US Immigration Lawyer in London

US citizens do not require a visa to travel to the UK for tourist or business purposes, provided that their stay is no longer than six months. After this period, the purpose of the stay will determine the need to apply for the other types of visas to remain in the country. Our US immigration lawyer in London is ready to answer any questions you may have if you have decided to relocate permanently to England.

Having a dedicated professional to assist you during the transition period can be very helpful and our team has the right expertise to aid you in all and any matters related to immigration.

What are the types of visas for long-term stays in the UK?

The type of visa a US national applies for if he or she wishes to remain in the UK depends on the reason for the stay. The main ones are for:

• Work: there are several sub-categories, such as employment, entrepreneur or investor visa, exceptional talent visa, intra-company transfer visa or others; our US immigration lawyer in London can give you more details;
• Study: for those who genuinely intend to study in the UK and have the means to support themselves and pay for the course; a child student visa is in place for those aged 4 to 17;
• Family: for US nationals who wish to join a partner or their family for a long stay as well as those who get married/enter into a civil partnership or those who wish to stay with their child if they are enrolled at school in the UK;
• Other: the UK ancestry visa is an option for qualifying individuals (subject to proving that one’s grandparents were born in the UK, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands); a number of conditions apply for this visa, apart from having UK-born family; our US immigration lawyer in London can give you more details.

The documents required to apply for the visa depend on its type. However, a number of requirements are general ones. Some of the most important are listed below:

• Application form: the application form for the chosen type of visa needs to be properly filled in;
• Valid passport;
• Photographs: two recent visa photographs;
• Proof of means of subsistence;
• Biometric information.

When you work with our US immigration lawyer in London to apply for the right type of visa, he will help you gather all of the needed documents and prepare the file in accordance with the latest requirements set forth by the UK Home Office.

Another issue to note are the visa application fees. Our US immigration lawyer in London lists some of these below:

• Settlement visa: 2,113 USD for joining a partner, parent, proposed civil partner or child; and 4,509 USD for an adult who needs to be looked after by a relative;
• Settlement for current and former member of HM armed forces: 2,113 for a former UK Armed Forces member;
• Returning resident: in this case, the visa application fee is 716 USD.

Please keep in mind that these fees can be subject to change and it is advisable to check with our immigration lawyer when preparing for the visa application.

If you are a foreign national who is already in London, our team can assist you with other matters. If you are a resident who wishes to set up a company in the UK, we can answer all your questions on company formation and guide you step by step. The general company registration process is straightforward, however, you will need to properly register the new business with the Companies House. Our team can help you.

What are the conditions for becoming a UK permanent resident?

Permanent residency in the UK is acquired after having lived for 5 years in the country and spent no more than 180 days outside of the UK within any given 12 months. This condition is referred to as continuous residence and our US immigration lawyer in London can give you more details.

Important issues to consider when applying for permanent residence based on a Tier 2 (General) visa or a Skilled Worker visa are listed below:

• having a valid visa, as mentioned above;
• meting the condition for having lived continuously in the UK for the past 5 years;
• the sponsor can provide a document proving that he still needs the applicant for the job;
• the job meets the salary requirements (at least 25,600 £ in all cases, unless the rate for the respective job is higher).
• applicants aged 18 to 64 pass the Life in the UK test.

These are just some of the requirements. Our US immigration lawyer in London can answer any questions and give you details about how to apply for permanent residence if you have been living in the UK based on a different type of visa.

How can a US national acquire British nationality?

Applications for citizenship by naturalization can be submitted in more than one situation:

• Marriage: the applicant is married or is in a civil partnership with a British citizen;
• Indefinite leave to remain;
• Permanent residence status;
• Settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

You can always reach out to our US immigration lawyer in London for more details about these conditions. Contact us if you need personalized assistance for immigration from the US to the UK.