UK immigration rules, fees and thresholds change several times a year, and a refusal can be slow and costly to put right. Here's how immigration help works in the UK as at 4 November 2026, and the immigration lawyers we list in each city.
Immigration Lawyers by city
No firm pays for its place on our lists. How we compile our lists
The short answer
Use an SRA regulated solicitor or an adviser registered with the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA), and check the register before you pay anything. Time limits to challenge a refusal can be as short as 7 days. The big change on the horizon is "earned settlement", which would double the usual wait to settle, but as at 4 November 2026 it is a plan, not law.
Who can give immigration advice
Only regulated people can give immigration advice in the UK. Section 84 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 says only a "qualified person" can give immigration advice or services, and section 91 makes breaking that rule a criminal offence, with up to 2 years in prison.
- Solicitors: regulated in England and Wales by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). The IAA doesn't license solicitors or barristers, because their own professional bodies already regulate them
- IAA registered advisers: the IAA is the new name for the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) since January 2025, so older letters may still say OISC
IAA advisers are registered at one of three levels, which GOV.UK describes like this:
| Level | What the adviser can do |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Simple cases: entry clearance, leave to enter or remain, nationality and citizenship, and EU and EEA law |
| Level 2 | Level 1 work plus asylum and human rights claims, administrative reviews, illegal entry or overstaying, and removal or deportation |
| Level 3 | Everything at Levels 1 and 2, plus appearing for you at an immigration tribunal |
Only a Level 3 adviser can represent you at a tribunal.
Work visas and sponsor licences
A Skilled Worker needs a job offer from an employer with a Home Office sponsor licence, and the job must usually pay at least £41,700 a year as at 4 November 2026. The visa lasts up to 5 years before it must be extended.
| Rule | As at 4 November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Minimum salary | £41,700 a year or the going rate for the job, whichever is higher |
| Lower rates | At least £33,400 for jobs on the immigration salary list, and 70% of the going rate (at least £33,400) for new entrants, such as people under 26 or recent Student or Graduate visa holders |
| Skill level | Degree level (RQF 6) since 22 July 2025. Lower skilled jobs only qualify through the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List, and those workers can't bring dependants |
| English | B2 for new applicants since 8 January 2026 |
| Sponsor licence fee | £611 for a small sponsor, £1,682 for a large sponsor |
| Immigration Skills Charge | Paid by the employer. Small or charitable sponsors: £480 for the first 12 months, then £240 for each further 6 months. Medium or large sponsors: £1,320, then £660 |
Overseas recruitment of care workers closed on 22 July 2025, and both shortage lists have removal dates at the end of 2026, apart from adult social care roles, which run to 22 July 2028. Graduate visas applied for on or after 1 January 2027 will last 18 months, not 2 years, though PhD graduates keep 3 years.
Family and partner visas
To bring a partner to the UK you'll usually need a combined income of £29,000 a year, as at 4 November 2026, and basic English. You must both be 18 or over, plan to live together here permanently, and be married or in a civil partnership, have lived together for at least 2 years (or been together that long if work, study or cultural reasons stop you living together), or be engaged and plan to marry within 6 months of arriving. The partner in the UK must be British, Irish, settled, or hold certain other status, such as protection status.
- Income: couples first granted before 11 April 2024 and extending with the same partner need £18,600, plus extra for children, up to £29,000
- English: A1 for the first visa, and A2 in speaking and listening to extend
- Length: up to 2 years 9 months from abroad, then up to 2 years 6 months. Time on a fiancé(e) visa doesn't count towards settlement
Settlement and citizenship
As at 4 November 2026, most people can still apply to settle after 5 years on the Skilled Worker route or as a partner, or after 10 years' continuous lawful residence. Indefinite leave to remain costs £3,226, plus £50 for the Life in the UK test if you need it.
From 26 March 2027, settlement on routes including Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Long Residence and the family route will need English at B2 instead of B1, including for people already on the way.
Earned settlement isn't law yet. On 2 November 2026 the government published its consultation response, CP 1707. It says:
- The usual wait would rise from 5 years to a starting point of 10 years
- The highest earners (at least £125,141) could settle after 3 years, and people earning at least £50,271 and some public service workers after 5
- Most refugees would wait 20 years, or 10 if they move onto a work or study route
- Partners, parents and children of British citizens would keep a 5 year route. Family visa holders whose sponsor isn't British would move to a longer one
There is no start date, and no Immigration Rules change has been laid to bring it in, so the current periods still apply. If you're part way through a 5 year route, get advice.
Citizenship. To naturalise you usually need 5 years' residence and 12 months with indefinite leave or settled status, limits on time abroad, good character, English at B1 or above and the Life in the UK test. If you're married to a British citizen it's 3 years, with no 12 month wait. Naturalisation costs £1,839 as at 4 November 2026, including the £130 ceremony.
Asylum and refugee leave
Refugees who claimed on or after 2 March 2026 get 30 months' leave, not 5 years. Unaccompanied children still get 5 years, and anyone granted 5 years on a claim made by 1 March 2026 can still apply to settle after 5 years under the current rules. The earned settlement plans would move most refugees onto a longer route, but no rules change has been made, so take advice well before your leave runs out.
To qualify you must have left your country and be unable to go back because you fear persecution. GOV.UK says to claim on arrival or as soon as you think it would be unsafe to return, because waiting makes refusal more likely.
Appeals and time limits
If you have a right of appeal, you usually have 14 days to lodge it from inside the UK. Appeals go to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) and cover refused asylum, protection and human rights claims, loss of protection status or citizenship, and some EU Settlement Scheme decisions. Most other refusals can only go to administrative review.
| Challenge | Time limit | Fee as at 4 November 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Tribunal appeal, inside the UK | 14 days from getting the decision | £82 without a hearing, £144 with one |
| Tribunal appeal, outside the UK | 28 days | £82 or £144 |
| Administrative review, inside the UK | 14 days, or 7 if you were detained | £80 |
| Upper Tribunal, for a legal mistake | Ask the First-tier Tribunal for permission within 14 days of its written reasons (28 from outside the UK) | No fee |
People on asylum support or legal aid may not have to pay the tribunal fee.
Home Office fees and the health surcharge
These are the main Home Office fees as at 4 November 2026, from GOV.UK's fee table dated 8 October 2026, still the latest published.
| Application | Fee as at 4 November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Skilled Worker, from outside the UK | £819 for up to 3 years, £1,618 for longer |
| Skilled Worker, from inside the UK | £943 for up to 3 years, £1,865 for longer |
| Health and Care Worker | £324 for up to 3 years, £628 for longer |
| Partner or family visa | £2,064 from outside the UK, £1,407 from inside |
| Student | £558 |
| Indefinite leave to remain | £3,226 |
| Naturalisation | £1,709, plus £130 for the ceremony |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | £1,035 a year, or £776 for students, Youth Mobility Scheme applicants and under 18s |
The surcharge comes on top of the visa fee: £3,105 for an adult partner applying from abroad. Indefinite leave, EU Settlement Scheme and asylum applicants don't pay it.
eVisas. Physical immigration documents have been replaced by eVisas, which you view through a free UKVI account and use to get a share code for an employer or landlord. All BRPs have expired, but you may be able to use an expired BRP to sign in, set up a UKVI account or apply to extend, until 31 December 2026 at the latest.
Paying for help: legal aid
Legal aid covers some immigration cases, mainly where people are at risk:
- Asylum claims
- Victims of trafficking or modern slavery applying to stay
- Immigration detention and bail
- Settlement applications by victims of domestic abuse
- Cases for children separated from their parents
- Some judicial review challenges to Home Office decisions
Ordinary work, family and citizenship applications aren't on that list, so expect to pay privately. If your human rights are at risk, you can ask for exceptional case funding yourself or through a provider. Not every firm does legal aid work, so ask first.
How to choose and check an adviser
Check the register first. GOV.UK is blunt about the risk: you cannot get your money back if an adviser is not regulated.
- A solicitor: search the SRA's Solicitors Register, checking the spelling if nothing comes up
- An IAA adviser: search the IAA Adviser Finder, note their level, and check the GOV.UK list of banned or suspended advisers
Questions to ask:
- Are you an SRA regulated solicitor or an IAA adviser, and at what level?
- Can you represent me at a tribunal if it comes to that?
- What will you charge, and which Home Office fees will I pay on top?
- What happens if the application is refused?
Watch for scams. Scammers sometimes copy a real firm's name, logo or address, then ask for money by phone, email or social media. Treat any unexpected WhatsApp or social media message offering a visa or asking for a fee as a warning sign. The Home Office says it will never ask you for money by email or phone, or into a personal bank account. Find the adviser on the register yourself, contact them using the details it gives, and pay only after you've checked the register and confirmed the bank details directly.
Sources
- Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, section 84 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, section 91 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Find an immigration adviser (GOV.UK)
- What immigration advisers can do (GOV.UK)
- About us: Immigration Advice Authority (GOV.UK)
- Public urged to check immigration advisers are regulated, 11 May 2026 (GOV.UK)
- Solicitors Register (SRA)
- Scam alerts (SRA)
- Fraud, tricks and scams (UKVI, GOV.UK)
- Skilled Worker visa (GOV.UK)
- Skilled Worker visa: your job (GOV.UK)
- Skilled Worker visa: when you can be paid less (GOV.UK)
- Skilled Worker visa: knowledge of English (GOV.UK)
- Immigration Skills Charge (GOV.UK)
- Explanatory memorandum, HC 997, 1 July 2025 (GOV.UK)
- Explanatory memorandum, HC 1333, 14 October 2025 (GOV.UK)
- Explanatory memorandum, HC 1691, 5 March 2026 (GOV.UK)
- Explanatory memorandum, HC 584, 3 September 2026 (GOV.UK)
- Immigration Rules: statements of changes (GOV.UK)
- Family visas: partner and spouse (GOV.UK)
- Family visas: proof of income (GOV.UK)
- Family visas: knowledge of English (GOV.UK)
- Long residence (GOV.UK)
- Earned settlement consultation and government response (GOV.UK)
- Earned settlement: government response, CP 1707 (GOV.UK, PDF)
- Home Secretary unveils new rules for migrants settling in the UK, 2 November 2026 (GOV.UK)
- Life in the UK test (GOV.UK)
- Apply for citizenship if you have indefinite leave to remain (GOV.UK)
- Apply for citizenship if your spouse is British (GOV.UK)
- Claim asylum in the UK (GOV.UK)
- Asylum support: what you'll get (GOV.UK)
- Appeal against a visa or immigration decision (GOV.UK)
- Appeal a decision online (GOV.UK)
- Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber): how to appeal (GOV.UK)
- Administrative review: if you're in the UK (GOV.UK)
- Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 October 2026 (GOV.UK)
- Family visas (GOV.UK)
- Pay for UK healthcare: how much you pay (GOV.UK)
- Pay for UK healthcare: who needs to pay (GOV.UK)
- eVisas (GOV.UK)
- Biometric residence permits (GOV.UK)
- Legal aid: what you can get legal aid for (GOV.UK)
- Legal aid: apply for exceptional case funding (GOV.UK)
- Immigration and Asylum Category Specific Rules, 2024 Standard Civil Contract (Legal Aid Agency, PDF)
Immigration Lawyers: common questions
Do I need a solicitor, or can I use an immigration adviser?
Either can help as long as they're regulated. The SRA regulates solicitors in England and Wales, and advisers who aren't lawyers must be registered with the Immigration Advice Authority, which used to be called OISC. Check a solicitor on the SRA's Solicitors Register and an adviser on the IAA Adviser Finder. GOV.UK says you can't get your money back from an adviser who isn't regulated.
Can any immigration adviser represent me at a tribunal?
No. GOV.UK says only a Level 3 IAA adviser can appear for you at an immigration tribunal. Level 2 advisers can take on asylum and human rights claims, administrative reviews and removal cases, and Level 1 advisers handle simpler applications. Solicitors are regulated separately by the SRA.
How much do I need to earn for a Skilled Worker visa?
As at 4 November 2026, at least £41,700 a year or the going rate for the job, whichever is higher. Some people can be paid less, such as new entrants (70% of the going rate, at least £33,400) and people in jobs on the immigration salary list (at least £33,400). New applicants need English at B2.
How much income do I need to bring my partner to the UK?
For most couples, £29,000 a year combined, as at 4 November 2026. If you first applied as a partner before 11 April 2024 and are extending with the same partner, it's £18,600, plus more for children. The visa fee from outside the UK is £2,064, and the Immigration Health Surcharge comes on top.
Has the wait for settlement gone up to 10 years?
Not yet. On 2 November 2026 the government said in CP 1707 that the usual wait will rise from 5 to 10 years, with 3 or 5 years for high earners and some public service workers. Most refugees would wait 20 years, or 10 if they move onto a work or study route. Partners, parents and children of British citizens would keep a 5 year route. There's no start date and no Immigration Rules change has been laid, so the current periods still apply.
How long do I have to appeal an immigration refusal?
If you have a right of appeal, you have 14 days from getting the decision if you're in the UK, and 28 days if you're outside it. The tribunal fee is £82 without a hearing or £144 with one, as at 4 November 2026. If there's no right of appeal, you may be able to ask for administrative review, which costs £80.
Can I get legal aid for an immigration case?
Legal aid covers asylum, victims of trafficking or modern slavery applying to stay, immigration detention and bail, settlement applications by victims of domestic abuse, immigration cases for separated children, and some judicial review challenges. For other cases, you can ask for exceptional case funding if your human rights are at risk. Ask any firm whether it does legal aid work before you instruct it.
How do I know an immigration firm is real?
Scammers sometimes copy a real firm's name and details. Search the SRA's Solicitors Register or the IAA Adviser Finder yourself, contact them using the details the register gives rather than ones sent to you, and confirm bank details with the firm before you pay anything.
Other areas of law
Criminal Solicitors · Family Solicitors · Personal Injury Lawyers · Property Solicitors