STERLING MAX
Complete UK Relocation Under One Roof
One legal team. One contract. One invoice. Your entire UK move — visa, company, banking, compliance, hiring — handled by a single SRA-regulated firm.
WHAT IS STERLING MAX?
Sterling Max is Sterling Law’s dedicated UK relocation service for founders, tech professionals and high-net-worth individuals. It is not a separate firm — it is a Sterling Law brand built on the same Legal 500 regulation (SRA №630147), the same senior solicitors, and the same case-management standards.
What makes Sterling Max different is scope. A typical UK move involves a chain of suppliers: an immigration lawyer for the visa, a company formation agency for the Ltd, an accountant for HMRC, a banker for the business account, an HR firm for sponsor licence, a tax advisor for SEIS/EIS. Each is paid separately. Each owns part of the process. The client becomes the project manager — chasing documents, repeating context, watching weeks disappear at every handoff.
Sterling Max replaces that chain with a single engagement. The visa is filed by us. The UK Ltd is registered by us. The business bank account, bookkeeping, payroll, sponsor licence, employment contracts, SEIS/EIS — all delivered as one workstream by the same team that handles your visa. You speak to one senior solicitor. You sign one engagement letter. The cost is fixed up-front.
For founders relocating with a business, this is the difference between a 9-month coordination project and an 8-week launch.
WHO STERLING MAX IS FOR
Sterling Max is built for clients who need more than just a visa:
- Tech founders relocating their company (or starting a new UK Ltd) and applying through Global Talent, Innovator Founder, or Skilled Worker via Self-Sponsorship.
- Senior professionals with families who need a visa and ongoing legal/tax structure once in the UK.
- High-net-worth individuals establishing a UK presence — residency, holding company, bank accounts, wealth structuring.
- Business owners moving an existing company to the UK, including sponsor licence for international hires.
- First-time founders without prior UK exposure who want everything set up so they can focus on building.
If you only need a single document filed (a spouse visa, ILR, naturalisation), Sterling Law’s standalone immigration service is the right route. Sterling Max is for multi-service relocations.
OUR PACKAGES
Four fixed-fee packages. Each lets you choose your visa route (Global Talent / Innovator Founder / Self-Sponsorship / HPI), or skip the visa entirely if you don’t need one. All-inclusive — no surprise hourly bills, no out-of-scope add-ons mid-process.
Pricing shown is the published rate; exact fee depends on which visa route is selected.
| Package | Price | Inside |
|---|---|---|
| IMMIGRATION ONLY Just the visa, done properly. Visa route: Global Talent · Innovator Founder · Self-Sponsorship · HPI |
from £4,100 + VAT |
|
| STARTUP RELOCATION ★ MOST POPULAR Land in the UK with a registered company on day one. Visa route: Global Talent · Innovator Founder · Self-Sponsorship · HPI or No visa needed |
from £5,800 + VAT Save £1,000+ vs buying individually |
Everything in Immigration Only, plus:
|
| FULL FOUNDATION Visa, company AND the legal scaffold to operate. Visa route: Global Talent · Innovator Founder · Self-Sponsorship · HPI or No visa needed |
from £9,800 + VAT Save £3,000+ vs buying individually |
Everything in Startup Relocation, plus:
|
| SCALE & THRIVE ★ INVESTOR READY Built for founders raising a round and hiring a team. Visa route: Global Talent · Innovator Founder · Self-Sponsorship · HPI or No visa needed |
from £13,500 + VAT Save £5,000+ vs buying individually |
Everything in Full Foundation, plus:
|
- Every package includes: senior solicitor named on your file, SRA-regulated through Sterling Law (№630147), professional indemnity insurance, fixed fee with no hourly surprises.
- Add-ons available on top of any package: Sponsor Licence Management, additional EMI grants, advanced wealth structuring, family office support, UK school placement guidance.
If you are specifically pursuing the Global Talent route, additional outcome guarantees apply via talentvisa.uk — see that page for the dedicated Talent-route product.
OUR TECHNOLOGY ADVANTAGE
Sterling Max combines traditional legal expertise with consumer-grade legal tech. Four online tools are available before you even engage us:
A solicitor-trained AI chat that walks you through your situation in 5–8 minutes and identifies exactly which services you need. No sales pitch, no upselling — calibrated to recommend only what fits. Available 24/7.
2. Free AI Visa Eligibility Check
Tell our system your background and it runs an instant assessment against the criteria of the relevant endorsing body. You see a route recommendation, your strongest evidence categories, and the gaps to close.
Live calculator that gives you the full Home Office cost projection (endorsement fee, visa fee, IHS for each dependant, priority service, biometrics) plus our fixed legal fee. Total cost transparency before you commit.
4. Quick Visa Tests:
Five-question quick tests that give an indicative result in under a minute.
All tools are free, no signup. Behind every AI output, a senior Sterling Law solicitor reviews any case before formal advice is issued.
We also deploy Clio, the leading legal practice-management software, for real-time case tracking, document sharing and milestone updates — so you always know exactly where your case stands.
HOW STERLING MAX WORKS — STEP BY STEP
Step 1: Free 15-minute scoping call — £0
A senior solicitor speaks with you to understand your situation, target timeline and goals. We tell you which package fits, what you already have in your favour, and what a realistic outcome looks like. No prep needed.
Step 2: Detailed paid consultation (optional) — £250 + VAT
A full 60-minute senior-solicitor session — deep dive into your evidence document-by-document, criterion mapping, gap analysis, written strategy. Fully credited against the package fee if you proceed to a Sterling Max engagement.
Step 3: Engagement + evidence build
Engagement letter signed. We open your file and begin gathering and drafting: personal statement, CV, recommendation letters, evidence documents, business plan if applicable. Most clients spend 2–3 hours total on their case. We do the rest.
Step 4: Filing + execution
We file every required submission — endorsement (where applicable), visa, Companies House, HMRC, bank account opening. We manage biometrics, priority service, and all communications with the authorities.
Step 5: Company + finance setup
In parallel with the visa, we register your UK Ltd, draft the company constitution, register with HMRC, and (Full Foundation / Scale & Thrive) set up bookkeeping, prepare you for trade. (Startup Relocation, Full Foundation, Scale & Thrive)
Step 6: Decision + post-arrival
On a positive decision, we guide you through finalisation, BRP collection, post-arrival admin. We remain your firm for the long term — ILR, naturalisation, ongoing commercial and corporate work.
WHY FOUNDERS CHOOSE STERLING MAX OVER ASSEMBLING VENDORS
| Service | DIY (assemble vendors yourself) | With Sterling Max |
|---|---|---|
| Up-front eligibility check | £200–500 if at all | £0 — free AI tool + free 15-min call |
| Senior-solicitor consultation | £400–800/hr, non-refundable | £250 + VAT, credited against engagement |
| Visa filing | Specialist firm £4,000–6,000 | Included |
| UK Ltd incorporation | Separate agency £400–800 | Included (Startup Relocation+) |
| Full company constitution (Articles, SHA, DSA, ToS+PP) | £1,500–3,000 with corporate lawyers | Included (Full Foundation+) |
| Business bank account | Weeks of self-research or £200–600 intro | Included via partners |
| Bookkeeping setup | Separate accountant onboarding £500+ | Included — Full Foundation: 3 mo / Scale & Thrive: 6 mo |
| SRA-regulated firm | Some are, many aren’t | Sterling Law (SRA №630147) — full regulation, insurance, complaints process |
| Single point of contact | No — you coordinate 5+ providers | Yes — one named senior solicitor |
| Time-to-trade after arrival | 3–6 months of additional setup | Day 1 with Full Foundation / Scale & Thrive |
WHY CHOOSE STERLING MAX?
- Regulated, insured, accountable. Sterling Law is a Legal 500 firm regulated by the SRA (№630147) and IAA-authorised. Full professional indemnity insurance covers every engagement.
- 52 legal professionals across every relevant discipline. Your case is not a sole practitioner’s side project. A senior solicitor runs your file with on-tap expertise across corporate, immigration, commercial, tax, employment and litigation — for the moment a question crosses a practice boundary.
- Fixed-fee, no surprises. Every Sterling Max package is priced up-front. No hourly add-ons, no “out of scope” surprises mid-case.
- Technology-first. Free AI visa checker, free AI service navigator, transparent online cost calculator, Clio-powered case tracking.
- Over a decade of UK immigration practice. Hundreds of successful Global Talent, Innovator Founder, Skilled Worker and family-route cases. Recognised in the Legal 500 directory.
- Founder-friendly. We work with technology businesses every day — incorporations, investment rounds, SEIS/EIS, cap tables, employment, exits. Your immigration lawyer understands what a SAFE is and why your fundraising timeline matters.
- One firm, long term. The Sterling Max engagement is not transactional. You become a Sterling Law client for the duration of your UK chapter — visa, ILR, citizenship, ongoing commercial work.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Is Sterling Max a separate firm from Sterling Law?
No. Sterling Max is a service brand and trading style of Sterling Law Associates LLP. Same regulation (SRA №630147), same insurance, same senior solicitors. The Sterling Max identity exists to make the multi-service relocation offering clearer to clients who would otherwise assume they need to assemble vendors themselves.
2. Do I need a Sterling Max package, or can I just instruct on the visa?
Either works. For a single visa filing (where you already have a UK Ltd, your accounting is sorted, no sponsor licence needed), Sterling Law’s standalone immigration service is the right route — same lawyers, scoped fee. Sterling Max is for clients who want everything under one engagement.
3. Can I switch packages mid-engagement?
Yes — common. Many founders start with Immigration Only and add company setup or bank-account opening later. We move you to the relevant package and charge the differential.
4. Is the £250 + VAT consultation refundable?
It is credited in full against your engagement fee if you proceed to a Sterling Max package within 90 days. It is not refundable as cash if you decide not to engage — that hour of senior-solicitor time has been delivered.
5. Can Sterling Max handle business immigration for my team — hiring engineers from outside the UK?
Yes. Sponsor Licence applications and ongoing Sponsor Licence Management are available as an add-on to any Sterling Max package, or as a standalone Sterling Law instruction.
6. Do I have to be in the UK to engage Sterling Max?
No. Most clients engage from outside the UK. The free 15-minute call is via Zoom. All document collection is online. The first time you set foot on UK soil can be your post-visa arrival.
6. What happens after I get my visa?
Sterling Law remains your firm. We handle future ILR after the qualifying period (varies by route), naturalisation after a further 12 months, and any ongoing legal needs.
OUR STERLING MAX SPECIALISTS
The Sterling Max team is drawn from Sterling Law’s immigration, corporate and commercial departments. You will work with one senior solicitor as your named point of contact, supported by the wider 52-person team.
Leadership
- Ruslan Kosarenko — Senior Partner, strategy & high-net-worth
- Yuriy Lysenko — Partner, personal & business immigration
- Michael Iatsukha — Senior Partner, corporate & commercial
- Oksana Demyanchuk — Partner, Head of Immigration (IAA Level 3)
Immigration specialists
- Maksym Bondariev — Immigration Lawyer & Innovation Lead, founder of Talentvisa
- Nelli Tesis, Alexandra Mokrova, Halyna Semchak, Tetiana Deren, Josephine Smith, Cristina Dolinta, Jekaterina Trubina, Marta Ruszewska
Corporate & commercial
- Aliya Rimshelis — Senior Corporate Solicitor, co-founder of Talentvisa
- Ilia Martynov — Head of Corporate Advisory
- Anton Nikolaiev — Head of Commercial Department
- Kyrylo Sudnyk — Solicitor, commercial litigation & arbitration
GET STARTED
The fastest way to find out if Sterling Max fits is to start with the free tools, then book a call.
- 1. Run the free AI eligibility check at sterlingmax.co.uk/ai-visa-check — 5–8 minutes, no signup.
- 2. Run the UK Visa Cost Calculator at sterlingmax.co.uk/uk-visa-calculator to see your total Home Office cost.
- 3. Book a free 15-minute call — a senior solicitor will tell you within 15 minutes whether Sterling Max is right for you.
Sterling Max is a service brand of Sterling Law Associates LLP. SRA-regulated (№630147). IAA Authorised. Legal 500 firm. London.
