We understand that legal costs can be quite complex, and for this reason, we keep our pricing simple and wish to be as transparent as possible. We always work on a fixed fee basis, so that you know the full cost of your application / appeal / one-off advice from the start.

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICES IN THE GUIDE

Our Legal fee – These fees represent our professional fees; in other words, this is the amount that we will charge for the legal work that our firm will undertake on your case.

Fixed Fee – This means that we will assess your situation and provide you with a fixed fee to assist with your case. This gives you a level of cost certainty to get you to a particular resolution. For some cases, we are able to do this in stages, which gives you even more flexibility, for example in a Judicial Review Matter, which has several stages.

A fixed fee is an agreed fee, which will not be varied up or down, and is not dependant on the application being successful. Please note that any disbursements or expenses (costs that we incur on your behalf or for the purposes of carrying out our work) are payable in addition to our fees. We will always tell you in advance what these will be, wherever possible, so that you can budget for them. In the event of your instructions being withdrawn prior to the submission of the application, the fixed fee, together with any disbursements and expenses, will remain payable in full.

Value Added Tax (VAT)

All of the prices quoted exclude VAT. This is charged at the prevailing rate and is payable on our fees and on most expenses which we are likely to incur on your behalf.  There may be some situations in which VAT is not payable but generally, any client resident lawfully within the UK would be required to pay 20% VAT.  We can provide guidance on this, however, you are advised to seek your own independent tax advice in this regard.

How we calculate our fees and what services are included

Due to the individual nature of each application, the services provided to each client may differ. Generally, in each standard application, our services will involve advising you on the relevant law and procedures, preparing the application for submission, liaising with you and third parties (where necessary) on your behalf and generally dealing with the matter until a decision is reached on the application.

Please note that the anticipated number of hours and fees quoted below are an estimate based on the facts above. All applications are likely to vary and of course, we can give you a more accurate estimate once we have more information about your specific case.

Simple Visa Application case: £1200-£1300 (excluding VAT)

e.g. Visitor Visa, Student Visa, Skilled Worker Visa, Settlement Scheme Visa

Medium complexity case: £1300-£1500 (excluding VAT)

e.g. Spouse visa , Nationality, and Human Rights

High complexity case: £1500-£2000 (excluding VAT)

e.g. Immigration Appeal or very complex Human Rights case.

Hourly rate: £300 (PLUS 20% VAT)

e.g. One-off detailed consultation in more depth than general free initial advice.

Please note that the guide above sets out the prices for different types of immigration applications, but that individual circumstance may call for a combination of applications or for some intervention in advance of the application. We will always advise you about this and the anticipated cost. As your matter progresses, should it become clear that further costs may be necessary, we will, of course, provide an update at the earliest opportunity.

Factors that could make a case more complex:

The fees quoted above are for standard applications, except where specified. More complex matters will attract higher fees, but we will always advise you on this.

On average, this type of work takes between 5-8 hours to complete. This means that on average costs are between £1200 and £1500. All figures include VAT unless specifically stated.

The exact number of hours it will take depends on the circumstances in your case. Such as:

• The amount of supporting evidence that we need to consider
• Location of the applicant, as this affects VAT (no VAT is due if an applicant is a resident outside the EU)
• Whether you are applying with other dependants 
• Whether you have been previously refused any applications, have convictions or have a negative immigration history
• Deadlines; if the application or appeal needs to be submitted urgently it is likely to cost more if it requires a solicitor to work out of hours

In short, if you are able to provide sufficient evidence at our first meeting and clearly meet the applicable Immigration Rules, the cost is likely to be at the lower end of this range. However, more complex applications may attract higher fees, and we will always advise you on this.

FACTORS WHICH COULD INCREASE THE OVERALL COST OF YOUR CASE

Unfortunately, although we at Cross Border Legal Solicitors endeavour to anticipate the work required in advance for each case, based on information provided at the beginning of the matter, the firm reserves the right to charge for any extra work that may not be reasonably anticipated. This applies where a fixed fee is quoted for a standard application i.e. a non complex human rights case. Some examples are:

• Unexpected circumstances in your immigration history, personal circumstances, or financial status that we were not aware of at the outset;
• Delays in obtaining the information requested;
• Information provided is inaccurate, out of date, inadequate or requiring translation; or where there are short deadlines.

The costs quoted here do not include Disbursements:

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as visa fees. As such you will be responsible for paying the costs payable to third parties which are incurred by us on your behalf, but on most occasions you will need to pay these fees directly to the 3rd parties yourself with our guidance, as we do not handle payment of such money for our clients. Examples of possible Disbursements include:

• Home Office application fees, which can range from £1,000 to £3,000 per person depending upon the type of application – see the latest visa fees here.
• UKVCAS and Visa Center charges – ranging from £0 to £200 depending upon the type of appointment being booked, location, and type of application.
• Immigration Health Surcharge – ranging from £470 to £624 per year depending upon the type of leave, age of applicant, and length of leave being sought – for exact see government website calculator.
• Counsel’s fees. In the rare event of us seeking the advice of a Barrister (Counsel) at your request, you will be liable for their fees, which vary depending on seniority. We will discuss with you the options and costs in relation to Counsel before instructing them on your behalf, and we shall keep you informed as to the hourly rate of any barristers that are instructed in your matter (these typically range between £100 to £3500).
• Fees payable to Courts or Tribunals (can range between £80 to £750) depending on the immigration appeal matter, the court Tier 1 or Upper Tribunal, appeal or Judicial Review;
• On the very rare occasion that we need an Expert report, fees can range from £50 through to £2500 depending upon the type of report required and the type of expert. Reports can be required for example from:
  • Psychiatrist/Doctor/Counsellor
  • Country Expert reports
  • Document Authentication reports
  • Hospital/GP reports
• There may be an additional charge of £400 (plus VAT) for a representative of Cross Border Legal Solicitors to attend with you at the Home Office’s Public Enquiry Office or Overseas Visitors Records Office (for Police Registration) in the UK, if applicable.
• Document translation costs are usually based upon the number of words that require translation which can range from £0.35 per word to up to £0.75 per word, please note that it will be the client’s responsibility to get documents translated and pay the appropriate fee to such translators.
• Non-routine postage charges and courier charges – normally all mail is sent via normal Royal Mail recorded but in case we need something posted in a faster more secure way we can look at alternatives at your own cost (can range from £6.50 for Royal Mail special delivery to £144 for secure international courier by DHL);

All the above charges are subject to VAT at 20% where appliable. If any of the above disbursements are applicable to your matter, during your initial appointment with us you would be fully informed of the type of disbursements that are likely to be incurred and what they may cost.

Work and Stages Included in Our fees

Standard Visa and Nationality Applications

• Attendances with you to take instructions, to discuss your case and circumstances in detail including the requirements.
• Considering the documentation that you provide, analysing the documents and advising you whether any further documents are required.
• Taking your instructions to draft any supporting witness statements / support letters.
• If you do not fulfil certain criteria, to advise you whether this can be overcome, how and when it would be appropriate to submit an application.
• Completing your online application form and making any necessary changes as advised by you – via video conference with shared screen.
• Drafting your cover letter representations to be submitted in support of your application.
• Submitting your application online and assisting you in perhaps making an appointment to attend a Home Office centre to enrol your biometrics and fingerprints.
• Reviewing and uploading all the relevant support letters and documents to the Home Office / visa centre.
• Advising you on the likely outcome and then advising you on the actual outcome once a decision is received.

Immigration Appeal

• Attendances with you to take instructions, to discuss your case and circumstances in detail, including the requirements and the merits of any appeal or reapplication.
• Considering the documentation that you provide, analyzing the documents and advising you whether any further documents are required.
• Filing an Appeal Notice to the Immigration Tribunal before the deadline.
• Taking your instructions to draft any supporting witness statements.
• Reviewing the Home Office appeal Bundle.
• Preparing the Court Bundle and Skeleton Argument to be filled to court.
• Preparing the client and witness for an appeal oral hearing – including what to expect at the hearing cross-examination
• Attending and representing the client at the appeal hearing, including giving oral representation after the witness have given evidence.
• Advising you on the likely outcome and then advising you on the outcome once a decision is received.

Please note the amount of work to be conducted will be dictated by the agreed number of hours you decide you wish to instruct us for at the beginning of your matter, and any further instructions that you expressly instruct us to do thereafter.

How long will my application take?

We cannot guarantee how long the Home Office will take to process your visa or British nationality application. Read the current processing times here. We will normally be able to submit a visa application within a week of you instructing us, but we will let you know at the earliest opportunity if it is likely to take longer than this.

Please note that the appeal process timescale depends on how busy the courts are and also if the appeal is from within the UK or from abroad, with average waiting times between 6 to 12 months to hearing date from the date of submission of appeal.

Who will handle your case

Your Immigration matter will be dealt with by the Director; the experienced solicitor Mr. Tito Mbariti – a summary of his qualifications and experience are available here.