Bindmans does great work. It has a strong team, with great leadership and management.

Chambers and Partners 2024 – Immigration: Personal client

Bindmans has always had, and still has, a competent and broad immigration department, and has earned and deserves its reputation for this.

Chambers and Partners 2024 – Immigration: Personal client

I feel like Bindmans are always actively working on my case. They gave very quick email responses, and when the case needed my attention and was complex, the partner would get on the phone and would walk me through what’s needed.

Chambers and Partners 2024 – Immigration: Personal client

Bindmans manage to maintain a consistently high level of professionalism, mixed with appropriate concern and compassion for the individuals involved. I have total confidence in the advice given.

Chambers and Partners 2024 – Immigration: Human Rights, Asylum and Deportation client

Bindmans perform totally amazing work.

Chambers and Partners 2024 – Immigration: Human Rights, Asylum and Deportation client

The firm gave us hope when all hope was lost. Without Bindmans we could never have pulled through our immigration struggles in the UK.

Chambers and Partners 2024 – Immigration: Human Rights, Asylum and Deportation client

One of the key strengths of this team is their deep expertise in their respective fields. Each member of the team brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table, and they work collaboratively to provide clients with the highest level of service. Additionally, the team is highly responsive and always willing to go above and beyond to ensure that clients feel supported and valued. Overall, I would highly recommend Bindmans LLP to anyone in need of legal services.

Legal 500 2024 – Immigration client

The firm is very responsive and fast acting. They have depth in resources and experience. The whole resource contributes to the case in hand.

Legal 500 2024 – Immigration client

All members of the team are excellent, from Alison Stanley down to the junior members. Clients would like to know that they will receive an excellent service and that the team can be relied upon to be entirely on top of the relevant law.

Legal 500 2024 – Immigration client

In my experience, Bindmans are second to none in my areas of practice (asylum and immigration, with a protection / human rights focus). All of their lawyers are exceptionally skilled, knowledgeable, effective, tenacious and organised.

Legal 500 2024 – Immigration client

The solicitors are very committed and knowledgeable, with good strategic and practical judgement. They are always exceptionally well prepared; we really like working with them.

Chambers and Partners 2022 – Immigration: Human Rights, Asylum and Deportation

They are really responsive and always very strategic in their outlook.

Chambers and Partners 2022 – Immigration: Human Rights, Asylum and Deportation

Superb work marshalling factually complex cases for the most vulnerable clients, for whom she gets brilliant results.

Legal 500 2022 – Immigration

They are very responsive and their cases are all exceptionally well prepared. Strategic analysis is always at the forefront of their minds.

Chambers and Partners 2021 – Immigration: Personal

Absolutely fantastic – extremely organised, professional and an absolute pleasure to work with.

Chambers and Partners 2021 – Immigration: Personal

Their litigation judgement is exceptional, as their record in winning cases against public authorities illustrates.

Chambers and Partners 2021 – Immigration: Human Rights, Asylum and Deportation

They are all really excellent; they all have really good legal knowledge and experience.

Chambers and Partners 2021 – Immigration: Human Rights, Asylum and Deportation

This is a really excellent team – everyone is really committed to their clients and they all work very hard.

Legal 500 2021 – Immigration

Bindmans are probably the best legal aid immigration firm in the market. I know that if I have a case with them, and it is capable of winning in court, it will win. They always prepare cases in meticulous detail, with an excellent understanding of the relevant law. It is a pleasure to work with Bindmans.

Legal 500 2021 – Immigration

Exceptional immigration practice that provides advice across matters of asylum, human rights and nationality law. Advises a number of leading charities and not-for-profit groups as well as assisting local authorities in relation to children in care. Assists with legal aid cases including domestic violence and trafficking cases.

Chambers and Partners 2020 – Immigration: Human Rights, Asylum and Deportation

The depth of knowledge together with matchless experience sets Bindmans apart. Historically a campaigning firm, in this area their experience enables them to map the line between aspiration and success with precision especially in cases against public authorities. Their long term policy of organic growth means exceptional staff retention and loyalty, which also contributes to their consistently excellent performance.

Legal 500 2020 – Immigration

Exceptional immigration practice that provides advice across matters of asylum, human rights and nationality law. Sources hail the team’s compassion, tact and professional approach in representing the victims of trafficking and abuse. Advises a number of leading charities and not-for-profit groups as well as assisting local authorities in relation to children in care. Assists with legal aid cases including domestic violence and trafficking cases.

Chambers and Partners 2019 – Immigration: Human Rights, Asylum and Deportation

Bindmans LLP has a ‘fantastic’ immigration team, which handles a range of asylum and nationality law mandates. The team is active across asylum and human rights cases and is experienced in appeals, judicial reviews, extradition law, citizenship applications, detention, bail and deportation matters. The team has a strong track record in representing children subject to immigration control, and representing victims of trafficking and other vulnerable clients. Advising on immigration issues in adoption and surrogacy cases and advising family members of British and settled people are also key areas of focus. On the business immigration side, the team is instructed by a number of NGOs, charities and unions, and it also acts for SMEs and individuals. The team has been advising a number of clients on EEA matters, where the team has in-depth experience.

Legal 500 2019 – Immigration

Exceptional immigration practice that provides advice across matters of asylum, human rights and nationality law. Sources hail the team’s compassion, tact and professional approach in representing the victims of trafficking and abuse. Advises a number of leading charities and not-for-profit groups as well as assisting local authorities in relation to children in care.

Chambers and Partners 2018 – Immigration: Human Rights, Asylum and Deportation

Exceptional immigration practice that provides advice across matters of asylum, human rights and nationality law. Sources hail the team’s compassion, tact and professional approach in representing the victims of trafficking and abuse. Advises a number of leading charities and not-for-profit groups as well as assisting local authorities in relation to children in care.

Chambers and Partners 2018 – Immigration: Human Rights, Asylum and Deportation

The team is one of the best there is. I would not hesitate to recommend someone to them and I would know that they were in very safe hands.

Chambers and Partners 2018 – Immigration: Human Rights, Asylum and Deportation

Bindmans LLP’s ‘impressive’ immigration, asylum and nationality practice has vast expertise across a range of asylum and human rights cases such as extradition law, representing victims of trafficking and other vulnerable clients, detention, bail and deportation. It is the ‘go-to firm for complex family immigration work, in particular for children in care, adopted and surrogate born children and children subject to guardianship orders; its asylum and human rights work is first-rate’. On the business immigration side, the team acts for individuals, SMEs, trade unions and not-for-profit organisations.

Legal 500 2018 – Immigration

Our team’s expertise means that we understand and can recognise issues in immigration matters that are often complicated and which can cause stressful and time-consuming situations. We appreciate that both personal and business-related immigration applications can feel very personal to all; we understand the nuances of our clients’ circumstances and we provide tailored and bespoke services which best suit our clients’ needs and requirements.

Our fees reflect and depend on a wide range of factors, including but not limited to:

• whether you are already living in the UK or are abroad,
• any previous immigration history,
• the amount of supporting evidence we have to consider,
• the urgency of your case,
• whether you are able to provide the documents necessary for your application speedily, 
• the complexity of your case and
• Home Office processing times, which vary greatly according to the type of application

All fees ranges below are estimates and our actual fees will depend on the particular circumstances of your case. The ranges below are for guidance purposes.

What will your case cost?

Our hourly rates range from £190 per hour to £450 per hour, depending on the seniority of the person dealing with your case. We can also offer fixed fees for certain applications, once we have reviewed the position and circumstances.

You can read about our team here.

Our fees will not include any disbursements, such as Home Office fees, and are exclusive of Value-Added Tax (VAT). If a matter is terminated before completion (for example if you are unable to provide documents requested or you withdraw your instructions) we will charge for the time spent at our usual hourly rates. Any additional work required outside the scope of any fixed fee will be charged on an hourly basis unless otherwise agreed. If such work is required, we will inform you and provide an estimate. 

Consultations

We normally charge 2-4 hours for an initial consultation including written follow-up advice, after which we then can give you an estimate for your case, or a fixed fee as appropriate.

Fixed fees

In many cases, once we have initially reviewed the position and your situation, we can offer a fixed fee. This means that we may be able to charge you a fixed amount provided that there are no unforeseen complications or significant changes to your instructions.

Estimates

We can provide a matter-specific estimate of our legal fees before commencing any instruction, based on the expected amount of work and our hourly rates.

The quotation will take into account the particular circumstances of the work to be undertaken, whether it is an initial or extension application, the estimated complexity of the matter, the type of matter, the number of applicants involved, and other relevant factors.

Our fee ranges

We set out below a range of our likely charges:

• Consultations – between 2-4 hours at the relevant hourly rate
• Visitor visa – £1,500 – £6,000
• Student visa – £2,000 – £3,500
• Family visa, such as a fiancé, spouse, partner (civil or unmarried), child, adult dependant relative – £1,500 – £7,500
• Surrogacy applications – £2,800 – £7,000
• Ancestry visa – £1,500 – £4,000
• Applications under the EUSS – £750 – £4,500
• Settlement applications – £1,500 – £7,500
• Long Residence/Private Life applications – £1,800 – £7,500
• Naturalisation or Registration as a British citizen applications – £1,000 – £5,000
• Sponsor Licence Applications – £4,000 – £12,000
• Skilled Worker /Senior or Specialist Worker Visa – £1,250 – £4,500
• Innovator visa – £5,000 – £15,000
• Start up visa – £5,000 – £15,000
• Scale up visa – £5,000 – £10,000
• Investor visa – £5,000 – £20,000
• Entrepreneur or Representative of an Overseas Business extension visa – £3,000 -£10,000
• Expansion Worker licence and visa – £4,000 – £6,000
• Global Talent Visa – £3,500 – £12,000
• Creative Worker visa – £1,500 – £3,000
• Graduate Visa – £1,500 – £3,500
• High Potential Individual visa – £2,000 – £3,500
• Administrative Review – £3,000 – £5,000
• Advice and representation at the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) in relation to appeals against Home Office visa or immigration decisions – £4,000 – £30,000

We cannot change the Home Office fees or other fees associated with the submission of an application.

Value-Added Tax (VAT)

Value-Added Tax (VAT) will usually be added to our fees and some disbursements. This applies if your usual place of residence is the UK, including if you had permission to stay in the UK but overstayed. If you are not resident in the UK, or you entered the country without permission or as an asylum seeker and do not yet have permission to stay, you are not normally liable to pay VAT. 

Third party or other costs

In addition to our costs, you will be responsible for paying costs payable to another organisation which are incurred by us on your behalf, such as, and not necessarily limited to:

• Home Office application fees,
• the Immigration Health Surcharge (if applicable),
• Tribunal and Court fees,
• barristers’ fees,
• expert report fees,
• interpreter/translation costs,
• our travel costs (if we have to travel outside our office on your behalf, for example to a Tribunal hearing or to the Home Office) and
• courier costs

Home Office fees

For information on the Home Office fees please see here.

For information on the Immigration Health Surcharge see here.

Tribunal appeal fees

Tribunal appeal fees are currently £140 per appellant for an appeal to be decided at an oral hearing (which means that you will have a chance to give evidence in person before a judge).

For an appeal to be decided on the basis only of written evidence provided, the appeal fee is currently £80.

For information on Tribunal appeal fees see here.

Legal aid

We can, subject to our capacity, offer legal aid for those clients who are entitled to it. Legal aid is subject to a means test and is not normally available for immigration or nationality cases, apart from applications under the domestic violence rule and immigration bail. However, we can apply to the Legal Aid Agency for exceptional case funding in appropriate cases.