Immigration Solicitors

The word ‘Immigration’ crops up in endless conversations in our current climate, may it be at work, at home, with friends or family. A large majority of you reading this article will have needed, or known someone who has needed Immigration Advice at some time. However, any Legal Advice comes at a price that not many of us can afford.

This is where Duncan Lewis Solicitors, with one of the most respected Immigration departments in the UK is here to help. We are the largest Legal Aid firm in the UK and if you are currently receiving any form of benefits, on a low income or currently unemployed we may be able to assist you in your Immigration matter with no legal fees.

Duncan Lewis Solicitors deal with an endless number of complex Immigration matters on a daily basis and our Immigration Department consists of over 140 employees with insurmountable experience. We pride ourselves in our professionalism, enthusiasm and client care. Our motto is ‘We give people a voice’ and this is something we aim to strengthen amongst our Asian communities.

In these difficult times the number of Domestic Violence victims is at an all-time high. If an individual has come to the UK on a spouse visa and has found themselves subjected to Domestic Violence but is scared to bring this to the attention of the authorities for fear of being sent back home, they need not fear any longer.

Shalini Patel, a Trainee Solicitor, at Duncan Lewis has had a number of successful cases in relation to the same. In the past 6 months Shalini has obtained Settlement for over 10 individuals who had arrived in the UK on spouse visas and had been subjected to brutal domestic violence. A number of these same clients have been or are now being assisted by our Family Law Department to obtain a divorce, our Community Care Department to obtain housing and our Criminal Departments to obtain injunctions and Non-Molestation Orders against their ex-partners. Shalini’s specialism in this area has been recognised by the UK’s leading refuges including SSAFA Forces (‘Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association) and Shelter-in-the-Storm, who continually refer victims of Domestic Violence to her for assistance.

The largest numbers of foreign students in the UK are from India and China, however with the recent increased restrictions it is becoming extremely difficult to obtain a visa to study in the UK or to apply for an extension for a student visa successfully. Our Managed Migration Department has an outstanding rate of success. We only take on cases we know have merit, ensuring your money is well spent and our reputation upheld.

Since 9 July 2012 the UKBA (“UK Border Agency”) have implemented a vast number of changes which has meant many individuals with strong cases no longer meet the requisite rules. If you find yourself in such a situation we may be able to assist you in challenging such rules where they breach the Human Rights Act. Our solicitors and caseworkers do not just look at the Immigration Rules and apply them to your case but they go far beyond this to ascertain how these rules affect your case and how we can apply them to your individual circumstances.

An endless number of us have families abroad that we would like to sponsor for a visitor visa but for many of us the long and complicated application forms can seem daunting, not to forget the fees that go with it. For many of us it would be very disheartening to be faced with a refusal. This is where we can assist you to meet all of the requirements. We will ensure you have submitted all the relevant documents, paid the correct fee and filled the form out accurately to ensure your family member is in the UK as soon as possible and without the unnecessary hassle.

It is no longer a simple procedure to obtain Entry Clearance for a partner you have married back home. The UKBA have published a list of rules and requirements as long as the Magna Carta and sometimes it is just not possible to decipher what is required in an application. We can provide you with the assistance you need to ensure you are with your spouse as soon as is reasonably possible.

So, for whatever Legal Advice you need and in whichever area of Law, we at Duncan Lewis Solicitors can help and “give people a voice”.

By Shalini Patel