As a specialist immigration firm we undertake the broadest range of immigration work imaginable. This guide deals largely with the work that we undertake on behalf of members of the public. We also provide immigration services to businesses which is detailed separately. If the subject matter that you require a fee quote on is not listed here, please feel welcome to contact us or email us with some details on your enquiry and we will get back to you with a prompt reply.
In addition to the work listed here we undertake Asylum applications, Human Rights applications, Extradition and Sanctions work and Immigration Appeals at all levels including Judicial Reviews. We are also instructed in highly specialised applications which often fall outside of the Immigration Rules. Due to the various complexities that these matters involve it’s difficult to provide guidelines for all those costs in a guide like this. However we will always happily provide quotes when we know more about what your matter involves, so please contact us for further details.
The information produced here is a guide only. For a specific fee estimate based on your own specific circumstances, contact us. We normally suggest you start with a one hour consultation. This is charged at £100 plus 20% VAT (so £120) and in that meeting we can almost always answer your questions as well as gather the information that we require. Depending on the type of application and your personal circumstances we may be able to offer a fixed fee or an hourly-rated quotation for our costs. The information below is a guide and relates to both these possible circumstances.
Every case we deal with is unique. With over 70 years of combined hands on experience of UK Immigration Rules we have dealt with every imaginable (and unimaginable) scenario. Therefore fees will vary depending on the circumstances of your particular case. There are however some factors that apply to almost all fee quotes. These are summarised as follows:
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE FEE GUIDE
- 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. We can provide guidance on this, however you are advised to seek your own independent tax advice in this regard. At the time of publishing this guide the VAT rate is 20%. This means that in most circumstances 20% VAT will be added to the fee quoted.
VAT rates occasionally change. You can check the current VAT rate from Gov.uk Vat Rate Tracker
OTHER COSTS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN OUR FEE GUIDE:
Any costs which we may incur on your behalf are not included in our professional fees. These can include, but are not limited to the following:
- Payments made to the UKVI on your behalf, such as application fees, Immigration Health Surcharge, submission costs etc;
- Payments made to third parties on your behalf, such as HM Revenue & Customs, HM Passport Office, HM Land Registry or perhaps an agent or doctor to prepare an expert report or medical report on your behalf;
- Counsel’s fees. In the event your case requires the involvement of a Barrister (Counsel) you will be liable for their fees which vary depending on seniority. We will discuss with you options and costs in relation to Counsel before instructing them on your behalf and we shall keep you informed of the fees of any barristers that are instructed in your matter; In many cases it will be possible to agree fixed fees with Barristers on your behalf and we will always strive to negotiate the best and fairest possible fee for our clients. These types of fees usually start at £350 for more straightforward work, through to many thousands of Pounds in complex Judicial Review cases; Your barrister will also add VAT currently at 20% to their fees.
- Preparing Schedules of Absences from the UK or travel dates;
- Fees payable to Courts or Tribunals;
- External Translation or interpretation fees;
- Costs of Experts or Agents instructed on your behalf
- Non routine postage charges & courier charges;
- Travel and meeting expenses.
Rarely we may also need to charge for other services that we must provide on your behalf. These can include:
- Photocopying and print room services;
- Bank charges;
- Document Certification Fees;
- In-house Translation Fees; In the event that any translation work is required to be done on your matter, in-house translation work will be charged at an hourly rate of £100.00 plus 20% VAT per hour and £150.00 plus 20% VAT per hour for any translation done outside of our normal working hours;
- If you require us to attend with you at the Home Office’s Public Enquiry Office or Overseas Visitors Records Office (for Police Registration) in the UK we would apply a one off fee for that additional service of £600 plus VAT plus any travel fare that may be required for locations outside the M25.
When considering this guide please bear in mind that individual circumstances can affect the fee that applies to your case. Some applicants may require a combination of two or more of the services quoted and some applicants can have very straightforward matters, in which case a reduction on the estimates quoted will always be provided. However what you can be certain of is that we will always assess your matter at an initial consultation meeting and once we have a good knowledge of what needs to be done we will quote you a fair and reasonable fee in advance of carrying out any work. We will ensure that you are fully aware of the fees that your matter will incur in advance of starting and at regular intervals during the work, where relevant.
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICES IN THE GUIDE
The following information represents our professional fees; this means that these are the fees that we would normally charge for the legal work that our firm will undertake on your case.
Every case is different. When you are quoted a fee you will also be told what that fee includes. As a general rule, the fee quoted will involve all the work relevant to that particular area of law including advising you about the law and procedures, preparing the application for submission, liaising with you and third parties and generally dealing with the matter until a decision is reached on the application. Depending on what type of decision is made, there may be a separate fee applicable to additional work beyond that stage.
ESTIMATES AND QUOTATIONS
We are able to offer fixed fees for the majority of the work that we provide and these are indicated in this guide. A fixed fee is an agreed fee, which will not be varied up or down, and is not dependent on the application being successful. A fixed fee, if offered, is payable in full at the start of the work and once the work has started it is 100% non-refundable. VAT (currently at 20%) and other disbursements will be added to any fixed fee that you are quoted. In the unlikely 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.
Occasionally we may need to quote you an hourly rate. This tends to apply in the more complex matters as well as sometime in the most straightforward matters. Often you may find that an hourly rate works out far cheaper for you in the more straightforward matters and we like to pass that saving on to our clients. Our hourly rate depends on the seniority of the person doing your work.
| Name | Hourly rate |
| Principal Partner | £350 |
| Senior Solicitors | £300 |
| Senior Consultants | £250 |
| Solicitors | £250 |
| Consultants | £250 – £275 |
| Trainee Solicitors | £200 |
| Paralegals | £150 – £200 |
| Media Researchers | £150 |
| Translators | £65 – £85 |
At the start of your matter, we will provide an estimate of how many hours we expect to spend working on your matter, how we calculated the hours and, we will give you a written estimate of the cost. It is often difficult to accurately predict the costs of a case where we charge by the hour as this can vary depending on new information, underlining issues, complexity of the matter etc. When this happens we will try to provide you with estimates for each stage. This is also where you might be offered a ‘fixed fee’ rate for your work.
An indicative fee range or estimate operates as a guide and not a cap. This means that you must not consider them to be maximum or fixed-fee quotations.
If all of this seems daunting, don’t worry. We take this issue seriously and we will always strive to make sure that we are as candid and open as possible about the real fees that you are likely to end up paying us. We do everything possible to avoid surprising clients with huge unexpected legal bills. We strive to keep clients happy throughout their work with us and part of that process is making sure that clients know what they are likely to be paying us. We will always give you the best information we can about the likely overall cost of the matter at the outset and at other appropriate times during the work.
Please note, if you are charged an hourly rate, we charge for our time in 6-minute increments. This means that the hourly rate is divided by 10 and you get charged for each 6 minute increment that we spend on your work. That way you will only pay for the time that we actually are involved in the work and nothing more. We use a complex set of timekeeping software and timers to make sure that we always calculate these times accurately.
For advice on immigration, nationality or human rights,
please contact us
A GUIDE TO OUR FEES
We have set out this guide as simply as possible, explaining the applications with as little legal jargon as possible, but still retaining the descriptions of the applications used by the Home Office for ease of reference. Please note that you must always seek legal advice to determine whether or not you are eligible to make an application in any of the categories set out below.
| Type of Case | Guideline Fees |
| Initial Consultation | £200.00 |
| Investor applications Applying to reside in the UK on the basis of investing either £2,000,000, £5,000,000, £10,000,000 or more in UK government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active and trading UK registered companies. | |
| Tier 1 (Investor) – Entry Clearance | £10,000 – £25,000 |
| Tier 1 (Investor) – In-Country Switch | £10,000 |
| Tier 1 (Investor) – Extension | £5,000 |
| Tier 1 (Investor) – Indefinite Leave to Remain | £6,500 |
| Entrepreneur applications Applying to reside in the UK on the basis of wanting to set up or run a business in the UK and having access to either at least £50,000 or £200,000. | |
| Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) – Entry Clearance | £4,000 – £10,000 |
| Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) – In-Country Switch | £3,000 – £8,000 |
| Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) – Extension | £3,000 |
| Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) – Indefinite Leave to Remain | £5,000 |
| Entrepreneur applications for Graduates Available to graduates identified by Higher Education Institutions as having developed genuine and credible business ideas and entrepreneurial skills to establish one or more businesses in the UK. | |
| Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) | £4,000 |
| Students – over 16 years old Available to students who have been offered an unconditional offer for a course at the required level by an education provider, who is recognised as a Tier 4 Sponsor by the Home Office. | |
| Tier 4 (General) Student | £2,000 |
| Students – aged between 4 – 17 years old Available to students who have been offered a place on a course at an independent school in the UK | |
| Tier 4 (Child) Student – Entry Clearance | £1,500 – £2,000 |
| Tier 4 (Child) Student – In-Country Switch | £1,500 – £2,000 |
| Tier 4 (Child) Student – Extension | £1,500 – £2,000 |
| Parent of a Child at School | £2,000 – £3,000 |
| Individuals from participating countries Available to sponsored young people (aged 18 – 30 years old) from participating countries and territories who wish to experience life in the UK. | |
| Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) Temporary Migrants – Entry Clearance | £1,200 |
| Family members of applicants under the Points-Based-System Applying with or to join a family member who is making an application/ already granted with a visa under the Points-Based-System (PBS). | |
| PBS Dependant Entry Clearance | £750 for first dependant £500 for each additional dependant applying |
| PBS Dependant In-Country Switch | As above |
| PBS Dependant Extension | As above |
| PBS Dependant Indefinite Leave to Remain | As above |
| Adult who is cared for by a relative in the UK Available to adult applicants who require long-term care from a family member who is living permanently in the UK | |
| Adult Dependant Relative – Discretionary | £3,000 |
| Replace your visa with a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) – indefinite leave Available to those who hold settled status (Indefinite Leave to Remain) in the UK. You can apply for a BRP to replace the visa held within your passport. | |
| No Time Limit Application | £600 |
| Replace your visa with a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) – limited leave People who have limited leave endorsed in a passport that is lost, stolen, damaged or due to expire can have their leave transferred to a BRP. | |
| Transfer of Conditions | £500 |
| BRP is lost or stolen You can report your BRP lost or stolen from inside or outside the UK. You can only order a replacement from inside the UK. | |
| BRP Replacement | £750 – £1,000 |
| Visiting the UK If you are visiting the UK for any purpose (such as leisure or business), you may require a visit visa to enter the UK. | |
| Visit Visa | £900 – £1,700 |
| Visit Visa Complex | £1,500 – £4,000 |
| Residing in the UK as an European Economic Area (EEA) national or family member of an EEA national | |
| EEA Family Permit Available if you are a family member of an EEA national wanting to enter the UK | £1,500 – £2,500 £2,500-£4,000 (complex) |
| EEA Registration Certificate Available for EEA nationals currently residing in the UK to confirm status in the UK | £1,500- £2,000 £1,000-£2,000 (complex) |
| EEA Residence Card Available to family members of an EEA national to confirm status in the UK | £1,500 – £2,500 £1,500-£3,000 (complex) |
| EEA Permanent Residence (PR) Available to EEA nationals or family members of EEA nationals who have been residing in the UK for 5 continuous years | £1,500 – £2,500 £1,500-£3,000 (complex) |
| EEA PR + Nationality + Passport | £3,000 |
| Settlement under Immigration Rules | |
| 10 Year Lawful Residence Available to applicants who have been living legally in the UK for 10 continuous years | £2,500 – £7,500 |
| Becoming a British Citizen For applicants who want to obtain British nationality. | |
| Naturalise as British Citizen 6(1) Available to individuals who have already obtained settled status in the UK (either Permanent Residence or Indefinite Leave to Remain) and held it for 12 months | £1,500 |
| Naturalise as British Citizen 6(2) Available to individuals who have already obtained settled status in the UK (either Permanent Residence or Indefinite Leave to Remain) and are married to a British Citizen | £1,500 |
| Nationality plus passport | £2,000 |
| Discretionary Nationality For individuals who do not meet all requirements | £2,000 or Hourly-rated |
| Register a Child as a British Citizen Available to children under 18 years old who wish to obtain British nationality | £1,500 |
| Family members of British Citizens Available for those who are family members of British citizens who wish to reside in the UK on this basis. | |
| Appendix FM – Entry Clearance | £2,500 – £5,000 |
| Appendix FM – In Country Switch | £2,500 – £5,000 |
| Appendix FM – Extension | £1,800 – £4,000 |
| Appendix FM – Indefinite Leave to Remain (settlement) | £2,000 – £5,000 |
| First British Passport Application | £500 |
| Discretionary Passport | Hourly rate |
| Working in the UK | |
| Tier 2 (General) Available to applicants who are from outside the EEA and have been offered a skilled job in the UK | |
| Tier 2 (General) Entry Clearance | £1,200 – £1,500 |
| Tier 2 (General) Leave to Remain | £1,200 |
| Tier 2 (Intra-Company Transfer) Migrant Available to applicants who are from outside the EEA and have been offered a role in a UK branch from their overseas employer | |
| Tier 2 (ICT) Entry Clearance | £1,200 – £1,500 |
| Tier 2 (ICT) Leave to Remain | £1,200 |
| Tier 2 Indefinite Leave to Remain Only available to Tier 2 General, Sportsperson or Minister of Religion migrants who have spent a continuous period of 5 years in the UK | £1,800 |
| Tier 5 (GAE) Available to applicants who want to come to the UK for a short time for work experience or undertake training | £1,500 |
| Sole Representative Available to applicants who are the representative of an overseas company and plan to set up a UK branch/ subsidiary Also available for employees of a news agency on a long-term assignment to the UK | £7,500 |
| Response to Illegal Worker Notice Applicable to clients who have been notified by the Home Office that they have employed or are currently employing a person who does not have the right to work in the UK | Hourly-rate |
| Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Available to applicants who are a recognised leader in their field of expertise | £5,000 to £10,000 |
| Immigration Appeals to the First Tier Tribunal | £1,500 to £7,500 depending on complexity and reasons for refusal |
Please note that VAT at 20% and disbursements will be added to all fixed fees.
Key Stages in Immigration Law Work & Additional Information
Please bear in mind that once a fee is quoted from the very start of your matter we will provide you with a Client Care Letter, which sets out the work which you have instructed us to undertake and the anticipated cost, as well as any other costs that we expect will be associated with your application and details of the solicitor dealing with your matter including their experience. If you have any questions at all about that letter we will happily carefully explain the various steps and how the total costs have been calculated. Once you have received our letter, if you agree with our terms, you will be asked to return a signed copy of the letter to us as confirmation of your acceptance.
We will always write to you at the start of the matter setting out exactly what we are going to do for you. However as an additional guide the following service and key stages will usually be included in any fixed fee that you are quoted:
What’s Included:
- Discussing your circumstances in detail with you and advising you and reaching agreement as to which is the most suitable application for you and what other options may be available to you;
- Providing you with advice and assistance about the relevant requirements and procedures of the Immigration Rules and whether you meet those criteria;
- For those who do not have the required circumstance and criteria, assessing how (if at all) this can be overcome, and the likely time and cost involved in this;
- Considering the supporting evidence you provide and advising you on what else is required and how to go about obtaining it
- Where necessary, helping you obtain further evidence (such as medical records, the opinions of experts or your previous immigration history by means of a Subject Access Request). Please bear in mind that sometimes if there is a lot of additional work to be done this can affect the price you were quoted;
- Preparing your application and submitting the application on your behalf.
- For entry clearance applicants we will always assist in obtaining and booking your appointment to attend the visa processing centre in your own country;
- Booking your biometrics appointment;
- Complying with the Immigration Health Surcharge rules and assisting you to make those payments;
- Keeping you updated as to the progress of your matter regularly;
- Providing up to one hour of advice on the outcome of your application and what alternative steps might be open to you in the event that the application was not successful
What is excluded
The fees set out in this guide would not include any additional work, such as:
- Applications for your dependants
- Attendance at and travel to/from Home Office interviews.
- Amendments or changes to an application after it has been submitted;
- Work related to any unexpected changes to your personal circumstances, after an application has been submitted;
- Pre-Action Protocol (PAP) Letters & grounds in relation to delayed decisions
- If the Home Office refuses your application, work in relation to an appeal or Administrative Review
- Advising on the merits of a Judicial Review application
Tinescales
The Home Office is notorious for extraordinary delays and poor performance. Unfortunately some applications seem to disappear into unreasonable delays, without any valid reasons every being provided. We will do everything possible to avoid such delays for our clients.
The following timescales relate to work on a reasonably straightforward entry clearance application – say as a spouse or fiancee & applications under Appendix FM:
- Time we need to prepare your application for submission, assuming everything is available – between 2 to 4 weeks
- From submission to biometrics appointment – usually between 2 days to 2 weeks
- Receipt of confirmation from the Home Office that the application is under consideration – usually within a month of submission
- Decision by the Home Office – The published timescales say that 80% of applications will be decided within 6 months of submission. However; this is unhelpful. The fastest decision we have ever obtained was within 15 hours of submission of the application and biometrics. The average length of time is however 6 – 12 weeks.
The following timescales relate to work on a reasonably straightforward application on behalf of European Economic Area (EEA) nationals and their family members under the applicable EEA Regulations or Immigration Rules, including applications for permanent residence, residence cards, and registration certificates
- Time we need to prepare your application for submission, assuming everything is available – between 1 to 4 weeks
- From submission to biometrics appointment – usually between 2 days to 4 weeks
- Receipt of confirmation from the Home Office that the application is under consideration – usually within a week of submission of biometrics
- Decision by the Home Office – The published timescales say that 80% of applications will be decided within 6 months of submission. However; this is unhelpful. The fastest decision we have ever obtained was within 15 hours of submission of the application and biometrics. The average length for these types of applications is however 1 – 8 weeks.
The following timescales relate to work on a reasonably straightforward application for naturalisation or registration under the British Nationality Act 1981:
- Time we need to prepare your application for submission, assuming everything is available – between 1 to 4 weeks
- From submission to biometrics appointment – usually between 2 days to 4 weeks
- Receipt of confirmation from the Home Office that the application is under consideration – usually within a month of submission of biometrics
- Decision by the Home Office – The published timescales say that 80% of applications will be decided within 6 months of submission. However; this is unhelpful. The fastest naturalisation decision we have ever obtained was within 8 days of submission of the application and biometrics. The average length for these types of applications is however 8 – 16 weeks.
Immigration Appeals
If your application was refused, we can assist you with an appeal. We have immense experience of dealing with the most complex appeal circumstances. However; every appeal is different and as we concentrate on winning your appeal, this type of work is a bespoke service and the costs of an appeal will be determined depending on the reasons for refusal you have received. However; the key stages of an appeal will be:
- Reviewing your initial application and the response from the Home Office;
- Reviewing all the evidence you submitted, which led to your application being refused;
- Discussing the Home Office’s decision with you and introducing what (if any) further steps you have available to you;
- Analysing and determining the grounds for an appeal;
- Drafting your appeal grounds;
- Submitting the appeal.
- Collecting your evidence and taking statements from your witnesses and preparing these into legal documents;
- Complying with the Appeals Tribunal Directions in preparing your case for a hearing;
- Advising and assisting you to prepare to give evidence to the Tribunal;
- Representing you at the appeal hearing.
- Up to 30 minutes of advice on the outcome of your appeal – any further work would be charged separately.
The costs associated with an Immigration Appeal depend wholly on the issues involved, the complexity of the evidence and legal arguments, the level of your chosen barrister to represent you at your appeal. You will be provided with a bespoke costs estimate during the initial consultation. However; these costs will range from as little as £1,500 to over £7,500. Added to these fees with be VAT at 20% and the fees charged by your barrister. There may also be a court fee to pay (currently £140) for most appeals.
In some cases we may be able to offer an installment plan for the payment of our fees. These installment arrangements are at our discretion solely and we will always work to accommodate you and your finances. However it is a condition of all plans that full payment must be received before any application is submitted. If an installment plan is agreed with you, this will always be confirmed by us in writing.
If you are offered an installment plan, the full fee agreed plus any VAT remains payable to us, even if you change your mind at any stage during the preparation of your application.
For specific quotation on the costs of your work please contact us and once we know more about the matter we can provide you with a precise fee estimate
Fee Earners & Experience
Any representation for Immigration Law work will be carried out by a fully qualified solicitor. Unless you have been quoted a ‘fixed fee’; Each solicitor charges for their time depending on their individual status within the firm and their experience. The following is an example of some of the hourly rates charged for different levels of solicitors. All fees charged, whether fixed fee or hourly rate, will have VAT at 20% added to the final figure plus any disbursements such as Home Office application fees, barristers fees, expert report writers fees and court fees.
| Name | Hourly rate |
| Principal Partner | £350 |
| Senior Solicitors | £300 |
| Senior Consultants | £250 |
| Solicitors | £250 |
| Consultants | £250 – £275 |
| Trainee Solicitors | £200 |
| Paralegals | £150 – £200 |
| Media Researchers | £150 |
| Translators | £65 – £85 |
Our Team
Our team has over 70 years of collective experience in delivering high quality work in all matters relating to UK Immigration Law. Immigration Law is very complex and requires exceptional attention to detail. These types of cases very often succeed (or fail) on attention to detail only and you need to be sure that your legal team are the best.
We have three main members of the team who may work on your matter. Regardless of who works on your matter, they will be supervised by Cyrus Mansouri, Principal of the firm.
Cyrus Mansouri
Cyrus started his career in UK Immigration Law in 1993 working in an immigration advisory clinic. By 1996 he was representing his own clients in the Immigration Tribunals as well as frequent bail applications and appeal hearings. By the year 2000 Cyrus had represented over 5,000 clients in relation to all types of immigration related issues. In 2002 he decided to set up Mansouri & Son Solicitors, in partnership with his father, an International Human Rights lawyer who had over 60 years of legal experience under his belt.
Cyrus is highly regarded by his clients for being extremely approachable and understanding with his trademark calm demeanor concealing his relentless attention to detail. He frequently appears in all courts as an advocate for his clients and his extensive experience of this area of law means that he will always be able to tell clients precisely what they can expect and what their realistic chances of success are.
Melorion Hubert Van Arkadie
Hubert qualified as a solicitor in 1998 and quickly developed himself as an outstanding high street solicitor, setting up his own firm specialising in probate, immigration law, litigation and family law among other areas of work. Hubert managed a huge immigration legal team in his own firm and brought his wealth of experience and knowledge with him when he joined us as a consultant. He joined Mansouri & Son in 2010 as a consultant, preferring to focus his attention on his clients, rather than running a large high street firm.
Abraham Mashood
Abraham started off at Mansouri & Son working on reception and has gradually worked his way up to being admitted as a solicitor in 2023. Despite his recent admission, Abraham has over 8 years of hands-on experience in all aspects of UK Immigration Law. Abraham has immense experience of advising on, preparing and submitting all types of applications including complex appeals, deportation orders, human rights claims and emergency injunctive applications. Abraham has a creative mind and an excellent eye for detail.
To book an appointment please call 020 8401 7352 or email us at info@solicitorsfirm.com
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