Immigration lawyers help clients who wish to get the necessary visa to enter the United Kingdom (with the potential prospect of settling in the United Kingdom and obtaining settlement). Immigration lawyers can also help make applications to remain in the UK on the basis of a human rights claim as well as other forms of protection (Asylum, Humanitarian Protection or applications outside the Immigration Rules based on compassionate circumstances).
At first, you might think that you can go through the process alone. You can search for information online. However, UK Immigration Law can be notoriously complex and it is ever-changing with amendments/changes to the Immigration Rules, to primary legislation as well as an ever-growing and developing body of case-law (decisions from the Courts outlining legal principles). Here are the signs telling you that it is in your best interest to instruct an Immigration lawyer.
You are unsure about your eligibility
Not everyone can apply – there are strict eligibility provisions. The UK Immigration laws are specific and prescriptive in stating who can enter the country under which visa. If you are not sure if your application will be successful, it is time to call an Immigration lawyer to clarify things for you.
You are asking for asylum
Asking for asylum or political refuge is a different case. It is difficult going through the usual steps to be a refugee alone especially when you fear for your life or safety if returned or removed to your country of origin.
An Immigration lawyer can help you to present your case, outline the factual background and events to your case and make persuasive legal representations as to why and how the facts of your case and your circumstances meet the definition of a Refugee as outlined in the Refugee Convention.
You keep getting rejected by the British Embassy or High Commission
If you have made previous visa applications in the past from abroad which have been refused or your relatives and family members seeking to join or visit you have made application which have been refused, it might be time to ask an Immigration lawyer to help you. An Immigration lawyer will be familiar with the evidential requirements and the relevant legal principles to put forward a persuasive application which has the best chances of success before an Entry Clearance Officer or on appeal before the First-tier Tribunal.
You are already up for Deportation or Administrative Removal
If you have been inside the UK illegally for years (as an illegal entrant or as an overstayer), you are liable for Administrative Removal. If you have committed a criminal offence in the UK, you are liable for Deportation and a Deportation Order can be issued in your name (usually preventing you from entering the UK for 10 years). It is a difficult position to be in, and an Immigration lawyer is in the best position to assess your circumstances and, applying the relevant law and legal principles, take the appropriate action to regularise your stay in the UK. Time is also crucial in this situation, and you can’t afford to delay the process.
You can find the best immigration lawyers London offers online or through a referral from your friends. If you are in any of the above circumstances, don’t hesitate to seek help from experienced lawyers. You can’t wait until it is too late to do something about your pending case.