Application & Advice From Top Immigration Lawyers

Travel to UK from France

If you’re a French national looking to move to the UK, there are a number of visa and immigration options available to you.

For more information about moving to the UK and what you need to do to become eligible, reach out to one of our immigration professionals for more information. Call us on (+44) 333 4149244, or contact us online.

Call us on +44 (0)333 414 9244 for immediate help and assistance

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Benefits of Choosing IAS’ Immigration Lawyers

At IAS, we understand that every case and client is unique, so we provide bespoke assessment and support to each client. With us, you get a dedicated immigration lawyer who is dedicated to ensuring your application is successful. Enjoy the following benefits with IAS:

Compassionate support from an experienced immigration lawyer dedicated to your success

Support in gathering supporting documents and completing a high-quality application.

A personalised Letter of Representation to help compile a compelling case for approval

Continued support from your lawyer in the event of any complications.

Services we Provide

Overview of Travel to the UK from France

The UK and France have had a long and historic relationship going back centuries, particularly in the field of immigration.

There are over 130,000 French-born residents in the UK, with the number continuing to rise rapidly, even in light of the UK’s departure from the EU.

Although there are now more steps that French nationals need to follow in light of Brexit, there are still a variety of routes and pathways to choose from that will make settling in the UK a very tangible possibility for many.

These include the EU Settlement Scheme, work visas and Family visas.

Can I Still Apply for the EU Settlement Scheme?

French citizens may still be able to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme, even though the main deadline has now passed.

You may be able to apply if any of the following apply to you:

You have a French (or other EU) family member who was living in the UK by 31 December 2020
You’re exempt from immigration control, or you stopped being exempt from immigration control after 30 June 2021
You’re already in the UK with limited leave to enter or remain in the UK (such as if you’re here on a work or study visa) which expires after 30 June 2021
You’re a family member of a British citizen who you lived with in the EU
- You must have lived with them in that country by 30 December 2020, and returned to the UK with them

You may also still be eligible to apply if you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for not applying before the main deadline, such as if you were in an abusive relationship, or if you had a medical condition that prevented you from applying.

Get in touch with our immigration experts for help with your move to the UK from France.

UK Work Visas for French Nationals

Many of the UK’s visas and immigration routes are centred around attracting international talent through work visas. Many of these can also lead to permanent settlement in the UK, known as indefinite leave to remain.

Some of these visas include the following:

The Skilled Worker visa is the UK’s all-purpose, general work visa that covers most professions and industries. The other visas in this list, meanwhile, target more specialist niches, such as those who wish to work in healthcare or in the sports industry.

UK Family Visas for French Nationals

The UK also has a variety of Family visas that are appropriate for anyone who has a British or Irish citizen or someone with UK settled status as a family member.

You may be able to apply for a Family visa as one of the following:

A spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner of at least 2 years
Fiance, or proposed civil partner
Parent
Child
Adult dependent relative

Note that these categories each have different eligibility requirements you must adhere to in order to apply. For this reason, it’s worth checking carefully what the individual requirements are based on your own situation.

How Can IAS Help?

When moving to a new country, it’s essential to be on top of whatever legal and immigration rules and requirements you’ll have to follow in the process.

If you’re a French national looking to move to the UK, whether it be for work, your spouse, your family, or any other reason, IAS can help.

We are friendly, experienced immigration advisers who can help you with every step of the migration process. Whether it be assisting with your UK visa application, helping you with the logistics of moving your possessions in France to the UK, or expert legal advice on your complex immigration situation, we can help.

For more information about the services we offer, and what we can do for you, reach out to one of our friendly legal advisers today. Call us on (+44) 333 4149244, or contact us online.

We offer immigration advice sessions as face to face appointments at all of our UK offices, or via the phone.

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Get clear, professional guidance for your immigration case.

Call us to discuss your case on +44 (0)333 414 9244.

Written by Immigration Advice Service

Ono Okeregha

Director – Immigration Advice Service

Ono Okeregha is the director of the Immigration Advice Service. He is a committed human rights and immigration lawyer. He was awarded the IoD North West SME of the year award and commended for his work in equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Legal Disclaimer

The information provided is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While we make every effort to ensure accuracy, the law may change, and the information may not reflect the most current legal developments. No warranty is given regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information, and we do not accept liability in such cases. We recommend consulting with a qualified lawyer at Immigration Advice Service before making any decisions based on the content provided.

Frequently Asked Questions

As of 2022, you no longer need to take a COVID-19 antigen test, show proof of vaccination status or vaccine pass, or quarantine when travelling to England as your destination country.

However, travel advice for Wales, Scotland and certain transport providers such as trains or airlines may vary.

There may sometimes be formal restrictions on how much time you’re allowed to spend outside of the UK.

For example, if you wish to apply for indefinite leave to remain, you must have spent no more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months period.

However, many visas in and of themselves may allow you to travel back to France as often as you like, as long as you don’t violate the terms of your visa.

Many EU nationals, including those from France, can still visit the UK for up to 6 months at a time without having to apply for a visa.

This includes visits that involve tourism, seeing family and friends, studying, or volunteering for a registered charity for up to 30 days, amongst other things.

What our clients are saying

Immigration Advice Service4.7

Based on 2011 reviews

Priscilla Botchway

16 hours ago

My COS was revoked and my visa was due to expire. I contacted IAS, they came through for me. My Solicitor who handled my case was Marie, she was there, provided advice and walk me through. I want to say thank you to IAS, especially Marie and her team.

Noel Furtado

20 hours ago

I just received my certificate of British citizenship last week. Marie Nguekam was very helpful, supportive and knowledgeable during this process. I would recommend Marie and this office to anyone looking to file for British citizenship.

Amy “Romee” Jewel

1 day ago

Laura Christian was extremely helpful in letting us know our options for the immigration process. She answered all of our questions and made us feel more at ease in the immigration process then had we attempted to apply on our own

Siddhartha Basu

2 weeks ago

Saima Jabeen was extremely helpful during my advice session. She gave clear guidance and followed up with a detailed advice letter. Farhine Chowdhury was assigned as my caseworker, and provided me expert support and advice throughout the process. I am pleased to have made use of IAS' services.

Edoardo Vescovi

2 weeks ago

I could book a non-urgent appointment within 2 weeks. The person on the phone was very kind to go through multiple available dates with me and finalise the booking for the entire 5-10m. The person on the video-call was knowledgeable, highlighting points that I had overlooked, despite gathering and reflecting on my information for quite a while. I'm still using that advice today.

Marilyn Schoechlin

2 weeks ago

I had a very good contact and their advice were clear.

Chimkaha Ngubo

2 weeks ago

Awesome!

Manuel Márquez Ruiz

2 weeks ago

I highly recommend IAS. Thanks to Anne Liu who has been utterly professional yet a wealth of expertise. Always a polite and approachable case lawyer, with remarkable both customer service and efficient assistance in the whole process for a successful visa application.

Ridley

2 weeks ago

Laura Christian has been very helpful in giving me advice and the information I needed. Immigration law is very strict and confusing, but this service breaks it down in manageable chunks and hiring them makes the application process a lot smoother and without too much stress.

Mohammed Fhaid

2 weeks ago

I would like to thank Mark for taking the time to review my case and provide detailed legal advice. He was professional, respectful and took the time to explain the relevant immigration options and limitations clearly. I would also like to mention that my initial contact with IAS was with Nadeen Taylor. From the beginning, I explained that my main concern was not simply obtaining a Student visa, but finding a possible lawful way to leave Gaza and continue my studies in the UK. I specifically asked whether IAS could assist with this particular aspect of my situation, and I was reassured that this could be looked into. While the advice I ultimately received clarified a number of important points, I had hoped that the specific issue of possible evacuation from Gaza, including whether there might be an exceptional or alternative legal mechanism, could be explored further. Overall, I appreciate Mark’s professionalism and the time he spent considering my circumstances. I am grateful for the assistance provided and for the clarity of the advice I received.

peter mccann

2 weeks ago

Very helpful and knowledgeable

Eddie O'Neil

3 weeks ago

Highly recommend this service. My caseworker, Charlene Phillips, was very knowledgeable, professional & was able to answer all of our questions & put our minds at ease. She helped my partner & I with the guidance we needed to make a plan which would finally see us re-locate together.

Noah Izadpanah

3 weeks ago

I am incredibly grateful to Clare for all the support and hard work she has given me throughout my asylum case. After everything I have been through, receiving my Visa was an incredibly emotional and unforgettable moment for me. Clare was always patient, supportive and understanding, and she stood by me throughout a very difficult period of my life. I truly appreciate all the time, effort and care she put into my case. Her support meant more to me than I can put into words, and I will never forget her kindness. Thank you so much, Clare, for everything you have done for me. ❤️

David C

3 weeks ago

Ms Saimah Razzaq assisted me in successfully obtaining my wife's settlement, having helped on her prior visas also. She has always been professional, efficient and helpful in advising exactly what documents and other information is required that she then checks prior to finally submitting the application. She will answer any questions that you you may have, and gives feedback along the way. I can highly recommend Saimah to assist you.

David Morley

3 weeks ago

Carina gave me great advice and guidance, really easy to talk to

King Hashim

3 weeks ago

5/5 Stars — Exellant service "I cannot thank Saima Razzaq enough for all her hard work and support throughout our ILR application process. From start to finish she was professional, patient, and kept us updated every step of the way. We faced delays and extra checks due to being self-employed, which made the process longer and more stressful than expected. Saima was there through it all — giving clear advice, helping us chase things up, and guiding us on making formal complaints and claiming a refund when the service took far longer than promised. She fought our corner properly and never gave up. My husband has now had his application approved and we are absolutely over the moon. We couldn’t have got here without Saima’s help. If you need assistance with immigration applications, Saima Razzaq is the person to go to. Thank you so much!"

C.M. Jacob

3 weeks ago

Han Wei was an incredible source of knowledge, support and expertise for my settlement application. I could not have acheived a positive outcome without her and her team

Robert Scheer

3 weeks ago

I would like to say thank you so much for all your help and support. I couldn't have been happier with the outcome.

Hilary LeFur

3 weeks ago

My immigration enquiry was rather unusual and complex. I spoke to Mark Rigby an Immigration Advice Lawyer who was patient, understanding and offered clear, detailed advice. A comprehensive explanation of future procedures required and associated fees was given. This conversation was helpful and reassuring.

Adenike

4 weeks ago

Rachel was really attentive, calm and encouraging. She took the time to listen and explain everything clearly. I definitely recommend this service; it was worth the investment.

Vanshika Agrawal

4 weeks ago

Working with Abdul on our spouse visa extension has been an absolute pleasure. He’s been incredibly professional and meticulous with our paperwork. He helped us navigate the complex process of visa extension and moved so quickly whenever we needed extra help - even drafting custom letters to prove my right to work and rent while we wait for the decision. His warm, collaborative approach made this process incredibly easy. I can't thank him enough and highly recommend him to anyone looking for a brilliant immigration lawyer!

Ahmed Mansoor

4 weeks ago

I did my Spouse Visa Application inside the UK with the help of IAS and my case worker was Abdul Mutee who helped me throughout the process from documentation to the application and finally after the application I got a positive response from the home office.

Nesrine Shalabi

4 weeks ago

My residency was renewed promptly and without glitches.

Stephanie Shoemaker

4 weeks ago

My experience with IAS has been fabulous so far Laura Christian was very helpful in taking the time to research what my options were based on my needs and wants can’t recommend her enough

Katende Moses

4 weeks ago

I appreciate the professional handling and advice by counsel Shazia Ershad and the Immigration advice service as a whole.

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How our UK Immigration Lawyers can help

At the Immigration Advice Service our lawyers specialise in a wide range of UK visas, nationality and asylum applications and have represented clients in various successful complex and high-profile cases.