • a) to effect removal
    • b) initially to establish a person’s true identity on the basis of their application, and
    • c) where there is reason to believe that the person will fail to comply with any conditions attached to their release.

Certain people should not be detained except under exceptional circumstances.  These include:

  • unaccompanied children and young persons under the age of 18
  • the elderly
  • pregnant women
  • those suffering from serious medical conditions which cannot be satisfactorily managed within detention
  • those suffering from serious mental illness
  • torture victims
  • people with serious disabilities
  • victims of trafficking
  • other vulnerable people

If you fall into anyone of these categories, we can arrange for your release and furthermore, you may be able to claim compensation for the time that you spent illegally in Immigration detention.

Bail

If you are being held in an Immigration detention centre, you may be able to apply for bail.  Our expert solicitors can assist you with making the application.

The grant of bail enables persons liable to detention to be physically present in the UK. Persons on bail have not, however, legally entered the UK. A person granted bail may live in the UK for months or possibly years but have not entered the UK within the meaning of the law.

Bail can be hard to get if you have been found guilty of breaking your bail conditions before or have been charged with a criminal offence.  To help us secure bail, it is helpful if you have suitable accommodation available and you can ask someone to act a ‘surety’.  Your surety will pay money if you break your bail conditions and will ensure you report to Immigration officials when required.

What is a deportation order?

If you’ve broken the Immigration Rules, for example by living in the UK illegally, the Home Office can make you leave. Most people call this being deported, but it’s technically called administrative removal (for simplicity it will continue to be called a deportation order in this article).

If you have been given a deportation order, you may not be able to re-enter the UK, even as a tourist on a Standard Visitor Visa obtained with the help of an immigration solicitor, for a certain period.

What are the reasons a deportation order can be made?

The Secretary of State can issue a deportation order for the following reasons:

  • It is believed to be in the public good that the person subject to the deportation order is removed from the country.
  • The foreign national is the spouse, civil partner or child of the person subject to a deportation order.
  • The foreign national is over 17 years has committed a criminal offence and the court which sentenced him or her recommends that they be deported after they have served their prison sentence.

If you have been detained, require bail or are facing removal,  Jan Manuel Solicitors will be there to assist you.  We understand that you and your family will be frightened and distressed.  You can count on us to work with the Home Office on your behalf, ensuring your case is heard and any issues properly addressed.

If you have any questions about the process or you would like to apply for bail, please contact Jan Nwokoro on 0203 761 3993 or use our online contact for a first consultation.

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Appeal and Judicial Review

It is crucial to understand the UK immigration appeal procedure and Judicial review process.

 

It is crucial to understand the UK immigration appeal procedure and Judicial review process in order to successfully challenge the Home Office decision.

The First Tier Tribunal deals with the appeals against decisions made by the Home Office regarding permission to stay in the UK or a deportation from the UK or entry clearance to the UK. They also hear bail applications for people in Immigration Detention. There are currently seven chambers of the First Tier Tribunal.

First Tier Tribunal Immigration Decisions

A Tribunal may give a decision orally at the hearing, but usually it is done in writing after the appeal.  An Immigration Appeal is a hearing by one or more Judges in several locations in the UK and the Judges usually do not decide whether the appeal has been allowed or dismissed at the Hearing. Usually, you will be informed as to the outcome of the case in writing.

If the Immigration Judge dismisses the appeal, we can help you to make an application for permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal. We can only make an application for permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal if the Judge made a mistake in the way in which he/she applied the law.

This means that you cannot appeal further just because you did not agree that certain facts are wrong. In order to be allowed to take the appeal further, you must demonstrate how the Judge made an error in law in the way they applied the law to your case and why this made a significant difference to your case.

If you are granted permission to appeal further, then your case will be transferred to the Upper Tribunal.

If your appeal is allowed at the First Tier Tribunal the Home Office can still,

ask for permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal if the Judge has made a mistake. If the Home Office appeal is refused, or if the Home Office does not appeal, then you will be granted status by the Home Office.

Upper Tier Tribunal Decisions

The Upper Tribunal is responsible for handling appeals against decisions made by the First Tier Tribunal relating to visa applications, asylum applications and the right to enter or remain in the UK.

They also handle applications for Judicial Review of decisions made by the Home Office. In applying for permission to appeal a dismissal by the First Tier Tribunal, we will need to demonstrate that the Judge in the First Tier Tribunal made an error of law.

Examples of errors of law include if the Judge made a mistake about the meaning of the immigration rules or did not follow a binding decision of a higher Court.

The First Tier Tribunal may have overlooked important evidence or made a decision when there was no evidence. It is essential that when applying for permission to apply to the Upper Tribunal that you will receive expert advice in identifying the error of law.

You don’t have automatic right to appeal to the Upper Tribunal and you need to seek permission first. You will apply for permission by using Form IAFT4. If you are in the UK you must submit your application for permission within 14 days of the date of the written dismissal of your appeal.

If you are out of the UK then your time limit is 28 days from the date of postage. There is currently no fee to appeal to the Upper Tribunal.

If permission is refused you may apply for Judicial Review of the refusal of permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal, if you can demonstrate an error of law that raises an important point of principle.

If you are granted permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal there will be either a hearing before one or more Upper Tribunal Judges or the case may be decided without an oral hearing on the papers available.

The Upper Tribunal will send Directions setting out what steps are required to be taken before the hearing. You may need assistance in submitting written submissions and skeleton arguments setting out your arguments and expanding on the Grounds that you used to apply for the permission to appeal. If you want the Upper Tribunal to consider new evidence, you must submit it to the Tribunal and the Home Office.

If you have any questions about the process or you would like help with your appeal, please contact Jan Nwokoro on 0203 761 3993 or use our online contact for a first consultation.  We will only charge you if you decide to become her client and if she can assist you.

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Why Choose Us for Personal Immigration?

Choosing the right immigration solicitors can make all the difference to your case. We take pride in delivering more than just legal advice – we offer peace of mind.
Our London immigration lawyers are known for:
• A strong track record of successful outcomes across a wide range of immigration cases.
• Clear, honest advice with no hidden costs – backed by our Fixed Fee Promise.
• A client-first approach – we listen carefully and tailor every solution to your unique needs.
• Free initial consultations to help you get started with confidence.
With years of experience helping individuals, couples, and families navigate the UK immigration system, we understand both the legal complexities and the human impact behind every case.

Book a Free Personal Immigration Consultation Today

Ready to take the next step? Contact our trusted immigration solicitors in London for a free initial consultation.

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Spouse, Family, and Child Visas

Family matters are at the heart of what we do. Our immigration lawyers regularly assist clients with:

  • Spouse visa applications
  • Family reunion applications
  • Child-dependent visas
  • Switching or extending family-related visas
  • Appeals against family visa refusals

We know that immigration decisions affect people’s lives and relationships. That’s why we work closely with you to prepare robust, high-quality applications designed to maximise your chances of success.

Appeals and Judicial Reviews

Has your application been refused? Do you disagree with a Home Office decision?

We are highly experienced in managing appeals and judicial reviews, providing representation before the Immigration Tribunal and higher courts. Our solicitors will review your case in detail and offer strategic, honest advice on the best path forward.

When you work with us, you will have skilled immigration lawyers by your side throughout the process, fighting for the best possible outcome.

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Why Work with Our London Immigration Solicitors?

  • Free Initial Consultation – get expert guidance with no obligation.
  • Fixed Fee Promise – transparent pricing with no hidden charges.
  • Consistently 5-star rated by clients across ReviewSolicitors and independent platforms.
  • Exceptional success rate in personal immigration matters.
  • Community-focused – committed to pro bono and charitable work alongside our legal services.
  • Highly recommended by clients for our clear communication, professionalism, and compassionate approach.

 

Your success is our priority. We are passionate about helping individuals and families secure their future in the UK.

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