How much is a reasonable fee for soliciter...

[nadiii]

to arrange paperwork for a fiance visa? Ive been quoted £500 fixed fee paid in advance, and additional amounts if we need to appeal the decicion.

he will do a house/living assesment, documents for house ownership, organsie bank statements, and other needed paper work.

I think £500 is alot. please let me know your thoughts, thanks.

[Lucapooka]

Is this a solicitor or OISC advisor based in the UK or an agency based outside the UK?

[geriatrix]

Check with a few others, and you'll know if it is a lot ... or not.

[nadiii]

This is for a london heathrow based solicter.

He came around to visit and did an inspection of the property regarding rooms and occupancy. Should a third party do that or my own soliciter?

He didnt know the correct fee for fiance visa which is £80 (please correct me if im wrong), he said it was around £200.

I dont think he is OISC Registered , i did not know to ask if he was. Is this the organisation all reputable immigration solicters are affiliated with?

[nadiii]

I can add that he would make the paperwork from my side as the sponser (british citizen) and we would fed ex the file and form to my fiance would add additional documents before making the application.

[Lucapooka]

The correct fee is 810 pounds (but collected in the equivalent of this amount in the local currency where the application is being submitted). If he did not know this I would then begin to wonder what else he is not familiar with. However, it's not possible to make a judgement on the scant information provided and perhaps there was a misunderstanding. A fee of 76 pounds would be be commensurate with a marriage visit visa (but that will not allow the applicant to settle in the UK after the marriage).

[SoHopeful]

Well, i have been quoted £700+ for assistance with a settlement visa. I think full assistance at £500 is a fair price.

[geriatrix]

Search for a OISC registered advisor(s). As suggested above, enquire with a few and you'll know what's a reasonable fee (for the services you wish to the advisor to provide you).

[batleykhan]

Why not do it like hundreds of other people have done it themselves on this forum.

Unless you feel your application is complicated , then by all mean seek professional advice, however if its a straight forward application, then why pay someone hundreds of pound to complete your paperwork.The onus would still be on you to provide the documents for your solicitors, so he can put them together.

[nadiii]

thank you everyone, after reading your replies I am looking at other options and doing some/most of the work myself.

[Greenie]

This is for a london heathrow based solicter.

He came around to visit and did an inspection of the property regarding rooms and occupancy. Should a third party do that or my own soliciter?

He didnt know the correct fee for fiance visa which is £80 (please correct me if im wrong), he said it was around £200.

I dont think he is OISC Registered , i did not know to ask if he was. Is this the organisation all reputable immigration solicters are affiliated with?

Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The OISC regulates immigration advisors who are not solicitors and/or who are not working under the supervision of a solicitor.

[nadiii]

Thanks Greenie, so can an OISC Registered adviser notorise or attest documents?

what docs do i need to attest or notorize, i have read from previous posts:

Copies of the Sponsor’s passport
Copy of Sponsor’s Birth certificate

Do I need to notorise or have any other docs attested? ie bank statements, accomodation report?

Thanks.

[nadiii]

Another question, do i need a land registry (a title register where you can find out who owns the property) since it will have my mother and fathers names on it. Is the downloadable pdf version ok? (from https://www.landregistry.gov.uk) it cost £4. or can I get a paper version from them, they do dot say on that site.

Will I then need to get the mortgage statements from the mortgage company too? and bank statements from my parent of how they make the payments?

[sally12345]

I agree I did the whole application myself thankgod did I was getting all kinds of foolish advice my husband was an overstayer as well he came back within weeks... i sure as hell anit going to pay any lawyer when i can do it myself x

[Casa]

In some cases, when the sponsor finds the paperwork too daunting, legal assistance can save the cost of an appeal and the heartache of a refusal.
We know little about your situation. You mention your parents' bank statements. Are they acting as 3rd party financial sponsors or are they simply offering accommodation?
Have you read through form VAF4(a) thoroughly? The fiance visa fee is indeed £810. A £500 legal fee is about average for a straightforward application.

[nadiii]

thanks Casa and Sally, i have read vaf4a and researched alot.

Yes my parents will provide accomodation, and no financial support.

After finding out the correct fee for fiance visa we wont be going down that route. We will be getting married abroad in feb and appying for a spose settlement visa.

I have the remaining months to gahter and prepare all the documents. I will then get a soliciter to do thier work on attesting and notorising. I found someone more reasonable.

A question, if we are married in feb 2012 how long after marrying could we apply? what is recommended? would it be ok to get married, wait 2 weeks for all the photos and paperwork to be ready, apply, and I return to the UK after 2 more weeks? or should I stay until a decision is given by UKBA?

Will UKBA still look at Intervening Devotion from the time we where apart before the marraige?