Local agency or remote studio for an immigration and relocation firm website in London: how to choose (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

In London, an immigration and relocation firm website built by a local agency costs, as a 2026 ballpark, 10 000 to 50 000 GBP, while Kolonell delivers a fixed scope for 2 300 GBP, 3 900 GBP or 6 900 GBP. A London agency is the better choice if you want a client portal tied to your case management software, a video shot in your offices or a team running paid campaigns on very expensive keywords; a remote studio fits when the job is clear pages by client profile, a page separating regulated advice from relocation and a readable offer for HR teams. Time zones are barely an issue: 0 to 1 hour of difference with the Kolonell team.

London agency, freelancer or Kolonell: which criteria really matter?

The ranges are prudent 2026 orders of magnitude, based on public rate cards of London agencies, minimum project sizes shown on Clutch.co profiles, hourly rates published by agencies (often 90 to 160 GBP per hour) and rates visible on Upwork and Fiverr.

The Kolonell team is based in Senegal (GMT): in winter we share London's clock, and in summer we are one hour behind. A written update arrives every week. Tier details are on our international offer.

When is a London agency the better choice?

• You want a client portal where families track their case and upload documents, connected to your case management software. At Kolonell, that is a custom application, quoted on request.
• You invest heavily in paid search on queries such as Skilled Worker visa or sponsor licence, where cost per click is high in London: a local team managing campaigns every week has real value.
• You want a video shot in your offices in the City or Canary Wharf to reassure HR directors.
• Your firm employs several dozen people with a compliance team that wants sign-off workshops in person.

When is a remote studio like Kolonell enough?

A remote studio suits a firm of 2 to 20 people whose need is a clear, well-written and legally careful site. As a real reference, Kolonell delivered for TR Signing Group, a notary and apostille service in New Jersey, a bilingual FR/EN site with quote requests checked file by file, an appointment calendar and live chat: an audience preparing documents for use abroad, close to yours.

Other languages (Arabic, Hindi, Portuguese, Mandarin) are supplied by you or quoted separately. Ongoing search engine work is quoted on request.

What does a London firm need, and what do the rules say?

London concentrates very different audiences: employees transferred by banks in the City and Canary Wharf, engineers and researchers around King's Cross, start-up founders, diplomats and staff of international organisations, families comparing Hampstead, Richmond, Wimbledon or South Kensington for schools. HR teams look for a partner able to relocate dozens of employees a year; individuals first want to understand what applies to them. The types of application to present are many (Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Global Business Mobility, Innovator Founder, family visas), always as types of cases handled, never as a promise of a visa or a timeline.

The site must separate two trades. Immigration advice is regulated: it is given by advisers registered with the Immigration Advice Authority (formerly the OISC), within the limits of their registration level, or by solicitors regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and other authorised legal professionals. Relocation (home search, schools, GP registration, bank accounts, partner support) involves no legal advice and should say so.

Compliance, factually. A registered adviser must present their status exactly; solicitor firms are subject to the SRA Transparency Rules, which require price and service information for certain services, including some immigration work: check the current scope. Case files hold passports and family details: UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 apply, with a minimal form and no passports sent by plain email. The Equality Act 2010 requires that disabled people are not put at a disadvantage, and WCAG 2.1 AA serves as the technical reference. This is not legal advice.

Which questions should you ask before choosing?

• Who reviews the pages describing visa categories, and under which professional rules?
• Does the quote promise a client portal included with no detail on hosting, security and backups?
• Does the agency suggest taglines such as visa guaranteed or permit in X weeks? That is a red flag.
• Are the domain and hosting in your name?
• What does an added guide cost after launch?
• Does the form ask for identity documents at first contact?

Mini case study

Illustrative example. Nadia R. heads mobility at a 12-person firm near Liverpool Street, with an adviser registered with the Immigration Advice Authority and a relocation team. Her clients: HR departments in finance and French-speaking families. A London agency quotes 26 000 GBP over 12 weeks. She compares it with Kolonell Premium at 6 900 GBP, bilingual FR/EN included.

The gap of about 18 300 GBP covers several months of campaigns, or a future client portal quoted on request. These figures support the comparison of quotes; they do not predict an invoice.

FAQ

Does Kolonell write the visa pages?

We write pages that present the types of cases and the role of each party, with no promise of outcome. Your registered adviser or solicitor reviews every page before launch, usually in 1 to 2 rounds.

Can we receive documents through the site?

We link the site to a third-party secure upload tool from Starter at 2 300 GBP. A custom client portal with case tracking is quoted on request.

Is the time difference a hurdle?

No: the gap is 0 hours in winter and 1 hour in summer. Calls happen during your office hours and a written update arrives every week.

Do we need a bilingual site in London?

If part of your clientele speaks French, yes: bilingual FR/EN is included in Premium at 6 900 GBP. Arabic or Hindi are supplied by you or quoted separately.

How does payment work?

By bank transfer or Wise, 50% at kickoff and 50% at delivery. The domain stays in your name and 3 months of support are included, 6 months in Premium.

Let's scope your project. Send us your client profiles, how roles are split between advice and relocation, and your languages: we reply with a fixed-price tier and delivery in 3 to 4 weeks. Request your free quote or see the international offer.