The important starting point is not the application form. It is understanding your circumstances, your options and where each route may lead.
Get Advice
Understanding What You Are Trying to Achieve
Choosing an immigration route usually begins with the outcome.
You may want to:
- come to the UK for a particular purpose
- remain after your current permission expires
- move from one immigration category to another
- join or remain with a partner or family member
- work for a UK employer
- develop a longer-term route towards settlement
- understand the options available after a change in circumstances
Sometimes there is an obvious route. Sometimes several possibilities need to be considered before deciding which one is appropriate.
What Needs to Be Checked
We begin by looking at your current position and what you are trying to achieve.
That may include your present immigration status, immigration history, nationality, family circumstances, employment, finances, previous applications and the amount of time you expect to remain in the UK.
We then consider the requirements of the potentially relevant routes.
The question is not simply whether an application can be made. It is whether the route is available to you, whether you can meet its requirements and whether it makes sense when your longer-term plans are considered.
Where the Choice Becomes More Complicated
Closer analysis may be needed where:
- your current visa is approaching expiry
- more than one route appears available
- changing route could affect your future settlement position
- you have previously been refused
- your immigration history is complicated
- your family circumstances have changed
- your employer may be able to sponsor you
- your evidence does not fit neatly within the usual requirements
- you are considering applying from inside the UK rather than overseas
The route that appears quickest or easiest today is not necessarily the route that best fits what you want to achieve later.
Looking Beyond the Next Application
An immigration application should not always be viewed in isolation.
Where relevant, we consider what happens after permission is granted.
For example, will the route allow you to extend? Can family members accompany or join you? Could time spent on the route contribute towards settlement? Would changing route affect the time already spent in the UK?
These questions can be particularly important where you are making a decision that may affect several years of your immigration journey.
How Knightsbridge Immigration Helps
We start by understanding where you are now and where you want to get to.
We then identify the routes that may be relevant, consider the principal requirements and highlight any issues that could affect your options.
Where a suitable route is identified, we can explain what would need to happen next and, where instructed, help prepare the application.
The process is designed to move from understanding your position, to identifying the options, to choosing a route and preparing properly for the next stage.
Your Possible Next Step
The outcome of an assessment will not always be the same. You may be ready to make an application. You may need to obtain further evidence first.
It may be better to remain on your current route for the time being.
There may be another immigration route that is more appropriate. Or there may be an issue that needs to be resolved before an application should be made.
Understanding that position before committing to an application can help you make a more informed decision about what comes next.
Timescales and Costs
The time required will depend upon how much needs to be considered.
A straightforward question about the next available route may be relatively simple. Where several routes, previous applications or longer-term settlement considerations need to be compared, a more detailed assessment may be required.
If you decide to instruct us for an immigration application after the assessment, we will explain the work involved, the likely preparation timescale and the relevant professional and Home Office fees before proceeding.
Situations Requiring Closer Analysis
You should consider obtaining advice before applying where you are uncertain about your current immigration status, have previously been refused, are approaching an expiry date, have several possible immigration routes or are concerned that choosing one route may affect your longer-term plans.
The earlier these issues are identified, the easier it is to plan around them.
Ready to Understand Your Options?
Tell us where you are now, what you are trying to achieve and anything that is causing concern.
We will assess the position and help you understand the immigration routes that may be relevant before you decide what to do next.
Get Your Case Assessed
