Regardless of what the press might have you think for the sake of selling more newspapers, getting into the UK as a foreign national is no walk in the park. The headlines may make out that it’s something of an open-door system where anyone is free to come and go as they please, but in reality this is pretty far from the truth. Over recent years, not only have the general entry requirements for UK citizenship and Visa qualification intensified immensely, but so too has the gov’s attitude to the application process in general. These days, being turned down for minor errors is just as likely as being refused for not meeting any of the necessary entry criteria at all – precisely why choosing the right London Immigration Lawyers is rather important to say the least.
On the plus side, if you team up with the right professionals for the job, then technically speaking you’ve nothing to worry about. If you qualify for a UK visa, technically the only thing that’s standing in your way is the application process – something that can be made a breeze with the right legal assistance on your side. By contrast, end up with a bum lawyer and there’s every chance you might end up being turned down even if you technically tick all the right boxes in a qualification sense.
So, for those in need of help and hoping to make the very best choice in terms of legal help, here’s a brief overview of a few tips on the subject of avoiding lacklustre legal counsel:
1 – No Free Lunches
First of all, chances are you’re never going to find a lawyer that’s offering their services free of charge, but at the same time you might want to consider giving bargain-basement lawyers a bit of a wide birth. The reason being that if you favour price above literally everything else, you may stand to save money but you also limit your chances of success…big time! This doesn’t mean you have to pay OTT for great help on immigration matters, but at the same time you should be wary of any deals that appear too good to be true. If the price is pretty unbelievable, it’s probably a deal you should avoid.
2 – Speak to Past Applicants
If you don’t know anyone personally who has gone through the process of applying…and successfully at that…take the time to scour the web for a while and look up a few recommendations. Basically, if and when you find a lawyer with a reputation that speaks for itself and glowing feedback from all corners, chances are this is indeed the lawyer to go with. It’s not like it’s really of any benefit to past and present clients to lie about the service they received, so if you’re looking to gain an insight into how they work when put to the test for real, this is the best way of going about it by far.
3 – Agree Rates Before Going Ahead
The very last thing you want is to find yourself in the middle of the application process with everything going smoothly, only to then find everything falling apart due to your inability to keep up with the steadily increasing fees and charges. This does indeed happen in a fair few instances, though only when fees have not been fully established and set in stone ahead of time. Regardless of whether you’ll be charged by the day, hour, week or as an all-in package, you must know ahead of time what you’ll be paying to avoid nasty surprises.
4 – Your Own Language
Chances are you’re going to have a much more difficult time getting through your application process successfully if there are language barriers between you and your lawyer. Never forget that not only are language barriers an inconvenience, but they can also lead to the kind of misunderstandings that can lead to application errors and failure. They’ll need perfect English of course, but they’ll also need to speak your language fluently.
5 – Go With Your Gut
Last up, it’s going to be very difficult to make any real progress with an immigration lawyer you cannot work with or simply do not like for any given reason. With so many working across the UK today, there’s really no reason to settle for second-best with a lawyer you aren’t happy with. As such, it’s always advisable to bring your judgment into the equation and see what your gut tells you. If you have any doubts, walk away and look for someone you have a better feeling about.