Calculating visa costs? What about agent?

[sadsmile23]

Can anyone answer me a question - probably a really stupid one, but nevertheless........!!!

 

I'm trying to work out our visa costs (can't decide whether to use an agent or not), and calculating our budget. There are 5 of us, me, OH and 3 kids aged 11,5 and 17 mths. I've looked on immigration website to calculate cost of skilled visa, says $2060, ie £920. Now, is that just for OH, or does that include everyone else wanting to be included on his application??

Migration agent has quoted us £1300 but not sure whether I really need their help as friend of mine who recently went has left copies of all her paper work with me to "copy" so is it worth paying them that much money?

 

advice appreciated, thanks

[Generalis]

Our agents fees are £1,000 and they told us what paperwork we needed for skills assessment and we sent this back to them which they sent off and then now they want the next part of fees to prepare visa and I bet you could do it yourself really. Saying that I got into a bit of trouble with the police some years ago so this is why we are using agent as apparently I have to sign a declaration or something. The fees including visa fee is for all of us ie. 2 adults and 2 children.

[Guest homer and marge]

Can anyone answer me a question - probably a really stupid one, but nevertheless........!!!

 

I'm trying to work out our visa costs (can't decide whether to use an agent or not), and calculating our budget. There are 5 of us, me, OH and 3 kids aged 11,5 and 17 mths. I've looked on immigration website to calculate cost of skilled visa, says $2060, ie £920. Now, is that just for OH, or does that include everyone else wanting to be included on his application??

Migration agent has quoted us £1300 but not sure whether I really need their help as friend of mine who recently went has left copies of all her paper work with me to "copy" so is it worth paying them that much money?

 

advice appreciated, thanks

 

Hi

 

If your good at filling in tons of paperwork and are pretty clued up on this visa business do it yourself, but remember your friend paperwork may be different to yours.

 

We used a agent and really glad we did it cost us £1500 for all of us (its just 1 price no matter who's going) There is so much stuff to do and I wouldn't have risked all the other money we have spent by getting some paperwork wrong.

 

Talk to a few more agents as their prices vary in price we used concept australia and they have been great no matter have small my question is they are there to help.

 

Marge x

[sadsmile23]

Hi, thanks for that - is that price you quoted including your agent costs and visa application? how many people was that for?

[Life on easy street]

have a look at thread

 

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/migration-issues/26505-agency-go-alone-new-post.html

[Guest Impatient]

Yep, need to check what you get for your money and make sure you allow for everything (Skills assessments £150-£500, Meds upto £750 family of 4, police checks etc etc). Does your quoted agent say what is included? My guess is that the £1300 is her fee on top of all the other charges, might be wrong, but doubt it.

 

Do some searches on agents fees and see what experiences people have had.

[Guest homer and marge]

Hi, thanks for that - is that price you quoted including your agent costs and visa application? how many people was that for?

 

No its just the agents fee but we wouldn't have got thought the TRA without them because they sent in loads more paperwork then we would have and helped has word things in a better way. If it wasn't for them our meds which was stuck in customs for 3 weeks (due to doctor error) would still be there they were so much help. the £1500 was from start to finish and we could pay in 3 installments.

 

ON top we had to pay for TRA about £120, Meds for 3 adults and 1 child about £800 that inclueds xrays and blood tests we had to have HIV and hep b and c cos of out tattoos, the visa was about £900 and then there is stat dec and cert copies appox £50 . We had to pay 200 quid to get our meds out of customs but hopefully you won't have to do that.

 

Think it might be worth talking to some agents but there are lots of people who don't use agents.

 

Marge x:jiggy:

[IAN NINA & GEORGE]

hi we done it alone was quite easy you will find all the help you need on here it cost us in total about £1500 no agent to pay

[sadsmile23]

Hi, did you find the TRA easy enough to do yourself? i've heard thats probably the hardest bit to do without an agent, but if we could save money doing it ourselves, why not? what trade are you in? how many are there of you going?