Case Results

‘We were instructed by the client’s brother. Mr J came to the UK from Iran. Enroute he was stopped in Hungary by the police and fingerprinted. He never applied for asylum. When he entered the UK he was arrested by the Immigration authorities and told that he would be sent back to Hungary under the Dublin Convention. Mr J was suffering from depression and was self-harming. The immigration centre where he was detained were not helpful and were very uncooperative. Deane & Bolton were contacted as a result of a recommendation from a friend of Mr J’s brother. Deane & Bolton obtained medical records indicating that Mr J brother was self-harming and was not being cared for by the Immigration Detention Centre. The detention centre was informed by Mr Shah that Mr J was in their care and that his welfare was their duty and that a failure to allow him to see the Medical Team would be a violation of his human right and that this would be brought to the attention of the Judges. A Bail application was prepared and M J was released. We are now challenging the Dublin Convention removal direction and we have referred Mr J with a Lawyer who can help bring a civil case against the Home Office for the suffering that Mr J endured whilst in detention’

‘Mr A came to the UK and applied for asylum. The application was refused and soon after he was asked to report to the Home Office Enforcement Team. On one occasion Mr A went to report and was told that he would be detained and deported. Mr A’s family members contacted Mr Shah of Deane & Bolton. He immediately submitted a Bail Application with detailed Grounds for Bail. Mr A was released by the Immigration authorities without the need for a Bail Hearing.

Mr A cannot return to Iraq. His father was murdered and he himself was shot multiple times. The Home Office has accepted this yet he was not granted asylum. We are now working toward re-opening the Asylum matter through a fresh application. The key to stopping the removal of our client was working quickly with our client’s family to ensure that the sureties were in place and that the bail application was submitted in person at the Immigration Tribunal to avoid delay. A strong Bail Application meant that our client was detained without the need for a Full Bail Hearing. We urge anyone facing removal or anyone with family members facing removal to contact us without delay.

‘Ms MSN came to the UK as a student but had a lot of problems because the colleges that she applied to would close down before she was granted an Extension of a Tier 4 Student Visa. She contacted Deane & Bolton who managed the process until she had been in the UK for 10 Years. She didn’t have any status when the Long Residence Application was made, but an application was pending therefore she had not overstayed. She was delighted to be granted Indefinite Leave to Remain. Deane & Bolton dealt with her case and kept her updated every step of the way.

This was a long and protracted immigration matter. Our client was informed by other lawyers that she would not qualify because she had always been in the process of seeking LTR but didn’t have any form of leave to remain for many years. However, this was incorrect and Deane & Bolton explained that she qualified as she didn’t have any period when she overstayed. The application was ultimately successful and Ms MSN is now going to see her family in Pakistan after 8 years. She has been stuck in the immigration process for nearly 8 years and hasn’t been able to marry her fiancé of 8 years. What this shows is a professional expert approach to immigration law is irreplaceable.

20 Years Long Residence

‘Mr B was tasked by the Masjid e Usman Trust to instruct an expert to deal with their Tier 2 Sponsor Licence. Members of the congregation and members of the management committee strongly recommended Deane & Bolton Immigration Lawyers.

Mr B contacted Deane & Bolton. We were able to guide him through every step of the way of the Tier 2 Process. We were delighted when within 3 weeks we obtained a Tier 2 Sponsor Licence at A Rating.

We offer discounted professional fees to all charities and Religious Organisations who wish to obtain a Tier 2 Sponsor Licence. The Tier 2 Licence is complex and time-consuming and requires someone who has gone through the process before. Mr Shah has acted for small organisation and large companies in such matters and is able to manage the process and see it to its natural conclusions.

As Charities and Religious organisations often have lay members not used to deal with the intricacies of the Points Based System we provide a service that includes training for clients who wish to understand the online Sponsor Management System as well as compliance training on ensuring that Sponsor Licence Duties are met.

‘Mr A’s father was undergoing medical treatment in the UK. He needed a liver transplant. Mr A was considered a suitable match, but the Doctors in the UK needed to assess him for suitability. He submitted numerous applications which were refused. He was then advised to contact Mr Shah. We began by reviewing the previous applications and then requested a number of letters from the Doctor in the UK. An online application was prepared and submitted, an appointment booked for him in UAE and detailed submissions by way of a covering letter prepared. He was granted a Visa within two weeks and the great news was that he was a suitable match for his father who was able to undergo the transplant and made a full recovery.

Dealing with clients from outside of the UK is particularly complex when there is an obvious language barrier. Mr A spoke Farsi and we need to converse with an interpreter. Ultimately the process of immigration applications needs to be simplified even further so that a lay client from outside the UK understands it through an interpreter who himself is a lay client.

It was a great result for our client who was very worried that his father would die if he didn’t get the Liver Transplant. It’s very difficult for the Entry Clearance Officers to understand the urgency and life and death situations that face our clients. It’s therefore even more important to prepare detailed applications and ensure that the urgent nature of the application is relayed to the ECO through expert evidence.

EEA National to bring in wife from Djibouti

‘Mr Ebrahim came to the UK as a Dutch National/an EEA National. He invited his wife to join him from Djibouti. The application was refused. Deane & Bolton were contacted. An appeal was assessed as being the best way forward. A detailed statement was prepared and a full hearing bundle prepared and submitted to the Court. On the day of the hearing, Mr Shah represented Mr Ebrahim’s wife. The appeal was allowed and Mr Ebrahim’s wife was granted Leave to Enter as the Dependent of an EEA National.

Mr Ebrahim had never been to Court before. In such situations, witnesses and clients who give evidence often feel intimidated by a Court so much so that it affects their testimonies. For Deane & Bolton, it’s important that the clients are prepared for the task of giving evidence in an open court. This often is simply about putting the client at ease about the process including the roles of the Judges as independent but often critical adjudicators. That the Home Office representatives may/will ask them difficult questions and about the formality of the court process. Mr Ebrahim’s first day in court went very well and because he understood the process and the procedure he was able to respond to the Home Office Cross-Examination and even some direct questions from the Judge.

‘Ms L came to the UK as a spouse of a British National. She had a son from a previous relationship whom she left behind in Jamaica. She contacted Deane & Bolton as we were recommended by friends who had previously used our services. Deane & Bolton were able to guide her every step of the way. We prepared the application, informed her what documents she needed to prepare, submitted the application, booked the appointment and prepared detailed submissions for the entry clearance officer. The application was allowed without an appeal. Ms L’s son is in the UK and now studying.

Applying for Dependent children and family members is always difficult and arduous. The recent fee changes meant it is also a very costly procedure. It’s important therefore that the application is prepared fully and in detail at the very onset. Often clients want to push ahead and submit an application with limited supporting documentation and the urge is to submit an application. We always recommend a fully prepared and detailed application to guard against a possible refusal and an appeal. This not only adds expenses to our client but also increases the time that it takes to reunite families as the appeal process becomes lengthier.

‘Mr P came to the UK as the dependent of a person settled in the UK. He has a wife and 3 children. Mr P’s marriage became difficult and he separated. When the time came to apply for ILR naturally Mr P’s wife was not prepared to support his application for Settlement. Mr P contacted Deane & Bolton after searching for us on the web. Deane & Bolton guided him every step of the way. He now has a visa to remain in the UK in order to have contact with his children.

Immigration Rules and Immigration Regulations changes more often than any other area of Law. That is a fact. The rules around contact with children and parents has been evolving over the years and is like other areas of law very difficult for non-legal persons to keep up to date with. It’s important then to contact us. We have a long standing history of helping parents denied access to their children through the Immigration Rules. Clients like Mr P simply wish to be involved in the lives of their children and see their children grow up. This is a fundamental Human Right and one which we fight hard for on behalf of our clients. If you are facing the prospect of not being able to see your children grow up, contact us today.

‘Mrs R is a Libyan national and came to the UK with her children and husband who are Libyans but British Citizens. She had an ILR in the UK but was away for more than two years so this was cancelled. She was told by many people that she would have to leave the UK. She had young children who need care. While her husband had to return to Libya to care for his mother. She was stuck. Her good family friend referred her to Deane & Bolton.

We assessed her case and advised her that she could submit the Derivative Rights Application because she was caring for children who were British, and If I couldn’t care for them we would have to return to Libya which is a warzone. We advised Mrs R to prepare for the possibility that it will be refused and that the case will end up in Court. That is exactly what happened.

After an Adjourned Court hearing where Mr Shah was present ( a second court hearing was held because Mr Shah could not attend initially). However, we instructed a Barrister to attend court to represent our client. The Court accepted on the day of the hearing that Mrs R was the Primary Carer and that the children without her care would have to return to Libya.

The appeal was allowed on the same day. Mrs R was informed that she would have to leave or apply for asylum. She didn’t want to leave and could not leave and put her children in harm’s way. At the same time, she didn’t wish to claim asylum as she was aware of friends and family that she would not necessarily be successful just because she was from Libya. The immigration lawyers she saw before were not aware of the Derivative Rights Applications and the possibilities that it opens up for people like Mrs R.

We were able to argue the case successfully and the Judge on the day of the hearing was particularly annoyed at the fact that the Home Office had refused the application in the first place.

PRO BONO

Mrs R was unable to pay for the cost of the professional services we provided. We acted for her on a Pro Bono basis. This means that we asked her to pay for the cost of the application but not our professional fees. Where we feel people are deserving of our service and are particularly vulnerable we offer our help on a Pro Bono basis (Free of Charge). This is part of our commitment to helping the most vulnerable in our society.

‘Mr C always dreamed of studying in the UK. He could never afford it. However, his family members provided him with support and finally, he decided to apply to study. He managed to obtain a CAS, but still wanted a UK lawyer to handle my case. Through friend and family, he instructed Deane & Bolton who reviewed his papers to see if he qualified. Mr C’s bank statement was not at the correct level so he was advised to address this before we made the application. This was done free of charge. Deane & Bolton then made the application, made the online fee payment, booked the appointment at the Visa centre and then provided the file of papers to him and advised him on the procedure.

He was able to get a Visa within 3 weeks in Cameroon.

Mr C fees paid to Deane & Bolton were less than what we’re being charged by ‘Agents’ in Cameroon. There are instances of ‘Agents’ thousands of pounds for advice and applications to submit a Tier 4 Application. That why clients choose Deane & Bolton.

‘Mr B works as a Barber and runs his own salon. He was given a Civil Penalty Notice of £20,000 pounds for employing an illegal worker. There was no way he could afford to pay this when his total annual turnover didn’t amount to this much. He feared certain bankruptcy, losing his business that he was working hard to build and a life on benefits.

He contacted us after having been recommended by a friend.

We reviewed his case made detailed submissions. Mr B was hoping for a reduced penalty with the possibility of paying the penalty in instalments.

We were very pleased that the Home Office accepted our representations and cancelled the entire penalty so that Mr B didn’t have to pay anything. In the end, the Entire Penalty was cancelled.

Employing Illegal Workers can be a costly business. Employers who fail to check an employee’s right to work put themselves at grave risk of being caught and fined up to £20,000.00 per employee. For some businesses, this is a huge amount. Mr B was faced with losing his business and his livelihood. Mr B was advised on what records to keep to ensure he is compliant as an employer.

‘Mr R was working in Syria and living in Lebanon. He had been refused a Visit Visa to the UK. His wife is British and they wanted to enter the UK so he could live and work in the UK. He was recommended by Deane & Bolton. He contacted us by email and we discussed the case by email and also by phone. He was sent detailed guidance on what was needed which he prepared. Furthermore, his uncle in the UK, with whom he was going to stay needed to have his accommodation inspected for suitability. Deane & Bolton were able to do that through a partner agency. Even though they instructed us from Lebanon, Deane & Bolton provided a rapid service and responded to their messages and enquiries quickly and in detail. Mr L was granted Leave to Enter to Join his wife in the UK.

Clients based abroad require a degree of flexibility that often lawyers are unable to provide. At Deane & Bolton, we understand the needs are different. Time Zones means that clients would like to have a contact at times when UK offices are traditionally closed. It’s important to make ourselves available outside of Office Hours by non-traditional means including Skype, WhatsApp and Email as well as Telephone. Our additional services include such things as Home Office Approved Property Inspections Reports are a way for us to ensure that we can obtain the supporting evidence. Our client’s uncle could not obtain the report himself as the local council didn’t offer the Service. We instructed our partners, Qualified Architects and Chartered Surveyors to carry out the report. This whole process took less than 1 week.

‘Ms I came to the UK as a student and then was granted a Post Study Work Visa. After that, she wanted to extend her visa in the UK. She had money available, she and her husband decided to apply for the Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa (£50,000.00). As we had already acted for Ms I in her husband’s appeal to join her in the UK as her dependent and successfully fought in the Immigration Courts where the appeal was allowed Ms I came to us for her Tier 1 Immigration Matter.

We worked with Ms I and guided her through every step of the way, including ensuring the finances were in place, necessary supporting documentation were prepared and that a fully running business was set up before the application was submitted.

Ms I is now shareholder and Director of a fully trading company. She and her husband have been granted Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa. They are working hard to make a success of their company and to ensure that through their investment and company they can remain in the UK where they want to settle.

Tier 1 Entrepreneur and Tier 1 Investor categories are highly complex areas of the Points Based System. Recent changes have made this area even more complex. It’s essential to then have someone who can guide you through the entire process.

‘Mr M informed us that his wife and his children were in Syria. Their application for a family reunion was refused as the Home Office did not accept their relationship.

We noted that the lack of evidence meant that the Original Birth and Marriage Certificates were missing. So the only option was a DNA Report. As the family was in Syria it was difficult to obtain samples. We contacted a Partner Agency which is also an approved DNA Provider for The Home Office. They worked hard to track down a Clinic in Syria that could take samples and they bring the samples from Syria to the UK by courier. The process was simple and straightforward. A week after the samples came to the UK our clients were able to provide s sample at his GP. Within less than 3 weeks the DNA Report was returned which confirmed our client’s relationship to his children and therefore his wife.

We then prepared an application for a family reunion which was submitted online and an appointment was booked for the family in Beirut, Lebanon. The full application together with a list of supporting evidence the DNA Report was provided to our client. The Family were reunited some 2 and half years after they were separated.

Family Reunion Applications present their own unique set of challenges. Often lawyers simply ask their clients to sort out the DNA reporting. At Deane & Bolton, our service extends to ensuring that the DNA service is provided and to maintain a direct liaison with the DNA Testing Provider. Our clients Trust us To Go the Extra Mile for Them. Our commitment is not limited to the Legal Aspect of our work. Our aim is to ensure that our clients’ needs are met and working with Partner Agencies we are confident that we can do so like we have been doing for many years now.