If you are a British national or the holder of indefinite leave to remain in the UK, you may be eligible to sponsor your partner to the UK provided the suitability and eligibility requirements for this application are met.
Our Immigration Law team will be able to provide you with advice and assistance in preparing and submitting an entry clearance application. As the amount of work involved in such an application depends on factors such as your individual and family situation and the documentation involved, we charge for this work on a time spent basis.
Process
We will provide advice and assistance in preparing and submitting the application to the Home Office online with a view to securing entry clearance to the UK for your partner. We will:
- Outline for you in writing the suitability and eligibility requirements for the application, the supporting documentation required and the application process
- Provide ongoing legal advice until the application is complete and ready to be submitted, and handle all the administrative work necessary in the collation, checking and scanning of the documents
- Preparing the online application
- Set up and provide template letters as required
- Provide legal representations and statement(s) for the main applicant and any sponsor (as applicable)
- Handle the final preparation of the application to be submitted online
- Upload all supporting documentation online to Sopra Steria, the UK Home Office commercial partner, and arrange for biometric information to be taken
How long will it take?
We expect that this service will take between 8 to 20 hours’ worth of work depending on the circumstances of the case. The time needed will be affected by factors such as the complexities of your personal circumstances, any adverse immigration history, the volume of documentation required to review and consider, complicated legal issues and number of applicants.
Costs
Estimated fee of £3,000 - £6,000 plus VAT
This is based on between 8 to 20 hours’ work and depends on time spent, and the complexity and level of client contact required to achieve the agreed objectives.
The final fee chargeable will depend on the amount of time required to complete the application including meetings, telephone calls, exchanging e-mails, reviewing documents and any other correspondence or materials that may be required to implement the client’s instructions.
We will give you a written quote for the work at the start and keep you informed throughout about any ongoing costs or changes. Work will be carried out by a team member at a level appropriate for the complexity of the matter.
Additional third-party costs
- Home Office entry clearance application fee of £1,538 (subject to the exchange rate as it will normally be paid in the currency of where the applicant is residing)
- Immigration Health Surcharge of £624 per year (subject to the exchange rate as it will normally be paid in the currency where the applicant is residing) - this is not applicable for fiancé/e visa applications
- There may be other related costs depending on the service(s) selected from the Home Office commercial partners, including uploading your supporting documentation and organising the applicant(s) biometrics.
Why Thorntons
Our experienced Immigration Law team can advise on just about every type of immigration and visa issue that families face. We understand that visa applications can be very stressful for the individuals and families involved, and we are on hand to make sure that clients understand each step of the application process, keeping them informed and assisting them throughout.