Which UK Visa do you need?

Meet the team

Holmes & Partners Ltd. are made up of a diverse team with many members within their team having first-hand experience of the visa application process. They fully understand how frustrating and stressful this can be and are here to help others through this stressful process. Together they make up a team who are incredibly committed to their clients and to one another.


Everything that the team does is built on trust. They are all about building trust-based relationships internally and externally as well as establishing win-win partnerships. While they care about getting results, this will not be at the expense of people.

Michelle Holmes

Managing Director

My own immigration story started back in November 2003 when I first applied to enter the UK under the Tier 5 route, which is no longer available to South Africans – I was one of the lucky ones! I arrived in London straight from the Bushveld in South Africa and to say it was a culture shock is, to say the least! I arrived on a cold damp morning and thought London was freezing… until I moved to Yorkshire in April 2004 that is. Ha!

Like so many others, I emigrated to the UK on my own and 8 years later I proudly became a British Citizen. Why am I telling you this? Well, I get it! I completely understand how stressful and expensive emigrating to another country can be. The psychological impact of emigrating, the family/friends/animals you leave behind, the stress and cost of the visa process and this is all just the start of a very long, hard journey.

When I speak to parents or agents of students, I can empathise and reassure them that through my own experiences and work experience, they are in safe hands and shall be there with them every step of the way to guide and assist.

I previously worked as Head of Compliance, providing advice on all sponsor licence and student matters for a large number of independent schools and colleges. My experience includes but is not limited to:

  • Applying for a sponsor licence;

  • Partnership agreements;

  • Adding additional study sites;

  • UKVI inspection preparation; attendance and lead the inspection;

  • Mock inspections and reports;

  • Liaising with Home Office, agents, parents, admissions departments and other stakeholders;

  • Assist with admissions and international students policies

  • Training for boarding staff;

  • Managing sponsor licences, including applying for the annual BCA and CAS allocations;

  • Managing documentary evidence (appendix D);

  • Reporting on both licence and student related matters;

  • Providing advice on the Child Student and Student route (previously Tier 4);

  • Assist with visa applications, drafting and issuing CAS;

  • BRP queries

and many more…..

Now you know a little about me and hopefully, after you have checked out my website, you know more about what Holmes & Partners Ltd can offer you.

We are here to help, so please feel free to get in touch anytime.
Contact Michelle

Emma Helliwell

Operations Manager

I joined Holmes & Partners in October 2021 having no previous experience in Immigration, but in the years that have followed, I have grown my knowledge by not only assisting a wide range of families with their visa applications but by studying for and acquiring OISC accreditation. The ever-changing landscape of immigration in the UK means that we are constantly evolving how we work to support better those applying for their visas, and it also means I am constantly evolving my knowledge - every day is a school day!
Contact Emma

Jeferson Zigart

Immigration Adviser

My passion to assist people to navigate through the UK immigration system started in 2011 when I had to apply for my leave to enter and found how daunting the experience can be – lots of documents to gather and an extensive and complicated application form to fill in. Not to mention the 280-mile journey to my local visa centre.

I arrived in Yorkshire in summer 2011 and fell in love with the county straightaway – the people, culture and the breathtakingly beautiful landscape.

It took me nearly 4 years and lots of paperwork, applications forms, sleepless nights, headaches, worries and expenses I could ill afford, as I did the entire visa application processes from entry into the UK through to becoming a British Citizen myself, all by myself.

Having endured the daunting experience to successfully complete the processes, I now understood from first-hand experience the frustration students and their families may feel due to the complexity of the immigration system. The possibility to help families and schools during the process is what has been driving me since 2016.

I previously worked as a Senior Account Manager, providing schools and families with advice during the UK visa application process. My experience in the sector includes:

  • Checking students’ documents against current UKVI guidance;

  • Applying for Child Student and Student visas (formerly known as Tier 4);

  • Provide advice to schools and families regarding the visa route required in each case;

  • General enquiries;

  • Liaising with the Admissions department of schools;

  • Drafting and issuing CAS’s on behalf of the schools;

  • ACL queries;

  • BRP queries;

  • Maintaining accurate documentation and case files.
Contact Jeferson

Nicolas Chan

Immigration Adviser

I became a part of Holmes & Partners in 2021. Since then, my role has allowed me to acquire expertise in various aspects of immigration, particularly in visa applications, with a specialization in child student and student visas, as well as parent-of-a-child visas. Additionally, I have gained experience in drafting and issuing Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), addressing general inquiries in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin, and collaborating with independent schools to ensure compliance with immigration regulations. My enthusiasm for this field drives me to continuously expand my knowledge of immigration matters, all with the goal of delivering the highest level of service to our valued clients.
Contact Nicolas

Do you need a UK visa?

Try our simple and easy to use questionnaire to find out which UK visa you may be entitled to.
Check whether you need a UK visa

Get In Touch Today!

Our skilled and friendly team are ready to answer all of your questions and to fully support you during your visa application process. Contact our team today for advice and support.

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