Immigration Services

At Mascot Solicitors, we recognise that immigration matters can be complex, stressful, and life-changing. Whether you are applying for a visa, seeking permanent residency, facing deportation concerns, or reuniting with family members, our dedicated immigration solicitors are here to guide you through the process with clear advice, practical solutions, and committed legal support every step of the way.

Our Immigration Services

We provide straightforward, reliable advice on all aspects of immigration law for individuals and businesses.

Entry Clearance Applications
(ECA)

FLR(FP) Applications – Based on Family or Private Life

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) Applications

UK Child
Visa

Asylum in the
UK

Immigration Bail Applications

British Citizenship & Naturalisation

UK Student
Visa

Student
Dependants

Sponsor Licence Applications

Skilled Worker Visas

Business Visitor Visas

International Agreement Worker Visa

Entry Clearance Applications (ECA)

How We Can Help

An Entry Clearance application is the process of applying for a visa from outside the UK before travelling here. It is required for many types of long-term stays, including spouse visas, student visas, work visas, and more.

If your client is currently living outside the UK and wants to enter the UK to live, work, study, or join family, they will need to apply for Entry Clearance through the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) online system and attend a biometrics appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) in their country of residence.

  • Spouse / Partner Visa – to join a British or settled partner
  • Fiancé(e) Visa – to marry a UK partner and switch to a Spouse visa after
  • Skilled Worker Visa – for sponsored employment in the UK
  • Student Visa – for academic studies at a licensed institution
  • Child or Dependent Visas – for children or dependent relatives
  • Family Reunion / Asylum-Related Visas
  • Visit Visa – for short-term visits (note: not for settlement)
  • Meeting eligibility requirements for the visa route
  • Valid passport and supporting documents
  • Providing financial support or sponsorship
  • Meeting the English language requirement (if applicable)
  • Passing a TB test (if from a listed country)
  • Attending a biometrics appointment
  • Paying the application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)

Most Entry Clearance decisions are made within 3 months, though priority services may be available in some locations for faster decisions (5–15 working days).

How We Can Help

FLR(FP) stands for Further Leave to Remain (Family or Private Life). It allows people already in the UK to apply to stay based on their relationships with a child, partner, or parent, or their long-established private life here.

These applications fall under Appendix FM and Paragraph 276ADE (now largely replaced by new private life rules) and are commonly used when a person doesn’t qualify under the standard immigration routes, but removal would breach their human rights under Article 8 ECHR.

You may be eligible if you are already in the UK and:

  • Parent Route

You are the parent of a British child, or a child who has lived in the UK for at least 7 years, and it would be unreasonable for the child to leave the UK. You must also show that you are playing an active role in the child’s life.

  • Partner Route

You have a genuine and subsisting relationship with a British or settled partner but may not meet the full Spouse visa rules, for example, if you don’t meet the financial threshold. In some cases, leave may be granted on human rights grounds under the 10-year route to settlement.

  • Child Route

You are a child under 18 who has lived in the UK for at least 7 years, and it would be unreasonable to expect you to leave. This can also be the basis for a parent applying to remain in the UK alongside the child.

  • Private Life Route

You’ve built a private life in the UK and fall under one of the following:

  1. You’ve lived in the UK for 20 years or more continuously
  2. You are aged 18–24 and have lived in the UK for at least half your life

You are under 18 and have lived in the UK for at least 7 years. You are over 18, have been in the UK for less than 20 years, but have no ties to your country of origin.

  • What You’ll Need
  1. Evidence of family relationships (e.g. birth certificates, proof of cohabitation)
  2. Proof of parental responsibility and active involvement. School letters, medical records, community involvement, and other evidence showing private life ties.

Explanation of why removal would breach your right to family/private life

  • Usually 2.5 years at a time.
  • Most applicants are placed on the 10-year route to settlement, unless they qualify to switch to the 5-year route later
  • Weak or insufficient evidence of ongoing family life
  • Gaps in residence history
  • Failing to show it would be “unreasonable” to expect the child to leave the UK

FLR(FP) Applications – Based on Family or Private Life

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) Applications

Settlement in the UK

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) allows you to live, work, and study in the UK without time restrictions. It's often the final step before British citizenship and represents long-term settlement rights.

ILR is a form of permanent residence. Once granted, you’re no longer subject to immigration control and can remain in the UK indefinitely, with access to healthcare, work, education, and benefits (subject to eligibility).

  • Family Life Route
  • After 5 years on a Spouse or Partner visa under the 5-year route
  • After 10 years under the 10-year family/private life route (FLR(FP))

After 5 years on a Skilled Worker visa, Global Talent visa, or Innovator Founder visa (among others). You must meet salary thresholds and sponsorship requirements (for Skilled Workers).

If you have legally lived in the UK continuously for 10 years, regardless of visa category must show lawful residence and no long absences.

  • Tier 1 (Investor/Entrepreneur) routes (now closed to new applicants)
  • Refugee or Humanitarian Protection (after 5 years)
  • Discretionary Leave (after 6–10 years, depending on the case)
  • Continuous residence in the UK (with limited absences)
  • No serious criminal record or breaches of immigration law
  • Evidence that you meet the conditions of your current visa route
  • Knowledge of Life in the UK (via the Life in the UK Test)
  • English Language requirement (usually B1 level or higher)

For most routes:

You must not have spent more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months over the qualifying period.

 

For 10-year-long residence: all absences must be lawful and carefully documented.

You can usually apply up to 28 days before completing your qualifying period

Make sure to apply before your current leave expires.

Child Visa Requirements

Who can apply and what you need to show.

A child can apply if they are under 18 years old at the date of application, and applying to join a parent or parents who are either British citizens, settled in the UK (with ILR or EU settled status), or on a work, study, or family visa with at least 6 months’ leave remaining.

The child must not be leading an independent life. The parent(s) in the UK must demonstrate they have sole or shared parental responsibility, and the child must be planning to live with the parent(s) full-time.

Parents must show they can financially support the child without access to public funds. Where joining a parent on a Partner/Spouse visa, this is part of the £29,000+ income threshold (with £3,800 added for the first child and £2,400 for each additional child).

The UK-based parent must show that there is adequate accommodation for the child, meeting UK housing standards and not being overcrowded.

If the child is outside the UK, the parents must apply for Entry Clearance. If already in the UK, the parents may apply for Leave to Remain, often under FLR(FP) or as a dependent on the parent’s visa.

The child’s visa is generally granted in line with the parent’s visa. If the parent is settled, the child may be eligible for Indefinite Leave to Enter or Remain (ILE/ILR).

Children who have lived in the UK for 7+ years may qualify under private life grounds. If parents are divorced or separated, detailed evidence about care arrangements is essential. If the child was born in the UK but is not a British citizen, eligibility depends on the parent’s status.

UK Child Visa

For children joining family in the UK.

A Child Visa allows a child to join their parent(s) or guardian(s) who are either settled in the UK or on a valid visa themselves. Depending on the parent’s status, the child may be applying for Entry Clearance (from abroad) or for Leave to Remain (from inside the UK).

Asylum in the UK

Protection for those fleeing persecution.

Understanding your rights and protections.

Claiming Asylum

If you are at risk of serious harm in your home country due to your race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group, you may be entitled to asylum in the UK.

Applying for asylum means asking the UK government to recognise you as a refugee and grant the right to remain under international protection laws.

Asylum may be granted if you face persecution because of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership of a particular social group.

The process involves applying to the UK government for recognition as a refugee. If successful, you will receive protection under international and UK law, including the right to remain and access to basic services.

Who Can Apply for Bail?

If you or a loved one is being held in an Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) or otherwise detained by the Home Office, it may be possible to apply for immigration bail. Immigration bail allows a person to be released from detention under conditions while their immigration case continues.

Anyone held in immigration detention can apply, including asylum seekers, overstayers, people with expired visas or rejected applications, and those facing removal or deportation.

Home Office Bail – Can be granted directly by the Home Office without a hearing, often used in straightforward cases or where removal is not scheduled.
First-tier Tribunal Bail – Heard by a judge at the Immigration and Asylum Chamber, involving a bail hearing and presentation of evidence.

When deciding bail, the Home Office or Tribunal will consider compliance with conditions, risk of absconding, history of compliance, whether removal is likely in the near future, and whether detention remains lawful and proportionate.

Useful evidence includes proof of a stable address, sureties (who guarantee compliance), medical or mental health reports, family/community support, ongoing legal proceedings, or delays in removal.

Conditions may include living at a specific address, regular reporting to an immigration office, electronic monitoring, restrictions on work or travel, and avoiding criminal activity.

Immigration Bail Applications

Challenging detention in the UK

Support for those detained under immigration powers.

British Citizenship & Naturalisation

Your path to becoming a British citizen.

Routes to naturalisation and registration.

British citizenship is the final step for many who have built their lives in the UK. It provides full rights and security, including the right to live, work, vote, and travel freely as a UK national. We guide individuals and families through the naturalisation and registration process with thorough, accurate, and stress-free support.

For adults who have lived in the UK for at least 5 years and held ILR or Settled Status for at least 12 months (unless married to a British citizen). Requirements include being 18 or over, intending to live permanently in the UK, meeting residence limits, good character, passing the Life in the UK Test, and proving English language ability.

If married to a British citizen, you may apply as soon as you obtain ILR or Settled Status, without waiting 12 months. Requirements include 3 years’ residence, physical presence 3 years before the application date, and meeting language, Life in the UK, and good character tests.

Children can become British citizens through registration. Common routes include children born in the UK to parents who later become settled, children born abroad to British parents, or children who have lived in the UK 7+ years with strong ties. Registration is discretionary, and legal advice is strongly advised.

Applications generally require a valid passport, proof of ILR or Settled Status, English language certificate, Life in the UK pass certificate, evidence of lawful residence, marriage certificate (if relevant), 2 referees (including a professional), and evidence of children’s eligibility where registering.

Student Visa Requirements

The UK is home to some of the world’s most prestigious universities and colleges. If you plan to study here, you will likely need a Student Visa under the Points-Based Immigration System. We provide guidance throughout the process, ensuring your application is accurate, timely, and stress-free.

Applicants must be 16 or over, have an unconditional course offer from a licensed Student Sponsor, hold a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies), show sufficient funds for fees and living costs, and meet English language requirements.

Issued by your university or college, the CAS confirms your offer and course details. It is a required reference number for the visa.

Students must show enough money to pay tuition fees and living costs — £1,334 per month in London, £1,023 per month outside (up to 9 months). Proof can include bank statements, loans, or sponsorship letters.

Applicants usually need to prove English at B1/B2 CEFR level, typically by Secure English Language Test (SELT), unless exempt.

Applications can be made up to 6 months before the course begins (from outside the UK). Decisions are typically within 3 weeks (outside) or 8 weeks (inside).

Students can work up to 20 hours per week during term, full-time in holidays, but cannot be self-employed or take professional roles unless specific conditions apply.

You may bring dependants if studying a postgraduate course of 9+ months or if government-sponsored. We assist in dependant applications.

Graduates can apply for a Graduate Visa, valid for 2 years (3 for PhDs), allowing work or job search. This can lead to Skilled Worker or other visa routes.

UK Student Visa

Your gateway to education in the UK.

Eligibility, conditions, and next steps.

Corporate Immigration

Supporting business growth through immigration solutions.

Corporate Services

At Mascot Solicitors, we help businesses attract and retain global talent while ensuring compliance with UK immigration law. From sponsor licences to skilled worker visas, our solicitors support organisations at every stage of recruitment and mobility.

We assess eligibility, prepare and submit licence applications, and advise on sponsor duties and compliance.

We assist employers in issuing Certificates of Sponsorship, preparing visa applications for international employees, and ensuring compliance with immigration rules.

We provide ongoing compliance support, internal audits, mock inspections, and HR training to avoid fines or reputational risk.

For multinationals, we streamline international staff transfers with tailored visa and mobility solutions.

We advise businesses on the correct visa routes for overseas clients, consultants, or partners visiting the UK.

Trusted by SMEs and multinationals alike, we provide responsive, commercially minded advice. Our guidance ensures businesses remain compliant while focusing on growth.

Who can apply and how we assist?

This visa allows overseas nationals to come to the UK to work in roles covered by international law or treaty obligations. At Mascot Solicitors, we guide individuals, businesses, and organisations through the application process with clarity and compliance.

The visa applies to those working under international law (e.g., employees of overseas governments or organisations), private servants in diplomatic households, or professionals covered by international trade agreements. Applicants must have a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), meet eligibility and salary requirements, and show their role falls within a qualifying category.

We assist UK-based employers and organisations in securing or maintaining sponsor licences, issuing Certificates of Sponsorship, and understanding sponsor duties under this visa.

We provide full support, including eligibility assessment, preparing and submitting applications, gathering documents, and ensuring financial and regulatory compliance.

We help sponsors and visa holders remain compliant with UKVI rules and adapt to changes in immigration law, ensuring long-term success.

International Agreement Worker Visa

Supporting temporary workers under global commitments.

Application & Support

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