How we calculate our costs

The standard practice followed by us and most UK law firms are to charge for the time spent on the client's matter on the basis of 10 units per hour, where each unit equates to 6 minutes. If a piece of work takes longer than 1 unit i.e. 6 minutes, it will be charged at the relevant proportion of the appropriate fee earners hourly rate.

We are not VAT registered and therefore we do not charge VAT on our fees.

Routine communications include e-mails out, letters out, telephone calls received and made. Preparation and attendance is charged at the relevant proportion of the hourly rate.

Our specific charges will be identified to you in your letter of engagement. Current charging rate for Principal Solicitor Mr Joby J Kuttikkat is £200 per hour. He was qualified as a solicitor on 15 November 2007 and has over 14 years of experience.The Firm's hourly rates are reviewed on an annual basis in May. You will be informed of the revised rates 1 month prior to the implementation of new rates applicable on your matter.

The basis for hourly rates charges are as follows

Solicitors with over eight years post qualification experience, including at least eight years of litigation experience-£200 /Hour

Solicitors and legal executives with over four years post qualification experience, including at least four years of litigation experience- £180/Hour

Other solicitors and legal executives and fee earners of equivalent experience- £150

Trainee solicitors, paralegal and other fee earners- £80

Our fixed fees give you peace of mind and help you to budget.

Cost is one of the key factors that most people worry about when they are looking for a solicitor. Our rates are very competitive and represent good value for money. We agree a fixed fee or hourly rate depending on the type of case. Immigration matters are normally taken on fixed fees possible so the client knows exactly what he pays towards legal costs without any surprises at the end.

How we calculate our basic charges
These are calculated for each hour engaged on your matter. Routine letters and telephone calls will be charged as units of one-tenth of an hour. Other letters and telephone calls will be charged on a time basis. The hourly rates charges are as follows:

Solicitors with over eight years post qualification experience, including at least eight years of litigation experience £200 /Hour

Solicitors and legal executives with over four years post qualification experience, including at least four years of litigation experience- £180/Hour

Other solicitors and legal executives and fee earners of equivalent experience- £150

Trainee solicitors, paralegal and other fee earners- £80

We review the hourly rate in November each year, and we will notify you of any change in the rate in writing.

Fixed Fees/Costs

For immigration matters, we offer fixed-fee arrangements in order to give you full control of your legal costs. You will know from the outset how much legal costs will be incurred on your matter. If a dispute arises in respect to fixed fees previously arranged or a matter is terminated before completion for any reasons whatsoever, and then please be informed that we will be entitled to the full fixed fees agreed or the fee calculated on the basis of time spent on your matter whichever is lower.
Our current fixed fees for Immigration Matters are as follows

ENTRY CLEARANCE APPLICATIONS

1. Visit visa (Tourist/Family/Business/Marriage/medical)- £450 - £750
2. Skilled Worker Visa/ Intra company transfer/Tier-2 minister of Religion- £550 - £750
3. Global talent (Endorsement +Visa application)- £1500 - £2500
4. Innovator Founder- £3000 - £5000
5. Student route - £450 - £750
6. Dependants of work route migrants- £450 - £600 per dependant
7. Elderly dependant applying for Indefinite Leave to Enter- £2500 - £4500
8. Temporary worker routes (Religious/Charity/sports/seasonal agriculture etc.)- £500 - £750
9. Spouse Visa (Appendix-FM) - £750 -£1500

IN COUNTRY APPLICATIONS FOR EXTENSION/LEAVE TO REMAIN

1. Skilled Worker Visa/ Intra company transfer/Tier-2 minister of Religion- £500 - £750
2. Global talent-£2000 - £3000
3. Innovator Founder-£2500 - £4000
4. Student route £450 - £750
5. Dependants of work route migrants-£500 - £750
6. Spouse Visa -Appendix-FM- £750 - £1500

SETTLEMENT-INDEFINITE LEAVE TO REMAIN

1. ILR (Worker routes) -£750 -£1500
2. ILR (Long Residence)- £900 - £1500
3. ILR (Marriage Route)- £800 - £1500

NATURALIZATION/CITIZENSHIP APPLICATIONS

1. Adult naturalisation- £600 - £1200
2. Child registration- £500 - £1200

IMMIGRATION APPEALS

Administrative Reviews - £450 -£750
Appeals to the First-Tier Tribunal Immigration & Asylum- £1500 - £2000
Appeals to the Upper Tribunal Immigration & Asylum- £1500- £2500

JUDICIAL REVIEW (JR)

Pre-action Protocol stage - £1500 -£2000
JR Permission stage - (paper Hearing/oral hearing ) - £200-£3500

FIXED FEES SERVICES OFFERED TO BUSINESS/CORPORATE CLIENTS

SPONSOR LICENCE

Advice only - £1500 - £2500 (This will cover advice on submitting a fresh application, assessing eligibility, advice on supporting evidence, preparation of an application for submission by the Authorising officer to the Home office for a sponsor licence to employ foreign nationals)

ADVICE ON SPONSOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

£750 (Written advice on all aspects of sponsor's duties, responsibilities and record-keeping obligations)

INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT ASSISTANCE TO SPONSORS

£450 - Visa Suitability assessment for jobs offered to foreign Nationals
£450 - Immigration screening/shortlisting for foreign nationals
£250 - Assigning of COS

ASK A LAWYER SERVICE

£25 per Immigration question answered and confirmed in writing by email. For students and their dependants, we offer a discounted fee of £15 per questions or £25 to answer two questions.

APPLICATION CHECKING SERVICE

50% of the fixed fees applicable to each category of applications where an application checking service is requested.

Key terms of offering fixed fees that you must consider

1. Our fees for making an application will include, taking detailed instructions, advice assessment of eligibility, considering evidence and advising on timelines, drafting statements and/or representations as may required, providing a specific list of documents specific to your case to support the application, assessing each document to ensure maximum chance of success, making the online application, booking an appointment at the visa application centre, online submission of supporting evidence to the home office where possible and leasing with the home office as may be required until a decision is made. Post decision services if needed, are not included in the costs quoted.
2. Fixed fees quoted above are based on time likely to be spent on standard applications. It is possible that due to the personal circumstances of the applicant and the lack of or complex nature of supporting evidence, past immigration history of the applicant and for other reasons it is possible that similar kinds of applications will require more time and effort to complete. If this is the case then we will at the commencement of work discuss with you a higher fee typically about 25%-50% above the fixed fees quoted above depending on the circumstances of the matter.
3. While terminating a matter instructed on a fixed fee basis where we have already commenced work, we will be entitled to the fixed fee agreed in full or the costs calculated based on time spent on the matter up to the time of termination whichever is lower.

Personal injury cases are normally instructed on the basis of a Conditional fee agreement popularly known as No Win No Fee. Again, we will always discuss with you the type of funding at the beginning and we will never allow any uncertainties as to our fees so that you have complete peace of mind.

We offer an initial assessment interview for a fixed fee of £75 for up to 30 minutes plus the costs of an interpreter (if required).
Please note, this can be arranged over the telephone or through Skype/Zoom meeting

At this meeting we will;

• Explore the background of your case/situation
• Ascertain what your legal issue is
• Explain to you about possible solutions and advise on the best strategy
• Estimate the cost and time it will take to resolve your problem
• Funding and likely costs for your case whether it can be taken on a fixed fee, conditional fee or on an hourly fee basis.

Based on the information that we have given you can then decide, whether you wish to proceed on your own or instruct us to do further work for you. If you confirm your instructions within 1 month of your initial assessment interview, we will discount you the fee paid for the initial interview from the costs agreed for the instructed matter.

If you want to conduct an immigration application or an appeal yourself, you can arrange a document checking service from us. Book an appointment to see us and we will sit down with you and see your completed application form along with the evidence that you intend to submit.

We will provide you with our professional opinion whether your application meets the minimum requirements and also if appears to be adequately prepared. This service is unlike the Post Office or local authority checking services because we can provide our legal opinion based on our years of experience and provide useful tips to follow before submission.

You may not be in need for full representation by a solicitor in your Immigration matter instead you wish a Competent Solicitor to assess your completed application form and supporting documents in the light of relevant Immigration rules and visa category before investing huge sums of money as UK Immigration Visa fees that can be lost if your application is refused.

We can review your completed application and supporting documents and give you a written report of our findings that will allow you to make the correct decision.

This is charged at 50% of our fixed costs quoted for full representation/advice on the application type. We would require the following information from you in order to offer this service;

• Copy of completed application form
• In case of online applications, you may provide login details for us to access your completed application awaiting submission
• Copies of all supporting documents that you wish to submit with the application.
• Self-addressed prepaid special delivery envelope for return of documents if applicable
• You may submit all supporting documents by email or shared through your cloud storage instead of posting the hard copies to save time

How long it will take?

From the date of receipt of your confirmed instructions, payment of any fees agreed on account of fees, we shall provide you with an assessment report within 3 working days.

What does the FIXED FEE Cover?
The fixed fee quoted will normally include
• considering documents/information
• attending on the client over the phone/email/in person
• taking instructions from the client and providing advice on their matter
• preparation of the application, submission of application online or by post, booking an appointment for biometric enrolment as may be applicable
• advising the client on timelines and follow up with the Home Office as may be required until a decision is made
• Informing the client of the outcome of their application.
• Advising on any further action required on the matter

Disbursements

The FIXED fee does not cover disbursements. Disbursements in Immigration matters are generally the fee payable to the Home Office towards consideration of your application, Immigration Healthcare Surcharge payable, fee for Biometric Enrolment, Fee payable for premium/fast track case consideration etc. Home Office fees can change from time to time. You can check the current fees following the link below.

Check Current Home Office Fee

Use of Interpreters

If the use of an interpreter is required to conduct your matter, you will be responsible for the costs involved in arranging such services. The fee payable for interpretation /translation services is not included in the fixed fees agreed.

VAT
Joseph Raphael solicitors are NOT registered for VAT, and our fees do not include VAT. If any disbursements are charged inclusive of VAT for example Interpretation costs or costs for translation etc then this will be passed on to the client. Home office fees are normally free from VAT.

The fixed fee published cannot account for all personal circumstances of a client's matter. We have therefore provided a fixed fee range for most types of applications. If the matter is straight forward you will be looking at the lower end of the fixed fee range and if the matter is complex then you can expect the higher end of the fixed fee range. For example, some clients may have dependants applying together, and there may be variations in the number of dependants from client to client. The standard approach is that the FIXED fee is payable per applicant; however, we may offer discounted rates for some applications where multiple dependants apply together. In addition, in some cases, the applicant's supporting documents and immigration history may add to the complexity of the matter. In these circumstances, we may charge a slightly higher fee to the client. Whatever the case, we will agree on the fee with you at the onset of the matter or s soon as possible to know the exact costs involved.

Please see the example below to understand how we have published our fixed fees for various services.

Type of matter: Permanent Settlement in the UK (Indefinite Leave to Remain - SET-O, Skilled Worker)
Our Fixed fee published: £750-£1200
Basis of the above-Fixed fee: Hourly rate of £200 for Mr Joby Joseph Kuttikkat who has over 8 years of experience)

On average, this type of work takes between 3.5 - 6 hours to complete. This means that on average, costs are between £700 and £1200

The exact number of hours it will take depends on the circumstances in your case. Such as:
• The amount of supporting evidence that we need to consider
• Which language(s) do you speak
• Whether you are applying with other dependants

If you can provide sufficient evidence at our first meeting or immediately after receiving our request for supporting evidence and clearly meet the applicable Immigration Rules, the cost is likely to be at the lower end of this range.

What services are included?

The work will involve:
• Discussing your circumstances in detail and confirming whether this is the most appropriate application for you to make and what other options may be available to you;
• Giving you advice about the requirements of the Immigration Rules and whether you meet the criteria.
• If you do not fulfil specific criteria, whether this can be overcome and how which on average takes 30mts to 1.5 hr;
• Considering the supporting evidence you have provided, which we anticipate will take 30mts to 1.5 hr;
• Where necessary, helping you obtain further evidence (such as medical records and bank statements), including taking statements of any witnesses;
• Preparing your application and submitting it on your behalf, which we anticipate will take X hours 1-3 Hrs
• Advise you about the outcome of the application and any further steps you need to take.

Note: The amount of hours depends on the number of documents, whether they need to be translated, whether anything is missing and how long it will take to obtain the missing documents etc.
Disbursements (not included in costs set out above)
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as the UKVI fee payable in this case to the Home Office. We can handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process however you will be responsible for the disbursements.
• Being a Skilled Worker, it is most likely that you will not require an interpreter in this case. ( When an interpreter is involved in a matter, then his fees will
be calculated based on his hourly rate for the duration of his service and will be payable by the client)
• Independent expert reports, e.g. medical experts, social worker reports. These are not required in most cases: we will let you know as soon as possible if we consider an expert report is necessary and the costs will be payable by the client.
• If there is an interview and we do attend with you, there will be additional disbursements regarding our mileage/travel expenses.
The costs quoted here do not include:
• Any Home Office fees for making the application. You will pay this to the Home Office directly as part of the application process.
• Attendance at a Home Office interview: if the Home Office ask you to attend an interview, we will give you clear advice (and discuss the possibility of us attending with you) at the appropriate time. This could be charged based on the time and will be in addition to the fixed fees.
• Where the Home Office refuse your application, advice and assistance in relation to any appeal or other remedies will be discussed and any further representations will be charged as that is not covered in the fixed fee paid.

We will normally be able to submit this type of application within two weeks of you instructing us, but we will let you know at the earliest opportunity if it is likely to take longer than this. Please note the anticipated number of hours and fees are an estimate based on the facts above. All applications are likely to vary, and of course, we will give a more accurate estimate once we have more information about a specific case.

For most Immigration applications we aim to complete the submission within 10 working days of us receiving confirmed instructions and receipt of all supporting evidence and information requested. In cases involving deadlines, we will agree with you at the time of confirming instructions to meet the deadlines. We will regularly update you as to any anticipated delays and the reasons for any such delay depending on the case circumstances.

We cannot guarantee how long the Home Office will take to process your application. Read the current processing times published by Home Office by clicking the links below:

Current Waiting Time for Applications made outside the UK

Current Waiting Time for Applications made inside the UK

Mr Joby Joseph Kuttikkat is the Sole Principal of Joseph Raphael Solicitors. All matters of the firm are dealt with by Mr Kuttikkat, who started his legal career as a Solicitor of England & Wales in 2007. Mr Kuttikkat has over 14 years of collective experience in delivering high-quality work in all matters relating to UK Immigration Law.

Having completed his Law Degree from Bangalore University in India, he was called to the bar in India in November 2004. He passed QLTT (Qualified lawyer Transfer Test) in 2006 and was enrolled as a Solicitor of the Higher Courts of England & Wales in November 2007. After gaining the necessary experience and training, he, later on, started this firm in 2009. Immigration law is ever-changing, and it takes real dedication backed with constantly updated knowledge to bring success to the client. Mr Kuttikkat is always up-to-date with the immigration rules and takes time to update the general public about Home Office updates and latest announcements etc., through social media platforms etc. that many people find very useful.
Mr Kuttikkat has so far helped hundreds of migrant workers and their families with their initial entry clearance applications through to acquiring British Citizenship. Skilled and highly skilled worker migration, Switching immigration categories, Settlement and Nationality applications, Family members (Partner, child elderly dependants) applications cover the majority of his work, and he enjoyed excellent success rates in immigration cases that he has handled throughout his career. In addition, he has advised businesses to obtain Sponsor licenses to employ foreign nationals and helped Highly Skilled migrants to come to the UK.

Mr Kuttikkat can also speak Malayalam, Hindi/Urdu and Tamil. Most of his clients find it very useful and comfortable communicating in their mother tongue while discussing their matter and makes him highly approachable.

Joseph Raphael Solicitors is committed to high-quality legal advice and client care. If you are unhappy with our service, we have complaints handling procedure to deal with complaints promptly, openly, fairly and effectively. Before a complaint is made, please first raise your concerns with Mr Joby J Kuttikkat on 01484 530003 or 07792546031 and email, joby@jrsolicitors.co.uk who will review the matter. Details of our complaints policy and procedure are available on request.

If you are still unhappy with our service following a decision by Mr Joby J Kuttikkat, you may refer the matter to the Legal Ombudsman at P O Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ and/or by telephone on 0300 555 0333 and/or by an email at enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk. Should you wish to approach the Legal Ombudsman please be aware of the following conditions:

Legal Ombudsman Scheme rules allow them to look into your complaint if it happened:

• Within six years of the problem happening; or

• Three years from when you found out about it; or

• You are referring your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of Joseph Raphael Solicitor's final response to the complaint raised

Legal Ombudsman will not accept complaints where the event giving rise to the complaint or date of awareness was before 6 October 2010. Some complainants may not have the right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman. Details of who can use their service can be found on their website or by telephoning them. Should you be unable to make a complaint through the Legal Ombudsman, then you should be aware that you can only obtain redress by using our Complaints Handling Procedure or by mediation or arbitration, or by taking action through the Courts.

If you have any queries in respect of any element of a bill, you should still promptly pay all other elements of the bill. If you wish to make a complaint about one of our bills, you may do so by using our complaints procedure referred to above. You also have the right to object to a bill by making a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman and/or applying to the Court for an assessment of the bill under part III of the Solicitors Act 1974. If you apply to the Court for an assessment of the bill you may lose your right to complain about the bill to the Legal Ombudsman.

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