Shabana Bukhari 
In this blog readers will gain important information on how to access professional immigration services in Bristol. The benefit of this being the assurance of a smooth and successful immigration process.
How will I know that an immigration lawyer or adviser in Bristol is professional?
Knowing what makes an immigration lawyer or adviser in Bristol professional is key when looking to get the best British immigration application experience. There are several key attributes to look out for in immigration solicitors to ensure that you are getting the professional service you deserve.
Communication:
When it comes to communication professional immigration services in Bristol should be communicating with their clients regularly. As a client you should not be left in the dark about how you application is proceeding whether that be during or after submitting it. Your solicitor or adviser should keep you constantly informed about what extra evidence they may need from you. Or alternatively when they hear updates from the Home Office on your application’s success or refusal.
Moreover, the way in which they communicate must be professional. So, the language they use in emails or in person should be appropriate and polite.
Finally, from the start you should feel confident in the way the immigration professionals communicate and that you understand their expectations. But also, that the solicitor or adviser understands your deadlines and expectations as their client. They should be able to communicate succinctly to you their fee structure. This will prevent any hidden fees arising towards the end of your application if they communicate to you an accurate pricing from the beginning.
Client focused:
It is imperative that professionals are client focused. An immigration solicitor or adviser’s whole business is built based on client satisfaction and the success they experience with applications and appeals. This is when it is most likely for them to receive great reviews and become well known within Bristol.
As a client you must feel that the immigration adviser is focused and has a good grasp of your needs. For example, ensure that they answer your British immigration questions and talk through application options in detail. Tailoring the range of options open to you will ensure that your satisfaction is met.
Finally, in many cases being client focused can stretch beyond the ability to provide outstanding service as discussed above. This sometimes includes going the extra mile. For instance, in a review which you can read here: HENLEAZE LAW Reviews 2023 | Trustindex.io. It is an example where one of our Bristol immigration advisers at Henleaze went above and beyond for their client to ensure that they could complete their biometrics in time. This is all part of maintaining great client relations.
Time management:
Thirdly, it is important that a professional immigration solicitor or adviser has impeccable time management skills. This is because it will ensure that your application is processed as quickly as possible for any forthcoming deadline.
They should also ensure that you as the client understand the deadlines you must meet and timeframes for applications. Going through any British immigration application can be new to most people and so many are unfamiliar with the tight deadlines for evidence to be submitted ensuring that the UKVI to process applications. At the start of your application process your lawyer should explain these to you.
Honesty and integrity:
A professional immigration service should show honesty and integrity through being either a registered solicitor firm or adviser:
All solicitors in England and Wales are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) who safeguard the high ethical standards of the legal profession. You can check whether the immigration solicitor you are researching is a member of the SRA by browsing their ‘Solicitors Register’ here: SRA | Solicitors Register | Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Moreover, immigration advisers are be regulated by the OISC (Office of the Immigration Services in Bristol or Commissioner). Follow this link to the OISC website: home.oisc.gov.uk/adviser_finder/finder.aspx.
By checking out whether an immigration solicitor or adviser is regulated by either of the above you can ensure that they offer a professional service as they must abide by high ethical standards.
Also, it is crucial that any professional solicitor or adviser is honest about time frames and any problems with your application. Not only from the start but all the way through your application process. If they believe something is going to cause an unsuccessful application, they should mitigate this. This will allow clients to adapt their expectations to match up to the outcome.
Expertise:
Most importantly to be a professional in British immigration law, solicitors should have the most up to date and vast knowledge on the subject. As it is extremely fast changing with new types of visas being introduced or new rules specific to different nationals. It is important that they provide their clients with this information.
Professionals in the area should also have a firm grasp on how the UKVI and Home Office judge applications and how they should be structured. For instance, certain key evidence being disregarded could be the difference between a successful and unsuccessful application.
Reliability:
Finally, reliability is an important attribute for a professional immigration service provider to have. Shown through either good time management, communication, and client satisfaction a professional’s dependability to break true on their promises is imperative. They should be able to execute the deal agreed upon at the start so they can be consistent and match client expectations.
Benefitss of accessing professional immigration services in Bristol
There are several benefits to accessing professional immigration services in Bristol:
- Professional services will have a grasp on what is the best route for you and as immigration law is extremely fastest changing, they will have knowledge of all the latest developments in that area. Meaning that the application you initially thought was best for you may not actually be the quickest or offer the best solution. Instead, they can guide you through which route is quickest and most likely to be a success.
- If your case is complex and requires an appeal to the immigration tribunal it is important to seek a professional immigration adviser’s advice. This is because it is pertinent you have someone on your behalf to prepare evidence bundles and represent you.
- Professionals will translate complex legal terms concisely making it easily digestible for their clients who may either have no knowledge of immigration law or where English is not their native language.
FAQs about professional immigration services in Bristol
How will I know that an immigration service in Bristol is professional?
You will know that an immigration service in Bristol is professional because they will show all the following attributes: consistent communication, being client focused, strong time management, honesty, integrity, reliability, and expertise.
Will my case be successful with a professional immigration service in Bristol?
This is highly dependable as the UKVI makes the final decision on your application which an immigration adviser no matter how professional has no control over.
But by ensuring that the adviser 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.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.
I am currently not living in the UK; will this stop me from working with professional immigration services in Bristol?
This depends but nowadays most immigration professionals in Bristol have adapted to communicating remotely with their clients, such as on the phone. Before booking an appointment with an immigration adviser ask if they use remote forms of communication.
What are the OISC and SRA?
These are regulating bodies for immigration advisers and solicitors. They ensure that high ethical standards are maintained throughout the legal profession.
How are fees for immigration advice structured in Bristol?
This is highly dependable on the particular firm and application or appeal you wish to make. Some professionals charge hourly rates which mean you only pay for the hours dedicated to your application.
Others use fixed fees which are one set fee to be charged for a particular service. This has the benefit of knowing the cost upfront and budgeting towards this.What do immigration professionals do?
Immigration professionals maintain a high level of accuracy when completing your application and ensure that you as the client are informed. By completing application forms this avoids a mistake which you negatively affect the success. They can provide advice on various applications and appeals with your best interests in mind and any time constraints on your part.
If I hire a professional immigration service in Bristol, will my application be processed quicker?
Hiring a professional immigration service in Bristol does not mean for certain that the processing time of an application will be quicker. The Home Office sets processing times at around 6 months which immigration lawyers have no control over. Despite this, what a top immigration lawyer does grant is that an organised and accurate application is submitted which in general improves the likelihood that it is successful first time. Avoiding the need for re-applications or appeals which cause delays to processing times.
Summary
Accessing professional immigration services in Bristol is extremely important to the success of applications and appeals. This is because it will ensure you are dealing with expert client focused professionals.
Please contact our expert team of immigration lawyers at Henleaze Law on 0117 908 4625 for legal assistance on UK Visas, British citizenship applications, appeals and other immigration matters.
