How a file moves
Five stages. No mystery fees in week six.
Every instruction is scoped before we take a deposit. You see the government fees, the translator’s invoice and our professional fee as three separate lines. We do not mark up FCDO apostilles.
Week 0
Intake and conflict check
You send destination, travel month, income type (PAYE remote, limited company, sole trader, mix), dependants, and any previous refusals. We decline files we cannot honestly support — for example a D8 with £1,900 a month of invoices. If we take it, you receive a written scope and a document list within two working days.
What you send first
Passport bio page, three months of statements, the contract or engagement letter, and a one-page note of the intended city.
Document architecture
We draft the cover index, the employment or client letter in the destination’s required form, the insurance schedule, and the proof-of-accommodation holding letter. You approve every page before anything is legalised.
Legalisation
ACRO, FCDO apostille, sworn translation, Companies House certified copies. We run the apostille ourselves; we do not hand you a Gov.uk link and wish you luck. Typical legalisation window from Birmingham: 8–15 working days, longer in August.
Lodgement
Portal upload, VFS biometrics, or a London consular slot. Where personal attendance is required we can sit with you at the mission for £220. After lodgement we hold a weekly chase note until a decision issues. Average decision windows we actually see: Thailand 10–18 working days; Spain 4–10 weeks; Portugal 8–14 weeks; UAE 2–4 weeks.
Landing brief
NIE, NIF, tax number, health registration, rental contract that will survive a police pad. We do not find you a flat. We tell you which contract clauses visa officers have rejected this year.
Professional fees, stated once
Government visa fees, VFS charges, translator invoices and FCDO apostille fees are paid at cost. The figures below are ours.
| Instruction | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility memorandum | £180 | Credited if you instruct a filing within 30 days |
| Single applicant filing | £1,450 | One destination, one pack, lodgement included |
| Couple filing | £2,250 | Two adults, same destination |
| Each child dependant | £380 | Birth certificate legalisation extra at cost |
| Translation coordination | £65 / document | Plus the translator’s own invoice |
| FCDO apostille run | £45 | Plus the current FCDO fee, unpadded |
| Consular attendance, London | £220 | Half-day at the mission with your file |
| Ten-day architecture | + £400 | Does not accelerate the government |
Payment is 50% on instruction, 50% on lodgement. We do not take a success fee. A refusal on the papers we prepared is reviewed at no charge; a refusal on facts you withheld is not.
Send the destination and the month.
We will tell you, in writing, whether the file is worth opening.
Write to the studio