About Us
Who We Are
GBS Immigration was founded in 2016 by Victoria Girsa, Joanne Sullivan and Ashley Bayles. Holding over 41 years’ experience between them, it was the founders' aim to provide flexible, honest and reliable fixed fee immigration advice. Owing to changing family circumstances,
Ashley Bayles made the difficult decision to step down from her position of Managing Director and Adviser in 2024 - She put the 'B' in 'GBS'! The company continues to provide a high standard of service to clients worldwide today, with both Joanne and Victoria at the helm.
At GBS UK Immigration, we are passionate immigration advisers, registered and regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA).
Why Professional Immigration Advice Matters
The UK Immigration Rules are complex and constantly changing. The right to appeal has also been significantly restricted in recent years. It is therefore now more important than ever to obtain professional advice, from an accredited adviser , so that your application has the best prospects of success. Failure to obtain the right advice could result in your application being refused and your immigration record being tarnished, thus impacting on your ability to remain in the UK or re-enter in the future.
Accredited advisers have to go through a rigorous process to demonstrate fitness and competence to practise immigration law in order to achieve such status. Further, they are required to continue professional development training in order to maintain accredited status. At GBS UK Immigration, we have advisers accredited to IAA Level 3, which is the highest level of accreditation, enabling us to assist in matters from basic immigration advice to more complex matters including appeals. We are also proud to be members of the Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA) .
You can therefore rest assured that your case will be in safe hands when instructing GBS UK Immigration and that you will receive a personal level of service, rather than being just another file number in an ever-growing caseload. With Home Office application fees regularly increasing, we believe it is crucial to provide clients with access to affordable, professional and reliable advice.
Our team
Meet our award-winning team
Victoria Girsa
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Victoria graduated with Law and International Relations Bachelors Degree from the University of Portsmouth. She then undertook her Legal Practice Course (LPC) at Oxford Institute of Legal Practice. Victoria started working as an Immigration Paralegal in March 2009 and qualified as a Solicitor in April 2012 after completing her Training Contract at a firm in Portsmouth.
Victoria was nominated as one of the top 175 Solicitors in the UK according to Vouched For in April 2016. However, Victoria is no longer practising as a Solicitor, but is now regulated by the IAA and registered as a Level 3 Immigration Adviser.
In addition to English and Latvian, Victoria also speaks fluently in Polish and Russian.
Joanne Sullivan
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Joanne started practising immigration law in June 2002, having previously studied a BSc (econ) in International Politics and European Studies and a Masters in European Integration.
Joanne specialises in HM Forces immigration law and, notably, has successfully campaigned against unfair Immigration Rules relating to HM Forces personnel and their family members, resulting in a change to the Immigration Rules.
Joanne was previously accredited as a Level 2 Adviser under the Law Society's Immigration and Asylum Accreditation Scheme in 2005 and is now regulated and registered under the IAA as an Immigration Adviser.
Our Vision & Values
Integrity
Honest, clear, and ethical advice
Expertise
Up-to-date knowledge of UK immigration law
Client Care
Personalised support at every stage
Transparency
Clear fixed fees with no hidden costs
