flag of convenience Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 I did not say 17000 was to much you came to you own conclusion regarding the amount . I also have peace of mind no worries what so ever regarding the applicationOf course people get refused with and without a migration agent .My question is (WHAT WOULD A MIGRATION AGENT HAVE DONE IN OUR CASE FOR 4000 EURO) I just don't understand what they could do as we have to fill the forms in etc any way We undertook the whole process ourselves. Really not difficult. Give it a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinker78 Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 if anyone feels like sitting the law exams i've got in the next few months in order to gain registration, feel free. hardest thing i've ever done in my life....and i already hold 2 degrees. when i used an agent for my own visa i remember thinking the same 'what am i paying for? just fills in forms'....now i spend my working day reading and re reading the migration act and regulations, i can appreciate the effort behind each application. i am saying this as a neutral party, and someone who has been through the entire process as a migrant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Most people probably don't need an agent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 I suppose it depends on the visa being applied for. But a spouse visa was all too easy. But used to forms and the like I suppose. Still not long back everybody done their own. At least have a look. If looks to hard, go find an agent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Partner visa is easy. Just do it yourself and ask for some help on here if you have any questions. I'd be kicking myself for wasting the money when you find out how straight forward it is. I even forgot to answer a question and it didnt matter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Ours was a skilled PR Visa that came off the critical skills list, also there were step children involved and the process changed twice during this time. We had constant updates and I was even able to talk at 2am when I couldn't sleep to my agent. It was worth every penny to me. Our Agent was Go Matilda and they made what was a very stressful process much easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 If things are complicated you might need an agent but otherwise I think the immigration site is very clear . We didn't use one and no one I know did, either. We did my Dad's visa app for him when he came out because he wasn't too confident and tended to be frightened of writing something wrong so I guess if we hadn't been around he might have used an agent. I think many of them overcharge though. Like lawyers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 As stated by Tickled Pink you are paying for someone's time essentially. They have a business to run and overheads associated with that. It is a matter of choice whether you feel that the costs are justifiable but the fees are upfront and you can make up your own mind whether to pay for the service or not. I am not on to defend agents but bear in mind that much of their time is not chargeable. Keeping themselves trained and up to date, marketing time and free consultations for instance. Compare this with any other intermediary such as an accountant, estate agent, solicitor etc etc. Sure, you can do your own accounts, sell your own house, write your own legal letters (up to a point) and many do. Oh, and you could have shopped around for another quote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper123 Posted May 14, 2014 Author Share Posted May 14, 2014 I would just like to say a big thank you to all those who left positive replies and support cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper123 Posted May 14, 2014 Author Share Posted May 14, 2014 Well I suppose in some sense it covers the costs related to running a business. Overheads such as wages, property, utilities. Then you have the persons time, effort, knowledge and experience. I never make the assumption that because people leave school with few qualifications they are not able to do things like this, equally, I would not make the assumption that someone with a PhD could either! Therefore, what is straight forward for you, may not be common sense for another. Some people feel overwhelmed by the process and just need someone to take them through each step, break it down, manageable chunks. Others have complexities, such as medical conditions, criminal past, children of non-dependent age, unusual skill set - all can make it more problematic deciphering the visa pathways. For your particular quote only the person who gave it can break it down - but the first line of my post would probably cover some of it... An agent is essentially running a business, so of course they make some money. What do you get? a visa hopefully! I did all mine myself, and had no problems. But this is not the best for all... as always, what works for some in life, doesn't for others... The assumption I made was my ability to complete the application on my own I am not bragging or proud but surprised at how easy it was for me.As In general have difficulty in this area I am not judging people for using an agent some people have said an agent has helped them and they were happy to pay around £2600 for various reasons . From the replies I have received. Maybe other people in similar situations as me are also capable of achieving this without being scared or having to pay huge sums of money for a professional service but as others have suggested use this site for help. :wink: (and if in doubt seek professional advice ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickyplum Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 My understanding is that the preparation/paper work aspect of some visas is more difficult than others. ie, I did my visa application alone, and it was a bit painful but I'm an organised person and didn't find it particularly difficult. If I was less organised and had a more complicated application, I can see how a small fee (in the grand scheme of things!) would be worth paying for peace of mind that it has been completed and submitted correctly. So I guess my answer is: you are paying for the professional services of someone with experience and expertise in the particular area of visa applications. OK I don't understand why do some of these companies charge so much. We were quoted 4000 euro for help with our partner visa application now I am a bit thick left school no GCSE and always required help is class etc. I did not have that sort of money spare so went it alone .It is only a case of form filling and attaining certain documents and pop in the post and pay if you mess up a bit and the and miss something your CO will let you know and you can then get what you need and send it in .I also Know people who ended up paying 17000 euro :eek:to an agent ? I can understand that in some cases an agent might be required in extreme medical or extreme criminal applications for example. But my question is what would we have got for 4K ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Grey Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 OK I don't understand why do some of these companies charge so much. We were quoted 4000 euro for help with our partner visa application now I am a bit thick left school no GCSE and always required help is class etc. I did not have that sort of money spare so went it alone .It is only a case of form filling and attaining certain documents and pop in the post and pay if you mess up a bit and the and miss something your CO will let you know and you can then get what you need and send it in .I also Know people who ended up paying 17000 euro :eek:to an agent ? I can understand that in some cases an agent might be required in extreme medical or extreme criminal applications for example. But my question is what would we have got for 4K ? "It is only a case of form filling and attaining certain documents and pop in the post and pay, if you mess up a bit and the and miss something your CO will let you know and you can then get what you need and send it in" Will they? We've had hundreds of clients come to us that have had refusals because they missed something, or interpreted something the wrong way, or didn't understand the requirements. The DIBP are not an advisory service and case officers are there to assess applications against the requirements and nothing more. A good agent offers a sound strategy to start with, gives peace of mind that the application meets the legislation, takes care of the vast majority of the paperwork, can speed the process up, drive the application forward, offer support and reassurance, answer any questions and overcome unforeseen issues. Even getting the right strategy in place first can help save a great deal of time and money and in my opinion is one of the most overlooked services an agent provides. An agent isn't necessary in all cases, some people will get a lot of value from them and some people will see it as wasted money, there's no right or wrong. Just consider though, if it was as easy as you suggest then agents, this site, expos, exhibitions, apps, guides etc would not exist.....Supply and demand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper123 Posted May 14, 2014 Author Share Posted May 14, 2014 My understanding is that the preparation/paper work aspect of some visas is more difficult than others. ie, I did my visa application alone, and it was a bit painful but I'm an organised person and didn't find it particularly difficult. If I was less organised and had a more complicated application, I can see how a small fee (in the grand scheme of things!) would be worth paying for peace of mind that it has been completed and submitted correctly. So I guess my answer is: you are paying for the professional services of someone with experience and expertise in the particular area of visa applications. Thanks Vicky It has been made clear to me that you could receive a professional service I also appreciate the fact that some people require help with there applications. I Just wanted to know what an agent would or could have done regarding my application do they (fill the forms in, send it off ,double check it etc. Guess I just did not understand what work was physically carried out for the £2600 Charged by one agent or 4000euro I was quoted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper123 Posted May 14, 2014 Author Share Posted May 14, 2014 Thanks Adam you have answered my question (an agent does the majority of the paper work.)Why did someone not say this at the start of the thread I thought it was a simple question with an easy answer cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Grey Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Thanks Adam you have answered my question (an agent does the majority of the paper work.)Why did someone not say this at the start of the thread I thought it was a simple question with an easy answer cheers Not all of them do, it really depends on how the particular agent operates their business. Some fill out the paperwork for the client, others will ask the client to fill the paperwork out and then review after, but (in my opinion) it should be part of the service that every agent provides, especially for a partner visa which always involves a great deal of paperwork. If the current trend continues for the DIBP to increase the paperwork/bureaucracy while at the same time raising prices dramatically, it will become very difficult for an agent to keep this level of service and keep the cost to the client as low as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper123 Posted May 14, 2014 Author Share Posted May 14, 2014 Thanks again for making things clear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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