Let Us Help
Where Every Client Matters
Meresbrook Pollard Solicitors was formed in 2011 and has quickly established a highly satisfied client base. We are renowned for our attention to detail and for ‘going the extra mile’. Meresbrook Pollard Solicitors is a small firm that has and continues to establish strong and lasting relationships with our clients.
Our Services
Find out more about how we can help you
EU Visas
In light of Brexit, it is very important for many European nationals and their families to get UK visas, if they intend to keep the UK as their home.
Special Educational Needs & Disabilities
I need legal help with Special Education needs & Disabilities (SEND)
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Appeals
According to information provided by the UK government, 80% of entry clearance refusals which are subject to review are subsequently overturned.
Asylum
If you have been forced to leave your country and face persecution based on your race, religion, nationality or political beliefs, we may be able to help you.
Study & Work Visas
Depending on your reason for wanting to come to the UK, the visa that you will need to apply for will be different. Our experts will be able toes if you are eligible for the most appropriate visa for you.
Visas for Couples
Are you wanting your partner ot join you in the UK? Get in touch today for a free assessment meeting where we will see if there is a route for you and your partner.
Business Visas
The UK provides several routes for businesses to consider. Our immigration experts can guide you through what is best for you and your business.
Staying in the UK Visas
Contact us to see if you or your family member qualify to settle in the UK on the basis of your current visa, or on your relationship to people residing in the UK.
UK Visitor Visas
Are you or is someone you know wanting ot visit the UK? We can help prepare the application pack to give you the best chance of a visitor visa being granted.
OUR IMMIGRATION SOLICITORS
Zahida Alam
Immigration SolicitorZahida graduated from The University of Bradford with a LLB Hons degree and undertook her Legal Practice Course at Leeds. She is Senior Solicitor and Partner at Meresbrook Pollard Solicitors.
Shazia Sarwar
Immigration SolicitorShazia is a Senior Solicitor and Partner at Meresbrook Pollard Solicitors and qualified as a Solicitor in 2011.
Client Testimonials
See what our clients have to say about us.
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Thank you for your hard work for my spouse application Visa was granted within 6 weeks I definitely recommend meresbrook pollard solicitors they are highly professionals 5 stars given
Ahmad Nassiri
January 29, 2020 -
Meresbrooke Pollard Solicitors are one of the best firms I have had experience with. Zahida and Shazia helped me with my spouse visa with a high level of professionalism and guided me through the whole process. They were always available to answer my queries and concerns. I couldn't thank them enough for all the help and support they provided which lead to a successful spouse visa within 8 weeks. Thank you for everything I really cant express how thankful I am to you for helping me through this process. I would recommend their service to anyone who is looking for a first time successful application for a visa and I will be definitely returning in the future to use their services again. Thank You
Samira Ahmed
May 28, 2021 -
I am extremely happy with the professional and caring legal advice and service I received from Meresbrook Pollard Solicitors. with an extra special thanks to Shazia from the firm. I made contact with Shazia in September 2020 at a time where I had lost all hope whilst trying to be reunited with my partner. We have been separated for almost 4 years as he had to leave the UK due to visa refusals. On top of that, we had many complexities in our case, due to previous bad immigration history, personal family circumstances and even accumulated debt left behind in the UK. Being aware of this, I got in touch with Shazia and explained to her my situation and what I required. She was very attentive and guided me through a new spouse visa application for my partner. Although we were and still are in the midst of a pandemic and with working from home and all, Shazia really made me feel comfortable and reassured me throughout the whole process. The firm were always available for when I had a query or concern and very responsive to my emails and phone calls. So we applied in November 2020 and thankfully received the visa earlier this week in Feb 2021. I cant begin to explain how pleased I am with the result and I am so happy I decided to go ahead with Meresbook Pollard Solicitors and I would 100% recommend them to friends and family in the future.
S.T N
February 27, 2021 -
Very impressed with the professionalism and response of the team during my visa application. Highly recommend anyone planning on any immigration issues. Really appreciate their professional and calculative approach for securing my visa.
ABDUL KHALID
December 17, 2020 -
Both Zahida and Shazia have been absolutely exemplary in their conduct of our matter from the outset to the end. They have guided us throughout the process and always were on hand to quell our concerns. They very proactive and responsive to our emails and telephone calls and couldn’t thank them enough for their services! Thank you both again for everything, we really appreciate it. All the best for the future
Koser Asif
March 31, 2021
About us
Why should you contact us?
We know that a successful visa application is of the utmost importance and that choosing the right immigration solicitor for you is incredibly important.
Our solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) so you can be assured that you are not recieving unqualified advice.
Emails are usually responded to on the same day and we are always attentive to our phone ringing!
We will be able to provide you with the costs involved in your application from the very beginning. We will not shock you with any hidden costs!
Our immigration solicitors have an abundance of immigration experience with UK & EU visa applications. Immigration is what we practice every day of the week.
Our immigration solicitors are fluent in several languages, including Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu.
Our immigration solicitors, Zahida Alam and Shazia Sarwar are esteemed members of the Bradford community and got into immigration primarily because of their desire to help people.
Meresbrook Pollard Solicitors are fully qualified Dewsbury immigration solicitors and can assist you with your immigration matter today. As experienced Dewsbury immigration lawyers who are registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority, you can be confident that you are getting the right advice for you and your family.
We appreciate that there are a number of immigration solicitors who do not do their clients justice, but rather treat each application without the undue care and attention it requires. At Meresbrook Pollard Solicitors, we pride ourselves in our work. Not only do we have an exceptionally high client satisfaction rate (we get wedding invitations and dinner invites on almost a daily basis!), but also on our high standard of immigration advice. Our immigration lawyers, Zahida and Shazia, have extensive knowledge on the Immigration Rules and bring many years of immigration experience with it. We are dedicated to provide the best immigration advice in Dewsbury and across the UK.
If you would like free immigration advice from one of our immigration lawyers who are based in Dewsbury, please feel free to get in touch by calling 01274780442, email us at info@meresbrookpollardsolicitors.co.uk or by using our online enquiry form.
We appreciate that your circumstances are completely personal to you and are unique – this is why we always take the time to listen to you, either in our Dewsbury office, on telephone or Skype. This is to ensure that you can be assured that your Dewsbury immigration solicitor are completely familiar with your case and situation and can therefore give the best immigration advice in Dewsbury possible.
Our Dewsbury immigration lawyers are fully qualified immigration solicitors. Zahida’s SRA profile can be found here, whilst Shazia’s SRA profile can be found here.
Immigration advice for individuals
Our immigration solicitors are experienced immigration advisors and are able to advise on a range of individual matters. Whether it is spouse visas, EEA and citizenship applications, asylum, our immigration advisors are here to guide you through from start to finish.
If you have settled status in the UK, have Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or are a British national wanting your fiancé, husband, wife or family member join you in the UK, our expert immigration advisors have the knowledge and expertise to provide immigration advice, practical assistance and an outstanding level of service from beginning to end. Our number one goal is to provide the best immigration advice that is tailored to your own personal circumstances.
Our Dewsbury immigration solicitors will take the stress out of the visa application process, as we will guide you from the very start to the very end. Below is the standard process in which we provide expert immigration advice to our clients.
1. You will attend a free immigration advice session
We are happy to provide a free immigration advice session with an experienced immigration lawyer. This can be either in our office, over the phone or via Skype. As we know the Immigration Rules inside out, we can advise on the best visa application to make depending on your own very personal circumstances. We can also advise on the general documentation required and answer any queries that you may have. Our initial immigration advice sessions are free, and come at no cost to you. Importantly, we do not pressure you to engage us and they are no obligation.
2. We will complete the application forms for you
The immigration forms that the Home Office require you complete are often filled with complex and confusing words. A simple mistake here can result in a refusal, which in turn has a crushing impact on any future UK immigration applications. This is why we have spent a considerable amount of time creating a simple questionnaire so it is easy for you to let us know of your details. Once this is handed back to us, this allows us to complete the form for you by our immigration lawyers, so you can rest assured that everything is completed correctly.
3.
We will assist you with gathering the best supporting evidence
Our immigration solicitors will then assist you by providing a comprehensive list of documents for you to gather, together with guidance that helps you to obtain the correct evidence. The Home Office impose strict and sometimes strange rules regarding specific documents. As we are aware of each of these rules, we will ensure that you have the best chance of application success.
4.
We will finish the application pack
Once your immigration solicitor has ensured that everything is in order, they will combine the completed application form & the supporting documents into an application pack. This, along with a legal covering letter, will then be double-checked by another member of staff.
5. We will then complete the other tasks required to submit the application
Our immigration solicitors will then perform the necessary formalities that is required to submit the application on websites such as the Visa4uk website, if required. They will also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) on your behalf, if that application requires it.
6. We will then submit the application pack
Once the above has been done, your immigration solicitor will then subnmit the application in accordance with the Immigration Rules and handle any communications with the Home Office, when they make contact. We will inform you when your visa has been granted. In the minority of cases, where there has been a refusal, we will inform you with your potential options.
Immigration Advice for Businesses
Our immigration advisors also offer a wealth of immigration advice in relation to many areas of businesses.
We are happy to help small to medium sized businesses with any immigration business related matters, including:
- Tiers 1 to 5
- Entrepreneur business immigration advice
- Investor visa guidance
- Ensuring that your business is compliant with Home Office visits
- Sponsorship licences; and
- Sole representative of an Overseas Business Visa
Our Immigration Solicitors can provide the solution to your immigration problems
1. We Have maintained a high client satisfaction level for several years
We understand that you or your family’s visa application is something that is incredibly important. It is for this reason why we ensure that every application that our immigration solicitors prepare is absolutely the best application possible. We are not immigration lawyers who treat your case as just a number. Rather, a large amount of our time is spent drafting legal supporting letters that are addressed to the UK Home Office & double-checking the small details. It is these legal supporting letters where we clearly state what the law is and how they apply to your case. With us, you can rest assured that you will be provided with the best chance of a positive visa outcome.
2. We have clear & fair legal fees with no hidden costs
We can appreciate why many people are scared of even walking into an immigration lawyer’s office. However, with us, you can be confident that our fees are clear and are made known to you well before you have to pay us a penny. In addition to up-front fees, we also offer free initial immigration advice consultations, where we will talk about your personal circumstances.
3. We will take the stress out of immigration
We know that most people know very little about UK and European visas. We will inform you from very early on exactly what the procedure is and what to expect. You will have your own personal immigration solicitor to speak with when any questions arise.
4. We will remain available for you to speak to, throughout the process
If you have any questions at all about your case, or on any matter such as the visa process, processing times etc. we are here to help!
Arrange A FREE Consultation
See what our clients have to say about us.
Your Immigration Questions and Our Answers
Hi Meresbrook Pollard Solicitors. I have been forwarded your number by my good friend Blerim, who has said that you helped his wife’s European application for residency in the UK. They are big fans of you two! We have been refused a visit visa for my Filipino girlfriend – not me, I am British! Me and my partner have been together for 3+ years now and we are not married. I would really like her to come and build her life here, to work...everything! As we have developed a really strong bond, we are able to evidence that we are really close. You can see this by the thousands of texts that we have sent each other, photographs and everything! It is our intention to get married and we would like to do it in the next 6 months. With this being said, as we have to see each other soon, we are considering applying for a UK visitor visa again. I’d just like to ask whether this is a good idea from an immigration solicitor. Simon
Hi Simon. Thank you for your enquiry. Applying again is something you should certainly consider carefully. Whilst we do not know sufficient details to comment on your girlfriend’s case, Filipinos’ are commonly refused UK visitor visas as a result of insufficient ties to the Philippines. We would advise contacting an immigration solicitor to discuss your situation more fully, as refused UK visa applications will have a negative effect on subsequent applications. Please note that the above constitutes general advice only, and cannot be construed as legal advice until we have a full instruction from you. If you would like for our assistance, please feel free to contact us on 01274 780442. Best regards, Meresbrook Pollard Solicitors
Dear immigration lawyers. I live in the UK as a British man and I would like to bring my Pakistani wife to the UK. I have a job as a taxi-driver, which I understand I need to meet the financial requirement. With this being said, as I was ill in the past year, I could not earn as much as I would really like to – my yearly earnings in the past 12 months has only been £13,000. I have been told by a family friend that I need to earn more than this, however and that I have no hope. Is this right? To help you make an informed decision, please read the following details. I have resided in Bradford for the whole of my life (my Pakistani parents have too). As a result of a car crash, I have been receiving disability living allowance for some time now. I own a 3 bed property in the city centre of Bradford and I have the documents to prove this. In addition to this, I have £58,000 in my bank account but I have also been told that this also does not meet the Appendix FM financial requirements as I need over £62,500. Can you please give me immigration advice? I live in Bradford. Azhar
Hi Azhar. Thank you for your enquiry. From the details provided, it is very likely that you will meet the financial requirement for a spouse visa. We say this as it appears that you are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), which means that the £18,600 financial requirement does not apply and instead you will need to satisfy the ‘adequate maintenance test’. In light of this, it is suggested that you should contact an Immigration solicitor in Bradford to assist you. Alternatively, you can check the guidance provided by the Home Office which details out the test in full. Please note that the above constitutes general advice only, and cannot be construed as legal advice until we have a full instruction from you. If you would like for our assistance, please feel free to contact us on 01274 780442. Best regards, Meresbrook Pollard Solicitors
Hi. Hopefully you can answer my question. It is my greatest desire for my Thai boyfriend to join me in England and to reside with me. We have been in a relationship together for over 2 years and many would consider that we have a healthy relationship. However, despite including numerous evidence to show that our relationship is genuine (like money transfers) our last UK visit visa was refused. I ask you, would it be easier if we married? My annual salary is £68,500.
Thank you for your question. UK visitor visas are sometimes very difficult where the person who wants to visit the UK (in this case, your boyfriend) does not have strong ties to his country. Although you did not state the reason for the refusal specifically, I am assuming that the UK Government, unfortunately, feared that he does not intend to return to his home country. This is something that we hear very often. If you did decide to get married, the potential lack of ties to Thailand becomes largely irrelevant and there are different considerations that the Home Office will consider. The biggest of this is the financial requirement. If you wish, please feel free to get in touch with one of our immigration solicitors on 01274 780442 to discuss whether this financial requirement, or any other of the various requirements, are likely to be met. Please note that the above constitutes general advice only, and cannot be construed as legal advice until we have a full instruction from you. If you would like for our assistance, please feel free to contact us on 01274 780442. Best regards, Meresbrook Pollard Solicitors
Dear immigration solicitors, are you based in Bradford? I am a Zimbabwean national and I previously tried to claim asylum many months ago. Despite this, I was refused as the Home Office did not believe my claim due to lack of credibility – you can see the refusal letter if you wish. Now, I was refused asylum, but I have been in a relationship with a Spanish national for a really long time. Actually, we have been in a relationship for over 10 years and she is in the UK. Her and I live together in a 2 bed apartment just outside Bradford city centre. Last month, I got on one knee and proposed to her and she said yes. We have not married ye but will do soon – as soon as we can raise enough money to have the wedding that she would like. Is it possible to again apply for another EEA residency card in the UK? I was granted one three years ago.
Thank you for your message. We are Bradford immigration solicitors but have clients from all over the UK (especially Wakefield). Based on the information provided, it does appear that you can apply for another residency permit. The relevant application form to complete will be the EEA (EFM) if you remain unmarried or EEA(FM) if you marry before you submit the application. Please note that the above constitutes general advice only, and cannot be construed as legal advice until we have a full instruction from you. If you would like for our assistance, please feel free to contact us on 01274 780442. Best regards, Meresbrook Pollard Solicitors
Hi. I am applying for a UK visa and I have been told by my family that I will need to submit my bank statements. I have downloaded and printed out bank statements from my online bank. However, on the internet, I see a lot of mention about the bank statements being certified. Can you explain what this means?
Thank you for your question. For some UK applications, bank statements must be dated no more than 28 days prior to the date that you submit the application. You have noted downloading and printing your bank statements, whilst we do not know the visa you are applying for (hence why we cannot comment why it is required), we would suggest that you bring those downloaded bank statements to your bank and get them stamped or signed on every page from an appropriate member of staff to confirm their authenticity. Please note that the above constitutes general advice only, and cannot be construed as legal advice until we have a full instruction from you. If you would like for our assistance, please feel free to contact us on 01274 780442. Best regards, Meresbrook Pollard Solicitors
Hello sir. I am British and I am in a relationship with someone from India. We met when we were at university, as she was on my course. She had to go back to her own country after she finished her degree. We are very much still in a relationship. Do we have to show evidence that we are in a relationship when we apply for a spouse visa? Is there a chance that we will be interviewed?
Thank you for your question. If you are putting together a spousal application pack, you will need to evidence your relationship. Are you married? If so, you should include your marriage certificate, as well as any formal documents to show that any previous relationships have broken down. Further documentation that you could include could be social media & other chat logs in addition to any photographs over the time of your relationship. Yes, there is a chance that you will be interviewed. Please note that the above constitutes general advice only, and cannot be construed as legal advice until we have a full instruction from you. If you would like for our assistance, please feel free to contact us on 01274 780442.
Dear Immigration lawyers. I have what is hopefully a straightforward question. It would make me really happy if you could help me. My country of birth was India and this is reflected in my Indian passport. Up until the age of 18 I stayed in India. After that, at 19 I went to the UK to study Maths at the University of Bradford. I went and spoke with the staff there and I asked them, but they said they could that they can only advise on a certain type of extension visa. Because of this, I contact you and I would like some immigration advice. I want to make the UK my main home. Last month I had the best day of my life and I married my English wife. If you add up both of our incomes, it adds up to £38,000. My student visa expires in 33 days. Am I correct in thinking that a FLR M visa would be best for me? Sarah
Hi Sarah, Thank you for your question. Based on the information provided, we would agree that the FLR(M) visa sounds the most appropriate. With this being said, we cannot say with certainty until we hear all of your circumstances. Please note that the above constitutes general advice only, and cannot be construed as legal advice until we have a full instruction from you. If you would like for our assistance, please feel free to contact us on 01274 780442. Best regards, Meresbrook Pollard Solicitors
Dear Meresbrook Pollard Solicitors. I’m called Johnny and I would very much like my husband to join me in England. I am employed by the government and I am in the defence department. I earn more than £18,600 and I’m English. We met a long time ago but I have been refused for a visa twice. I will try to explain as much as I can. The first time, and I can send you the refusal letter if you want, it says that the wrong kind of visa was applied for (a visitor visa one). I understand that there may not be anything that you can do with that. The second one was for a spouse visa (the correct one now I know), but, it was refused because it did not include “bank statements that have been given by the official bank”. As a result, they could not be persuaded that the bank statements were real. I would like to know, shall I appeal this decision or was it correct? Danny.
Hi Danny. Thank you for your question. The Home Office impose certain rules around the submission of bank statements. You can find these in Appendix FM-SE – it is here you will see that the bank statements must be either issued on official bank stationary, or that online printouts are certified by the bank. Please note that the above constitutes general advice only, and cannot be construed as legal advice until we have a full instruction from you. If you would like for our assistance, please feel free to contact us on 01274 780442. Best regards, Meresbrook Pollard Solicitors
* “We are proud to say that we have a 100% success rate since we established for all immigration applications undertaken by our immigration department on initial application where clients followed our advice and were deemed to have even a low prospect of success due to various complexities. Of the very few that were not granted on initial application these were subsequently successful on appeal following our advice”
“Our Immigration department has dealt with complex cases successfully and does not only take on straight- forward cases. we relish complex and difficult cases. Our outstanding 100% success rate is due to the hard work, expertise and diligence of our Immigration Solicitors who ensure they go the extra mile as we believe your success is our success”