The 'Direct Access' scheme enables members of the public and businesses to instruct a specialist immigration barrister directly to provide legal advice and representation.   Rather than having to instruct a solicitor to appoint an immigration barrister for you, Direct Access allows individuals and businesses to instruct an immigration barrister directly.  A solicitor is not involved at any stage.  So, whether you wish to apply for a visa for the UK or appeal against a decision of the UK Border Agency, you can be advised and guided through the whole legal process by an experienced immigration barrister rather than by a solicitor.

What are the benefits of Direct Access?

The benefits of Direct Access are potentially considerable:

(1) Direct Access is designed so that you can obtain legal advice from an immigration barrister without ever having to employ a solicitor.  This means that you only pay for one legal advisor rather than two, potentially producing significant costs savings;

(2) You get direct access to a specialist immigration barrister who is both an expert in immigration law and an experienced advocate;

(3) Immigration barristers work for a fixed fee, providing you with certainty about how much work will cost.  There are no hourly rates and no hidden charges;

(4) Under the watchful guidance of the immigration barrister, you will do some of the basic work a solicitor would normally do, saving you the cost of paying for what you can easily do yourself;

(5) If for any reason you do need a solicitor, then an immigration barrister will tell you.  This means that you will only instruct a solicitor when you actually need to.  Further, the barrister can recommend a solicitor to you.  It will be a recommendation that you can trust because it will come from an expert in immigration law, with years of experience of different solicitors working in the immigration field. 

In short, by allowing you to speak directly to a specialist immigration law advisor and advocate, without the cost of a solicitor, you should be better able to afford the legal advice and representation that you need.

Direct Access Immigration Barristers London, UK

At Richmond Chambers, all our immigration barristers are accredited by the Bar Council of England and Wales to represent clients on a Direct Access basis. For no-obligation initial advice call 0203 617 9173 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it