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• Service Standards

Service Standards

We pride ourselves in giving our best to our clients and being attentive to their needs. We value the relationship we have with our clients. Therefore, we encourage you to inform us of any complaints about our service that you may have.

To ensure that we maintain a good relationship with you we have put in place a straightforward complaint procedure to help bring clarity to any misunderstanding or disputes. We encourage you to use this procedure at any point in time, whether during or after a service has been provided.

Procedure

Stage 1: Raise the issue that is of concern to you to Kishore. This can be by telephone or in writing. He will respond to you immediately unless the matter is more complex in which case you should allow for 48 hours. If we need extra time to check an issue we will ask for further time but give you a date by which you can expect a response. If you wish you can contact Maria Fernandes in the first instance.

Stage 2: If not satisfied you should write to Maria Fernandes setting out your complaint in full and areas which you feel are unresolved. Maria Fernandes will respond to you immediately or if complex within 48 hours. If she needs extra time she will ask for further time but give you a date by which you can expect a response.

Stage 3: Maria Fernandes will arrange a face to face meeting or video conference to discuss any issues. If you prefer a different method let us know.

If we are unable to resolve the complaint with you then you can have the complaint independently looked at by the Legal Ombudsman. The Legal Ombudsman investigates problems about poor service from lawyers.

Before accepting a complaint for investigation the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve your complaint with us first. If you have, then you can make your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:

• Within 6 months of receiving a final response to our complaint and
• No more than 6 years from the date of act/omission; or
• No more than three years from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.

If you would like more information on the Legal Ombudsman please contact them.
Contact details:

Visit www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Call 0300 555 0333 between 9am to 5pm.
Email enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ.

Depending on the nature of the complaint you may be able to complain to the SRA if you feel we have broken any of the SRA’s principles. For more information on these principles please visit the SRA’s website.

Costs Information

We are setting out information regarding our costs to help you make an informed decision. We undertake wide ranging work and this information concerns work relating to personal immigration work for individuals. We also provide immigration services to businesses and these services are not included in this guide.

Most of our charges are based on fixed fees. We offer fixed fees for the majority of the work. What this means is that the fee will remain the same regardless of the work done. It is important to note that our charges are based on the work undertaken and not on the results achieved. Once work has begun on your case, if you decide to withdraw your application for any reason before the application is submitted you will be liable for the full fee once the work has begun.

There are certain types of work, for example judicial reviews or non standard work where it is difficult to base costs on a fixed fee basis. In those circumstances we will charge on an hourly rate. The current standard hourly rate is between £350-£500 per hour depending on the type of work and this is calculated in units of 10 minutes.

Where we apply the hourly rate we will provide an estimate of the hours we expect to spend working on your matter and we will give you an estimate of the cost at each stage of the process. An estimate is just that and is not a quotation or a fixed fee. An estimate is made on the assessment of the time likely to be spent, the complexity of the matter, the research required and contact with you and/or any other bodies. There may be occasions when we may need to increase our estimate or chargeable rate. You will be informed about this well in advance of any work being undertaken. We will always endeavour to provide you with the best information possible about the likely overall cost of the matter at the beginning of the matter and where we need to amend this estimate.

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICES IN THE GUIDE

Usually, for each standard application, our services will involve advising you about the relevant law and procedures, preparing the application for submission, liaising with you and third parties (if appropriate), thereafter following up according to the timescales set by the Home Office until a decision is reached on the application.

Additional Charges

There will be additional costs based on an hourly rate where you request us to do work outside the standard application process for example attend a meeting with your tax advisers.

The costs listed below are not included in our professional fees. These can include, but are not limited to the following:

• VALUE ADDED TAX (VAT): All of the prices quoted exclude VAT. This is charged at the current rate and is payable on top of our fees and on most expenses which we incur on your behalf. There may be some situations in which VAT is not payable. We can provide some guidance on this but you are advised to obtain independent advice from an accountant regarding this.
• Fees payable to the Home Office on your behalf and usually include application fees, Immigration Health Surcharge, escalation fees etc.;
• Fees payable to the First Tier Tribunal, Upper Tribunal, Administrative Court, Court of Appeal or Supreme Court. Payments made to third parties, such as HM Revenue & Customs, HM Passport Office, or to the Land Registry etc.;
• Barristers (Counsels) fees. In the event of us seeking advice and/or representation of a Barrister you will be liable to pay their fees to us in advance before we instruct a barrister on your behalf. The costs vary according to the seniority of the individual. We will set out options and obtain your agreement in advance of instructing a barrister;
• Consultant’s fees;
• Translation fees;
• Experts or Agents instructed on your behalf
• Non routine postage charges and courier charges;
• Travel and meeting expenses.
• Photocopying services;
• Document Certification Fees;

A GUIDE TO OUR FEES

This guide sets out most of the work types following the Home Office descriptions used by the Home Office:

Terms of Business:

We will provide you with our terms of business outlining our costs, any other costs that we expect will be associated with your application and our service standards. If you do agree with our terms, you will be asked to return a signed copy of the letter to us.

One you have instructed us and we have accepted your instruction we are bound by our professional obligations including confidentiality and we may not communicate anything you have told us to anyone else without your permission.

It is important to note that our terms of business sets out the scope of the work. There will be further charges for any work incurred if your application is refused or there is further work that is required to be taken.

Payments:

For fixed fee and any fees by the Home Office this will need to be payable at the start of the matter. We will discuss this with you and make arrangements to suit your circumstances and the time frames of your matter.

On hourly-rated cases, we will ask you to pay us the amount estimated.

The funds are held in our client account until an invoice is submitted to you.

You will be required to pay any fees due to the authorities and we will advise you when these fees are due. We will not take responsibility for payment of your fees if these are not received before they are required to be paid.

Services and steps:

We are required by law to obtain confirmation of your identity in the form of a photo ID and proof of address. Accordingly we will not be able to advise or take on cases where this information is not provided to us.

Consultation

We usually meet a client in person to advise although we can carry out consultations by other means including video conferencing, email or letter. We charge for this first meeting at a standard rate. We offer advice on your options and our recommendations. We will also give you an indication of our charges for the work proposed. We offer one off advice and second opinions.

Preparation

We will take a full history and details of your circumstances in and advise on the options and the most suitable application based on the information and evidence available. We will send you a list of supporting documents required to begin preparation of your case. It is important to recognise that this list is not exhaustive and we may need to request further documents or ask for further information. Based on this we may need to alter our advice.

We can advise on the means of obtaining further information and help you to obtain it if we can. There may be additional charges depending on the work and additional time involved.

Application form

We will complete the application form on your behalf and we will ask you to review the information and confirm that all the information on the form is accurate. It is absolutely essential that you review your application and confirm that it is accurate before we submit it. We cannot take responsibility for errors or omissions. The consequences of providing incorrect information can be severe and irreversible and therefore you need to be clear about the information you provide us.

Covering letter

We will usually prepare a covering letter outlining the key points. You will be sent a copy of this for you to review.

Supporting documents

We will prepare a bundle of supporting documents which may consist of copies and originals.

Follow up

We will keep you informed about the progress of your application and this is usually based on the processing times set by the Home Office. We will follow up on your case where necessary and appropriate. We have extensive experience of timescales involved and will advise you if it becomes necessary to do so or to wait.

Although we follow standard procedures in most cases, there are times when are unable to follow all the steps above because of the urgency of a situation or the circumstances of the individual.

Biometrics

You will be required to visit one of the appropriate centres to provide your fingerprints. Your signature and a digital photograph will also be taken.

Types of applications

There are a number of options for making applications. This may include postal applications, Priority Service and the Super Premium Service. There are varying costs with regard to the different options and we will advise on the best option taking account of your needs.

Home Office Interview

There may be an interview either in person or through video link for some applications. If we need to accompany you there will be additional costs for this.

Retention of documents

If there are unpaid fees or costs at the conclusion of your matter, we are entitled to retain your documents, including originals, until all our fees have been settled.

Outcome

The Home Office will usually contact us directly about the outcome of your application and where applicable will usually return your passport, or biometric permit, or other documents to us. We will advise you as soon as we have this and make arrangements to get this to you.

Additional measures

Depending on the application and the status you have been granted you may be obliged to take further steps, for example, registering with the police or collecting your biometric residence permit from the post office. We will advise you about this.

Further steps

We will also tell you about any expiry or renewal dates which are applicable, and what steps you will need to take to make sure you meet these dates. We will advise you of the consequences of not meeting these dates.

Your further application

Fernandes Vaz are a niche firm specialising in immigration at all levels.

Immigration is subject to constant changes and developments and there is a constant need to stay abreast of the changes.

We have been in practice for over 30 years specialising in all aspects of immigration and this wide ranging experience gives us the ability to recognise the pitfalls and to plan effectively.

Our longevity and depth of experience gives us a leading edge in this field. As a firm we aim to have a personal relationship with our clients, and provide advice as we understand that no one case is the same as another.

We make it a point to support our clients throughout every step of their immigration process. We are meticulous in the preparing of applications, appeals and only seek the best barristers that are skilled for our clients’ particular cases within our means available to our clients as we enjoy seeing our clients prosper.

We understand that clients have instructed us to take the burden of their shoulders. Our 30 plus years of experience takes away the back and forth of endless phone calls and paper work. Our solicitor and principal of the firm Maria Fernandes works alongside our dedicated team to provide our clients with specific and precise information tailored for their case.