Sheffield Immigration Lawyers

Immigration Advice Service (Sheffield)

SYAC Centre
120 Wicker
Sheffield
S3 8JD

Phone: 0114 299 4811

Yes, the IAS offer immigration services in all forms of UK visa/immigration applications. Our immigration lawyers are highly experienced and keep on top of all the latest developments in UK immigration law.

Our Sheffield immigration lawyers are passionate about the work they do and are proud to serve the people of Sheffield and the wider Yorkshire area.

We understand what it takes to formulate a successful visa application, including all the common pitfalls to avoid. Through our many years of working in the field of immigration, we are perfectly placed to help you secure your UK visa.

Our application package is a specialist service which is perfect for those looking for assistance with their visa application. One of our immigration lawyers will work with you to complete your application.

They will take the time to understand your unique circumstances and will advise you on the documents and information which you will need to include in your crucial portfolio of evidence.

Unfortunately, one of the most common reasons for a visa application rejection is an insufficient portfolio of evidence. The invaluable guidance of our immigration lawyers on the portfolio of evidence can be the difference between a successful application and a rejected one. We will also ensure that your application adheres to all necessary administrative standards.

Once your portfolio of evidence is ready to submit, we will complete your application form and submit your full application to the Home Office. We will also write a letter of recommendation to accompany your application, highlighting the merits of your case. We will also keep you informed of your application’s progress throughout the processing stage.

Through hiring our services, you can rest assured that you will have the greatest possible chance of securing your UK visa.

There are many immigration solicitors operating in Sheffield and the wider Yorkshire area, with each offering a different range of services. Some only offer assistance in a few areas of immigration law, whereas others offer a wider range of services.

Here at the Immigration Advice Service, we offer services covering the whole spectrum of UK immigration law. This includes Family Visas, work visas, settlement applications such as Indefinite Leave to Remain and full support with administrative reviews and legal appeals. We also offer emergency support to asylum seekers and to those who have been detained.

As well as our personal immigration packages, we also offer a number of corporate packages to UK businesses who are looking to hire overseas nationals. We can help you with your sponsorship licence application and will advise you on all the duties which you will need to undertake as an employer of overseas nationals.

Our specialist packages are our most popular products:

• Advice package: One of our immigration lawyers will have an untimed session with you, during which you can ask questions about any immigration matter. They will inform you of the steps you will need to take to achieve your desired outcome
• Application package: The aforementioned application package is our most popular product
• Fast track application package: If you need your application completed as quickly as possible, this is the ideal package
• Document checking service: One of our immigration lawyers will take a professional look at your application
• Appeal package: If you want to challenge a Home Office decision, we are here to support you every step of the way
• Immigration advice for businesses: We can provide all the guidance you need to employ overseas nationals
• Emergency advice: We offer emergency assistance to asylum seekers and to those who have been detained

To find out more about any of our services, please do not hesitate to call our friendly team now on 0114 299 4811.

Sheffield has become one of the major UK hubs for business activity, with a significant workforce in the sectors of services, finance, IT and public admin. With considerable economic activity in the city, many employers are looking to hire the very best talent they can find, which could well be abroad.

If you are looking to hire an overseas national, you will need to fulfil a number of requirements and undertake certain duties. It is important to note that you will  need to fulfil UK immigration legal requirements if you wish to hire anyone from outside the UK and Ireland, including EEA nationals in the new post-Brexit arrangements.

The imperative first step is applying for a sponsorship licence. Without a sponsorship licence, you cannot legally employ overseas nationals. You must appoint people in your company to fulfil certain duties, including management of the sponsor management system (SMS).

You will be able to start assigning certificates of sponsorship to your prospective employees if your sponsorship licence application is accepted. Your prospective employee will need this number when they apply for a UK work visa.

Whilst overseas nationals are working for you, you are required to undertake certain duties and responsibilities. This includes:

• Keeping copies of your workers’ professional accreditations
• Ensuring your international employees have the necessary skills and qualifications to do the job
• Informing the UKVI of any changes of circumstances
• Informing the UKVI if your sponsored workers are not abiding by the conditions of their visa

The process of employing overseas nationals, and maintaining your duties whilst you employ them, can be complex. Here at the Immigration Advice Service, we can help to make the process as smooth as possible. Call us now on 0114 299 4811 to find out more about our corporate immigration packages.

In 2020, the UK underwent one of its biggest immigration law shake-ups in many years. Part of the reform including the rebranding of the Tier 2 (General) Visa to the Skilled Worker Visa.

The Skilled Workers Visa is for overseas nationals who have been offered a position by a UK employer with a sponsorship licence. The job must offer a minimum salary in line with the role, and you must also score 70 points on the new-points based system to be eligible.

The main requirements for the Skilled Worker Visa are as follows:

• Must have been offered a position by a UK employer with a sponsorship licence
• Must be given a unique certificate of sponsorship licence from your prospective employer
• The job must be offering a minimum salary in line with the role
• Must score at least 70 points on the points-based system
• Must be able to prove that you can understand and communicate in English to the level of B1 as set by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (unless you’re from a majority English-speaking country)
• You must have enough money to financially support yourself whilst you are in the UK
• Must provide a valid tuberculosis certificate (if applicable)

There are 50 mandatory points for any Skilled Worker Visa applicant, and they are as follows:

• Offer of a job from a UK company with a sponsorship licence (20 points)
• Job at the appropriate skill level (20 points)
• English-language ability at the level of B1 (10 points)

The additional 20 points (to hit 70) can be reached in different ways. For instance, you will receive 10 points for a job in a shortage occupation or if you have PhD in a subject relevant to the job. A PhD in a STEM subject is worth 20 points. You can also receive an extra 10 or 20 points based on your salary.

To find out more about the Skilled Worker Visa application, as well as the full requirements, please do not hesitate to call us on 0114 299 4811.

Sheffield is one of the most unique cities in the UK, owing to its considerable business and economic activity sitting, seemingly paradoxically, among a green landscape offering plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities.

The charm of Sheffield is one which attracts many international visitors. Sheffield has a number of industrial museums, honouring its industrial heritage as the Steel City, as well as a fine selection of art galleries.

Sheffield also has a proud sporting tradition. Sheffield is home to the world’s oldest football club, Sheffield F.C. The city also has two professional clubs: Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday. The city is also home to the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible.

Tremendous outdoor activities are on the doorstep of the Sheffield, including in the Peak District national park, which encompasses a third of the city.

With so much to offer, it is no wonder that Sheffield is a popular destination for tourists. If you are from an EEA country, you will not usually need to apply for a visa to visit the UK if you will be in the country for no longer than six months.

However, if you are from outside the EEA area (and Switzerland), you will need to apply for a visa, even if you only plan to visit the UK for a short period of time.

The Standard Visitor Visa is the ideal option, which gives you the opportunity to travel across the UK as a tourist and to visit family and friends for up to six months.

Yes, our immigration specialists offer full support with UK Student Visa applications. Sheffield is one of the major UK student cities with over 60,000 students per years choosing to study in Sheffield. Among that number is more than 7,000 international students.

Sheffield is home to the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University, the former being a member of the prestigious Russell Group.

If you want to study in Sheffield, you will need to apply for the rebranded UK Student Visa, which replaced the Tier 4 (General) Student Visa in 2020. This includes those from both EEA and non-EEA countries. As the UK has now left the EU, EU nationals will not be able to join the Erasmus scheme and will instead need to apply for the Student Visa.

To be eligible for the UK Student Visa, you will need to fulfil the following requirements:

• Have an unconditional offer from an approved sponsoring institution
• Must be taking a course which will lead to an approved qualification at an appropriate level of study
• Have relevant academic qualifications needed to take the course and genuinely intend to study in the UK
• Can financially support yourself whilst you are in the UK
• Can speak, write, read and understand English to the required standard of B2 level (unless exempt)

Graduates of an undergraduate degree (or higher) will be able to apply for a Graduate visa from the summer of 2021. This will enable them to live, work and look for work in the UK for up to two years, and for up to 3 years for PhD graduates.

If you want to join your spouse or civil partner in Sheffield, you could apply for a Spouse Visa. The Spouse Visa is one of the Family Visas and is one of the most popular UK visas of all. However, the Spouse Visa has notoriously strict requirements and you will need to provide substantial evidence to prove your eligibility.

The main requirements for a Spouse Visa are as follows:

• You must be in a ‘genuine and subsisting’ relationship with your British partner. They must be either a British citizen or a person with settled status
• You must be able to prove your marriage/civil partnership by providing a certificate which is recognised in UK law
• You must have met your partner at least once in-person and be able to prove this
• Need to have a combined annual income of at least £18,600. This sum increases by £3,800 if you have a child/dependent who will be joining you, and a further £2,400 per child for any other children
• You must have suitable accommodation to live in with your partner and any other family members who will be joining you
• Must be able to prove that your English language ability is up to a certain standard (unless exempt)

As a Spouse Visa holder, you can stay in the UK for up to 30 months. You can work and study in the UK as a Spouse Visa holder without any restrictions. You can apply for a Spouse Visa extension for a further 30 months too. At the end of this 5-year period, you will be eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain status.

We can help you to complete your Spouse Visa application and reunite with your partner in the UK. To find out more about our Spouse Visa application package, please call us now on 0114 299 4811.

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is a form of settled status in the UK. This means that if you hold ILR, you can live in the UK without any immigration restrictions imposed.

Typically, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after five years of lawful residence in the UK. This includes those living in the UK under the Spouse Visa, unmarried partner visa and any of the UK work visas.

However, you could be eligible sooner for ILR in some circumstances. For example, if you have been living in the UK under the Investor Visa or Innovator Visa, you could be eligible after three years or even two, depending on your business activities.

The main requirements for Indefinite Leave to Remain status are as follows:

• You must have lived in the UK for a certain minimum period of time, usually five years
• Must not have broken any immigration conditions or laws during your time in the UK
• Must not have left the UK for more than 180 days in a 12-month period during your UK residency
• Must achieve a pass in the Life in the UK test. This is a test based on the history, traditions and culture of the UK
• You must be able to prove that your English language ability is at least at the level of B1 in speaking, writing, listening and reading

Many people choose to end their immigration journey at this point. However, if you wish to complete your immigration journey, you can choose to apply for British citizenship after you have spent one year living in the UK under Indefinite Leave to Remain.

As well as Sheffield office, you can also get in touch with our London, Manchester, or Birmingham immigration lawyers, or use the office finder to find the closest branch to you.