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Frequently asked questions

Why choose ICS Legal?

We specialise in Immigration Law, Human Rights Law, British Nationality Law & European Law. Our lawyers provide honest, exceptional service to our clients. We believe that our service starts when we submit your application and we want our client to know we will keep them informed, answer there questions and your case worker will be just a phone call away.

What is the benefit of using our legal services when you want to come to the UK or extend or switch?

Our speciality lies in the field of Immigration, Nationality and EU Law, so it means we always are dealing with this side of the law. We are able to support you in making a correct decision, avoid delays on your case, save money and time, not forgetting the stress of any doubts with your application.

 

There are many routes available to come to the UK, extend or switch, some of them do not allow extension or even switching. Knowing what is right can be a difficult task and this is why we are here. Simple task of not using the prescribed forms can mean your application is invalid, which means if you have no valid stay, you would have to return back and there is no appeal rights.

 

Our initial consultations are a chargeable service. We initially discuss the requirements of the application to ensure you meet the requirements and have the documentation required at hand for the submission. It gives you an opportunity to meet us and ask questions.

 

Each case will be checked thoroughly, everything will be cross referenced so guidelines are met and we will also add our legal document which would outline the Immigration Rules and how the client has satisfied the rules. We use documents that are used by Home Office case workers, so we know exactly what they would look for in your case.

 

The most important fact is that law constantly changes, policy guidelines and requirements are always changing, so it is best that you always use specialised services to support you. We never compromise our services, our fees remain very competitive but our expertise is at the very highest standard.

How can I trust your service?

We are regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC). OISC is the government regulated body and it is a criminal offence if someone is providing Immigration advice without being regulated by the OISC. We are also members of Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI). JCWI is an independent national voluntary organisation, campaigning for justice and combating racism in immigration and asylum law and policy.

What happens in the initial consultation?

Your case worker would take some background information regarding yourself. Relevant questions would be asked to ascertain whether your case can be handled by our team. You will also be able to ask questions, understand what is required to meet the Immigration Rules, Nationality Law and EU Law where relevant. Should we be able to provide assistance, your case worker will give you a customer care letter whereby it would outline the service agreement and the cost associated.

What happens after the consultation?

After each consultation we aim to provide a consultation report which would outline what was discussed, the action plan and what to do next.

When I meet the caseworker and I disclose personal information, would this be disclosed to anyone else?

We have a procedure in place for ensuring client confidentiality. We keep the affairs of our clients and all information relating to our clients confidential, except where we are compelled to disclose information by reason of a legal or regulatory obligation.

What is a customer care letter?

A customer care letter from us will ensure that we outline the service we would be providing, it would also provide a break down of the costs associated so you can rest assure that there are no hidden charges and that fees do not go up unless changes are made (i.e. Home Office fees etc).

Once I sign the customer care letter and my case would possibly fail, do I still have to pay your fees?

We place our clients first, so when you sign the customer care letter and we go through your case file, and we believe that the case would not be successful, we will terminate the agreement and return your documents. We will also provide alternative solutions with no added costs. We also have a cancellation period should you feel you want to withdraw your file.

 

Please note that all cases cannot be guaranteed as circumstances depends and whether you met guidelines, however the Home Office caseworker can still refuse cases on the balance of probabilities and other factors. Our job would be to prepare your case in the best possible way.

Do you provide one day Premium Services?

Yes, we have a special provision with the Home Office and majority case decisions are made on the same day.

Do you do “No Win No Fee”?

As a private legal firm, we want to ensure we can provide the service you want. Our fees are very competitive and that is why we do not provide a No Win No Fee service as we do not feel the need to over charge our clients with such schemes.

How is the fees paid and are there any surprises?

With us, you will know exactly what we would be charging. The fees are to be paid through cheque, cash or bank transfer. Home Office fees can be paid to us and we can make the payment on behalf of you. If there is any changes in Home Office fees, we will let you know immediately.

How often would I get updated once my case have been submitted?

Our commitment to our clients is that we will update you every time we get an update from the Home Office. The waiting period can be a very daunting time as decisions can be life changing however the Home Office do set some guidelines on waiting times, but we intend to keep you updated throughout the process.

Can you guarantee an application?

No, and this is the same even if you use a no win no fee service, it would be impossible for anyone to guarantee a successful application. The likelihood of an application being successful can be given based on previous cases or success rates, however we do not operate such a policy of selling our services based on previous applications.

What is your aftercare service?

We aim to ensure that this service is not used by any of our clients, but there are times where even with the best possible applications are unsuccessful. As we take our clients cases personally, we would like to provide a helping hand. We have designed an aftercare service whereby if your case fails, then your case worker would be able to help you look at other formalities of staying in the UK should you have valid leave still remaining or help you make an out country application. Please note should you require appealing on your matter, we can only deal with the initial appeal and your application will be straight away referred to an advisor who deals with representations.

Can I give you feedback on your service?

It is vital that all our clients can provide honest feedback, we would encourage this and this helps us to become better on our service delivery.

Can you help me find a UK Employer to sponsor a work permit or find me work?

No, we are a law firm which provides support in UK Immigration, Nationality and EU Free Movement Rights. However we have a subsidiary company which is jobslibrary.co.uk whereby you can look for work, apply and discuss with potential employers. We cannot influence any decisions and finding work is not something our team deals with.

How we deliver service

1) You contact us through e-mail or phone.

2) We take some basic information, we ask some relevant questions to understand the type of query and what type of support is required.

3) Your case then gets passed to a case worker.

4) Case Worker would contact you to set up an initial meeting.

5) You attend a consultation, an action plan is drawn up and we find out whether ICS Legal can support your case. A report would be sent where there is a requirement to outline what was discussed and what to do next.

6) You authorise us to be your legal representative by signing our customer care letter.

7) We will then start to request documents and information about your case this will build up your case pack.

8) We will then write our legal report and use Home Office caseworker’s documents to ensure everything has been checked and all requirement have been met.

9) Where possible we will go through every aspect of your case before case submission.

10) We will continue to update you throughout the case life cycle .

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UK Expansion Visa

The UK Expansion Visa allows an overseas worker to undertake a work assignment in the UK either as a senior manager or a specialist employee. The visa route is the replacement of the sole overseas representative visa, where an overseas business intends to establish its presence in the UK.

There are a number of key changes in how the UK Expansion Visa operates and the requirements are far different to the sole overseas representative visa. 

Setting up a UK business

ICS Legal can advise and help enterprises to set-up a UK branch in the UK. 

Through our partnership, we would be able to collaborate with international organisations, to help and streamline the set-up in the UK. 

We would be able to also advise and assist in acquiring a sponsor licence, which is required as part of this visa application. A sponsor licence is required to issue a certificate of sponsorship and is required at the date of application. 

Requirements of the UK Expansion Visa

To meet the eligibility requirements of the UK Expansion Visa, an applicant must satisfy the following and score 60 points as required by the immigration rules: 

  1. The business must be able to provide a valid certificate of sponsorship, which would set out the requirements for the employment in the UK. 

  2. The sponsored migrant must have worked for the employer outside of the UK for more than 12 months and at the appropriate salary. 

  3. Whilst being in the UK, the sponsored migrant must be paid in accordance to the occupations code as set in the immigration rules.

  4. Meet the financial requirements and does not fall under general grounds of refusal. 

The points scoring are broken into 3 main parts, which include sponsorship, that the employment is at an appropriate skill level and that the correct salary threshold is being paid. Evidences are required to support the visa application at the time of making the application. 

Apply for a UK Expansion Visa

If you intend to apply for the UK Expansion Visa, the visa application needs to be applied online through the Home Office digital platform. The visa application can be applied 3 months prior to the date of application. 

Through the online application, you will be able to submit your information, documentation and schedule an appointment to submit your biometric data. 

Where you are in the UK, switching to the UK Expansion Visa is possible and in some categories, you will need to ask for discretion to be applied. It is important that you check on whether your visa permits you to switch to the UK Expansion Visa.

Refusal of a UK Expansion Visa

Where an application for a UK Expansion Visa is refused, there will be a right to challenge the decision legally. Appealing against the decision would be determined on the grounds raised at the date of application.  

ICS Legal can assist you in challenging a decision after we have reviewed your application and discuss the grounds of the challenge we may be able to raise. 

Frequently asked questions related to the UK Expansion Visa

We have put together a series of questions related to the UK Expansion Visa and we hope you would find the following information useful.

  1. What is a certificate of sponsorship? This is an electronic work permit document issued by an employer for sponsored work. 

  2. How long is the UK Expansion Visa valid? The initial visa can be granted with a maximum period of residency in the UK for 12 months. 

  3. What are some of the conditions of the UK Expansion Visa? Holding the UK Expansion Visa would permit you to work in the UK and bring your family members to the UK. It is possible to do supplementary employment nor can you claim benefits or change your visa in the UK unless permitted. 

  4. Can the UK Expansion Visa be extended? Yes, this can be extended and to the maximum period of residency permitted.

  5. Can you apply for indefinite leave to remain under the UK Expansion Visa? The current visa does not lead to settlement status. However, you can use the periods of residency towards other eligible immigration categories. 

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