Shahjahan Ali#73

Shahjahan Ali

Partner, Merali Beedle
Shahjahan was recognised as a leading immigration solicitor by Legal500 from 2022 through to 2025. He has also been on the Lexis Nexis panel of immigration experts for over a decade. Formerly, Shahjahan chaired the London First Immigration Working Group.

He has over 17 years’ experience advising clients on a range of immigration matters, particularly businesses, entrepreneurs, highly skilled individuals, investors, HNWI, executives and professional sportspersons.

Shahjahan has an exceptional track record of success. He has helped international businesses establish branches in the UK and supported international recruitment in a range of sectors including finance, IT, healthcare, manufacturing and retail. He has also supported clients with investment, work and family based visas.

Examples of Shahjahan’s work include:
  • Advising HNWIs in relation to entry clearance, extension and indefinite leave to remain under the investor category.
  • Supporting tech entrepreneurs with Global Talent visa applications.
  • Assisting businesses with obtaining and managing a sponsorship licence.
  • Advising on immigration and sponsorship compliance for small and large businesses.
  • Assisting British citizens with visa applications for their partners.
  • Advising on British citizenship.

Contributed to

3

Challenging Workers and Temporary Workers sponsor licence decisions by way of judicial review
Challenging Workers and Temporary Workers sponsor licence decisions by way of judicial review
Practice Notes

A decision by the Home Office to refuse a Workers and/or Temporary Workers sponsor licence or to suspend, downgrade or revoke an existing sponsor licence does not attract a right of appeal. Since 6 April 2016, there has been a 'pre-licence error correction' procedure which has enabled sponsors to challenge the refusal of a sponsor licence application where there has been a 'simple caseworking error' or where supporting evidence sent with the initial application has not been considered. This Practice Note looks at how to challenge a negative sponsor licence decision by way of judicial review. It focuses on assessing the merits of a challenge, the investigation process, discussions and negotiations with the Home Office, and the letter before action.

Downgrading, suspension, revocation and surrender of Workers and Temporary Workers sponsor licences
Downgrading, suspension, revocation and surrender of Workers and Temporary Workers sponsor licences
Practice Notes

This Practice Note looks at the circumstances set out in the Home Office’s Workers and Temporary Workers Sponsor Guidance as to when the Home Office can or will downgrade an organisation’s sponsor licence from an ‘A’ to a ‘B’ grade, suspend or revoke the organisation’s licence. It also outlines how to surrender a sponsor licence and the effect of such actions on the organisation and its sponsored workers.

Tier 1 (Investor): key practical considerations [Archived]
Tier 1 (Investor): key practical considerations [Archived]
Practice Notes

This Practice Note examines some common practical issues relating to applications submitted in the Tier 1 (Investor) category. It considers client management, other options such as the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) category, the absences requirement for applications for indefinite leave to remain and naturalisation, dual citizenship, tax and English language requirements.

Practice Area

Panel

  • Contributing Author

Qualification

  • Solicitor

Education

  • Lancaster University, Law LLB (Hons)
  • Languages spoken: Bengali French

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