Shabana Bukhari 
What is deportation?
Deportation is the act of being removed from the UK. This usually happens if one commits a criminal offence and you do not have British citizenship.
Please note that as a result of the above, even members of your family may be subject to deportation.
You will be informed of your deportation by the Home Office in a ‘Notice of Intended Deportation’.
Differently to deportation, one may be subject to a ‘removal’ from the UK for breaking immigration rules, such as overstaying in the UK without permission.
Am I able to appeal my deportation?
Contained within your ‘Notice of Intended Deportation’ it will stipulate whether you can or cannot appeal the deportation decision.
If you can appeal an immigration lawyer will look at your case to see either if you have strong family ties in the UK, the decision discriminates against you, or whether returning to your country of nationality would be unsafe. Moreover, if your human rights could be impacted by deportation this will also be taken into account by your lawyer or adviser.
If you are unable to appeal, there is a possibility of nonetheless taking your case to judicial review which must be done 3 months within receiving the decision for deportation. So, check your original written communication to see whether you are still within this time of 3 months and therefore eligible to apply for judicial review.
Judicial review is the process of challenging the lawfulness of the decision and hence an applicant must seek leave of the court in which you possess an arguable case. This case will be characterised as ‘arguable’ if you have some likelihood of success.
Process for deportation
Following a decision for deportation a ‘Notice of Intended Deportation’ referred to above will be made to the intended person. This will disclose the decision and whether one has a right of appeal. It will also notify you if any of your family members can voluntarily leave the country.
Following this, the Secretary of State may allow detention of the person to which the notice has been served or alternatively may restrict a person’s employment, accommodation and mandate him to report to the police.
How to locate a deportation lawyer near my location
Locating a deportation lawyer in your area starts with using your internet browser or by word of mouth to select a handful of law firms in your area. On the internet you can see the distance the firms are away from your home address and the varying modes of transport you can take to visit them in person. Ensure that you check that they offer services in the area of deportation.
Once you have selected deportation law firms which are closest to your location, you can further research into whether they are trusted. The most accessible way of going about this is to read google reviews. This will give an accurate indication of the level of service they provide and whether their team is compiled of trusted individuals. In some reviews, specific names of lawyers are used, and many clients will discuss how positive their experience was under their guidance. Sometimes they may even reference a successful deportation appeal.
FAQs
What is deportation?
Deportation is the act of act of being removed from the UK. This usually happens if one commits a criminal offence and you do not have British citizenship.
What will happen to my family members if I am subject to a deportation from the UK?
It is very likely that the decision to deport you will affect them and they may be given the opportunity to voluntarily leave the UK.
Is deportation different from removal from the UK?
Yes, deportation is different from removal from the UK. This is because the latter is usually due to one breaking immigration rules, such as overstaying without permission. Whereas the former is usually brought on by one committing a criminal offence without being a British citizen.
Am I able to appeal my deportation?
Contained within you ‘Notice of Intended Deportation’ will stipulate whether you can or cannot appeal the deportation decision.
Can I be deported before the appeal is completed?
No, unless your case has been completed and certified, you will not be deported from the UK.
How do I know that a lawyer is trusted?
You will know that a Bristol lawyer is trusted by following the tips above and importantly reading online reviews or hearing reviews from friends or colleagues. However, also ensure that beyond this they are trusted professionally which can be ensured by searching for whether they are accredited by the SRA.
Will my case be successful with a trusted lawyer?
This is highly dependable as the UKVI makes the final decision on your application which a lawyer no matter how trusted has no control over. But by ensuring that the advisor you are entrusting is experienced by doing your research online and reading reviews. Their legal advice and expertise have various benefits, such as minimising the risk of rejection and therefore increasing your chances of success compared to acting independently.
Should I be worried if the lawyer has some bad reviews from previous customers?
It depends how many bad reviews they receive and if they are followed up with an explanation. Firstly, the immigration law firm should on average have a high number of stars and so if they rank very poorly with customers this will reflect in the stars they receive. This suggests the firm may not have the best success rate with their customers. However, be wary as nowadays some of the reviews may be fake and so verify them by reading the short caption explaining why a certain previous customer has rated the firm poorly.
What is professional accreditation?
This is assigned to companies showing that they have been approved by a professional body and so the service they provide is trusted and reliable.
Summary
In this blog readers have gained an understanding into what deportation entails, who it affects, and the right to appeal in certain cases. Also, we have discussed how to locate a deportation lawyer near one’s location for aid during this challenging time.
Please contact our expert team of immigration lawyers at Henleaze Law on 0117 908 4607 for legal assistance with deportation enquiries, or if you still do not have leave to remain in the UK. We will tailor our advice to you and ensure a quick and successful process.
