Relocating is a major decision and one which requires careful consideration and planning.
Our Immigration team has extensive knowledge and experience to support you with this important move. We advise on every stage of your immigration journey, from initial discussions about the best visa type for you through to extension, permanent residence, and citizenship applications.
Our clients often have complex international business interests and need to balance professional commitments with family considerations. Our immigration lawyers regularly advise on complex, cross-border matters where personal, commercial and regulatory considerations intersect.
Whether you are looking to be in the UK or overseas, we understand how much it matters to be in the right place, with the right people, at the right time. We pride ourselves on developing lasting relationships with you, becoming a trusted advisor who will see you and your family safely through to your end goals.
Our personal immigration legal services
High net worth and investment-related routes including global citizenship and residence by investment
We advise high net worth and ultra hight net worth individuals, their families and family offices. We work with you and your advisers to understand your unique circumstances and develop a bespoke immigration strategy to support your goals.
Our work covers investment-related migration and global mobility and we understand how important maximum flexibility for international travel and residence can be. We utilise our trusted network of international offices and hand-picked local firms to ensure you receive the best advice, wherever you wish to go.
Pre-arrival tax planning is often an important consideration alongside visa planning. We work closely with our Private Client team as well as our international offices to ensure you receive the specialist advice you need to achieve your goals.
Visa options for relocating to the UK
The UK has large a number of visa routes, each with their own eligibility criteria. Many are designed for entrepreneurs, highly-skilled professionals or top international talent. Some require prior endorsement from a government-approved body or sponsorship from a licensed UK employer. Other routes may be open to you depending on your educational background or family history.
We take the time and care needed to determine the right route for you, taking into account your personal circumstances, family considerations and long-term plans. Once you decide on a course of action, we will be here to advise and support you every step of the way.
Settlement and citizenship pathways
For many clients, achieving the security of permanent residence and citizenship is a key objective, whether in the UK or elsewhere. The right to live in your chosen country permanently, free from any immigration restrictions, can provide a level of flexibility and peace of mind which is highly-prized.
We regularly assist clients working towards settlement, helping them maintain eligibility and continuity of residence. We advise on all British nationality matters, from naturalisation applications, registration of eligible children as British citizens, to complex and highly technical nationality issues often based on historic family circumstances.
Through our international offices and trusted network, we also advise on residence, settlement and citizenship pathways across Europe and beyond.
Family and dependant visas
Relocating to a new country is often complex, especially where the reasons for moving are deeply personal. We provide experienced and empathetic legal advice to help guide you through the complexities and smooth the experience.
We advise family members of British citizens or those with the right of permanent residence in the UK, including those with complex or sensitive family circumstances. For family visa applications, the financial requirements in particular are extremely technical; taking professional legal advice from the outset can avoid delays and complications and minimise stress.
Most of the main UK visa categories allow the main applicant to bring a dependant partner and minor children with them. Partners may be spouses, civil partners, or unmarried partners who can demonstrate a durable relationship. Dependant family members may apply together with the main applicant or separately if they are joining a sponsor who is already in the UK. We can assist with all types of dependant applications and are experienced in advising on complex family set-ups.
We know that family circumstances can change, sometimes fundamentally. Our personal immigration lawyers can help you navigate change with care and sensitivity, helping to achieve the right outcome for you and your family. We also work closely with our specialist Family and Private Clients teams both in the UK and internationally.
Specialist and discretionary immigration routes
Our lawyers have extensive experience advising on unusual or highly complex circumstances. We take a considered approach to problem-solving when required and provide strategic immigration planning.
We advise on a wide range of immigration routes and support clients in discretionary applications to the Home Office. We are also experienced in challenging Home Office decisions and work with specialist barristers to ensure our clients receive the best possible support.
Why choose us?
Our personal immigration lawyers combine expertise with a human approach. We understand that each client’s circumstances are different, and we take the time to understand your position before advising.
Our diversity of background and experience is complemented by a shared passion for helping our clients achieve their immigration goals and secure their foundations for the present and future.
We also recognise that immigration is often part of a bigger picture. We offer a full-service approach working alongside our tax, property, family, and corporate teams. We also work closely with a network of professional services firms including wealth managers, buying agents, and education consultants. We are headquartered in the UK and have a network of international offices and partner firms that we work with on our client’s UK and global immigration requirements.
ultra-high net worth entrepreneur and their family
to relocate from the US to the UK, working closely with tax advisors and other intermediaries to develop a bespoke immigration solution supporting complex professional travel and education needs.
Successfully securing UK settlement for an
ultra-high net worth investor
in complex circumstances which required detailed legal representations to the Home Office, and subsequently assisting the client and his family to implement a global mobility planning strategy supporting residence in multiple European jurisdictions.
Taking urgent, protective action on behalf of
a prominent European businessperson
to maintain their family’s lawful immigration status in the UK while their personal circumstances were changing, and subsequently varying their applications to keep them on the most suitable visa route once matters settled.
Advising
two generations of the same family
on complex potential claims to British citizenship based on citizenship of previous generations, the impact of historic discriminatory legislation and the remedies now available to them.
Acting pro bono to secure British citizenship
for a young boy whose family had acquired British citizenship but who could not obtain it himself except at the discretion of the Home Office and whose application for a fee waiver had been refused. We submitted detailed legal representations on his achievements at school, his home life and his ties to the UK, resulting in his grant of citizenship which has provided him with a crucial sense of security and belonging.
Acting pro bono
for a father in difficult circumstances following marital breakdown, securing a new visa to ensure he could remain in the UK to see his British child.
Acting pro bono for
a vulnerable family to successfully obtain British citizenship for two young children born in the UK, securing a life-changing outcome despite challenging circumstances surrounding sensitive paternity issues and a lack of official documentation.
Guiding a
high net worth family
through the full Italian investor visa process, including preparing detailed investment documentation, liaising with the relevant Italian authorities, and, following the client's entry into Italy, assisting with the application for their residence permit, resulting in a seamless and coordinated relocation to Italy for the entire family.
Securing entry visas and residence permit for
the non-EU national family member of an Italian citizen, navigating the specific documentary and procedural requirements and liaising closely with the Italian local immigration authorities to address administrative complexities and secure the timely issuance of the residence permit.
Assisting an
EU citizen's non-EU spouse and minor children to obtain Italian residence cards under EU free movement rules, coordinating the collection of extensive supporting documentation from multiple jurisdictions, and engaging directly with the local authorities to bring the process to a successful conclusion.
Handling the registration of
a Swiss national with the Italian civil registry (Anagrafe) as a resident in Italy, guiding the client through the specific bureaucratic requirements and liaising with the relevant municipal offices to resolve procedural issues and successfully complete the registration.
Managing the enrolment of
non-EU investor visa holders in the Italian National Health Service (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale), ensuring they could access public healthcare in accordance with Italian law, and working with the competent local health authorities to complete the enrolment process and satisfy the particular, complex administrative requirements.
The private client team at Charles Russell Speechlys stands out for its deep technical expertise, particularly in navigating complex cross-border tax issues and advising high-net-worth individuals on evolving tax landscapes.
What sets them all apart from competitors is the confidence they inspire in clients and professional partners alike.
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