Shabana Bukhari 
In this blog, readers will discover solicitors conveniently located in Reading Town Centre for all your legal needs. Explore the comprehensive services offered by Solicitors in Reading Town Centre, ensuring efficient legal solutions tailored to your requirements.
What are your legal needs?
Free Consultation:
A free consultation is another way of describing an initial meeting with an immigration lawyer of your choosing which does not cost you any money.
It must be highlighted that consultations are not usually free of charge and so before booking a consultation with an immigration lawyer they should disclose to you their prices for a consultation. On average, these consultations will last around 30 minutes or up to an hour. Therefore, their prices will reflect these time frames.
For instance, by following this link and scrolling to the bottom of Henleaze Law’s webpage you will be able to submit your information that will help us contact you about a consultation: About Us – Henleaze Law. You will have to disclose your first and last name, email address, phone number and explain your situation. Please note that we have a Reading based office.
Legal aid:
Legal aid immigration Solicitors in Reading Town Centre can aid applicants with a range of things, some of these include:
- Handling your case and providing advice on the strength of it.
- How to make applications for legal aid and the likeliness that you will be able to secure such financial aid.
- Organise and booking English language requirement tests.
- Represent you if you are appealing an application.
Claiming Asylum:
Asylum Solicitors in Reading Town Centre can help applicants with a range of things, some of these include:
- Handling your asylum case and providing advice on the strength of it.
- How to make applications for legal aid and the likeliness that you will be able to secure such financial aid.
- Organise and book your asylum interview on your behalf.
- Represent you if you are appealing an asylum application.
- At any point during your asylum claim you may be detained by the UK authorities and so your asylum solicitor can help you with being released.
- Making applications for ‘asylum support’ which covers certain housing and financial needs. Once you register your asylum claim the ‘asylum support’ will start on that same day.
Visa Matters:
Solicitors in Readding Town Centre will be able to assist you with a wide range of visa matters, the most common UK visas will be discussed below:
- Spouse Visa
This visa comes under the Family Category and enables a foreign national (“applicant”) to live with their British partner (“sponsor”) in the UK.
The initial Spouse visa application will allow you to remain in the UK for 30 months. Then you must apply for an extension which allows for an additional 30 months. After the expiration of this extension, you would have lived in the UK for 5 years and now you can apply for ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain).
Note that applicants under this visa should not have more than 180 days absence from the UK.
- Skilled Worker Visa
This visa is for those coming to the UK to take up a job offer from a UK employer who holds a sponsor licence.
Skilled Worker visas are issued for up to a period of 5 years which means that the earliest you can apply for ILR is up to 28 days prior to the end of this period.
Note that applicants under this visa, similarly to those under Spousal visas, should have no more than 180 days absence from the UK during any consecutive 12-month period within the 5 years.
- Student Visa
This visa (tier 4) is for those offered a secure place on a UK course by a Home Office licensed student sponsor.
Student visas are issued for up to a period of 5 years. However, time spent on this visa will not count towards ILR under the 5-year route. It may count towards the 10-year route (also known as “long residence”).
Instead, to qualify under the 5-year route you must switch to another visa that does provide a route to settlement. For instance, applicants can switch to a Skilled Worker visa (tier 2).
Indefinite Leave to Remain:
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), also known as ‘settled status’, in the UK allows persons to live, study and work in the UK without time restrictions and hence no need to apply for visa extensions. Another benefit of holding such status is that upon entering and leaving the UK you will not be subject to any immigration restrictions. But please note that if you leave the UK for a period of 2 years or more then your ILR status will be revoked.
British Citizenship:
Solicitors in Reading Town Centre can aid individuals with applications for British citizenship. The benefits of claiming citizenship are as follows:
- The right to live in the UK permanently.
As your status will be ‘permanently settled’ you are free of any restrictions, such as time spent abroad and there is also no need to apply for any more visas to stay in the UK.
- Access to free medical care through the NHS.
The National Health Service (NHS) is the UK’s publicly funded healthcare system which means citizens can access free medical care.
- Right to work and study.
There are no restrictions on gaining permission to work or study through applying for any more UK visas. You may freely do both as a British citizen.
- Right to vote.
The ability to partake in democratic UK elections (whether that be local, national or referendums) is open to all British citizens. Additionally, you may put yourself forward to be a candidate in an election.
Gaining a British passport allows citizens to travel to around 190 countries without a visa.
- Right to claim state benefits.
Citizens can freely claim state benefits which include anything from Child Benefit and a Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) to a UK State Pension. For more information on other state benefits that you can claim as a British citizen follow this link: https://www.gov.uk/income-tax/taxfree-and-taxable-state-benefits.
How to locate solicitors in Reading Town Centre?
Locating solicitors in Reading Town Centre begins online, or through word of mouth. It is best to begin with a handful of immigration law firms in the Reading area and then proceed to narrow down your options closer to the city centre. If distance from your home postcode is an important factor to you when choosing an immigration lawyer, then when browsing the internet, you can use a map to look at the distance the immigration firms are from your location.
Once you have selected solicitor firms which are closest to your location, you can further research into whether they offer services covering your legal needs discussed above.
Please note that Henleaze Law has a Reading based offer which offers all the aforementioned legal options.
FAQs about Solicitors in reading town centre
What is a free consultation?
A free consultation is an initial meeting with an immigration lawyer of your choosing which does not cost you any money. Usually, it will last around thirty minutes to one hour.
What is legal aid?
Legal aid is designed to aid those who are unable to afford legal help due to financial strain. It is key that individuals get access to justice and so legal aid ensures this by helping individuals cover some or all their legal costs.
What is asylum?
Asylum is where those who flee their country of nationality as a refugee can come to the UK or any other ‘safe third country’ for state protection.
What visa matters can solicitors in Reading Town Centre help with?
Solicitors in Reading Town Centre should be able to help with all types of visa matters. They are usually able to offer their services in completing applications on your behalf or dealing with visa refusals. Solicitors will have expert knowledge on newly introduced UK visas which may suit your needs, such as High Potential Individual and Global Business Mobility Visa. Finally, solicitors can help guide you through turning your UK visa into British citizenship.
What is Indefinite Leave to Remain?
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), also known as ‘settled status’, in the UK allows persons to live, study and work in the UK without time restrictions and hence no need to apply for visa extensions.
Should I be worried if the immigration 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 types of applications can immigration lawyers help me with?
Immigration lawyers can help you with many different types of applications. These include varying types of visas, such as UK Skilled Worker visas or Spouse visas. They will assess your eligibility and give advice on which visa is best suited for your needs. Lawyers will also take over the application process for you, simplifying it and helping you complete it.
However, there are many other applications other than visas which they can help with, such as applications for British citizenship, work permits, appeals and seeking asylum in the UK.What is the processing time for a British citizenship application?
The most up to date Home Office guidance states that the processing time for a British citizenship application is 6 months.
Summary about Solicitors in reading town centre
In this blog, readers have explored solicitors in Reading Town Centre, conveniently situated to cater to all legal requirements.
Please contact our Reading based expert team of immigration lawyers at Henleaze Law on 0117 908 4625 for legal assistance with various British immigration applications, appeals or asylum queries. We can discuss consultation options and fees with you, as well as the many benefits consultations bring to you as a client.
