Guest mandymoo Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 Hello!! Is it best to use a migration agent to help you along with the process, or is it just as easy to do it off your own back?? Anybody who has done either and can offer any advice would be greatly appricated. Thanks. Amanda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dwaldron Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 I think it depends a lot on your circumstances. If you have had previous problems getting visas then I would certainly say yes. was quoted £2000 all up for an interdependency visa (same sex couple) and I very nearly did it because I thought that it would be difficult to prove one's circumstances. However to do it myself cost £800 all up so I figured I could screw it up once and still be ahead. In the end, the first application was approved in under 6 weeks and £1,200 was saved. So in my case, it wasn't necessary where I thought it would be. Take your time with the forms, collect as much relevant information as possible and collate i in an easy to read manner - make the CO's job as easy as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JC Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 Hi this may seem like a silly question. We are in process of being sponsored by an employer and we are using an agent. Does anyone know if you have to pay the agency at the start? What if your application is denied do you still have to fork out?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Heathertoes Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 If you check out lots of forums you can find a lot of the information you need, also which agents to use as well. Post lots of questions and someone out there will know the answer. It does depend on whether your application is straight forward and whether or not forms freak you out :shock: Contact agents and get quotes. As for JC I think you will find that your agent should have told you before you started using them what their payment arrangements are. We paid ours in installments as we reached various stages. As for forking out if your application is denied, again that is something to check first with your agent they probably all have their own guidelines. We had paid all our money to our agent before the final stages. Hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest juliemtaylor Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Hi We are using an Agent, firstly for the ACS skills application which is in and we are waiting the result. He will then help with the visa process as we don't want to do it ourselves in case we miss something and can have help all along the way etc. Julie x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest littlesarah Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I applied for 175 & decided not to use an agent as there is just me (no kids & husband is Aussie anyway). I knew already that my skills assessment would be straightforward to come by, which it was, so I didn't even need any help with that. Having said all this, I'm the sort of person who is good with paperwork & form filling (have to be, working in the NHS!) & I like to be in control of things as well! It did leave me with a few questions & concerns, but this site helped with those, & my visa was granted without problems. The only difference really would have been that an agent would have known to send hubby's birth cert & passport (CO requested it just prior to visa grant). I found the online application process quite easy, & am overall glad I didn't use an agent because I don't think they'd have done much that I didn't. Hope this helps, but really it depends on whether you think you can handle the process in your circumstances. Best of luck Sarah x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Collett Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I applied for 175 & decided not to use an agent as there is just me (no kids & husband is Aussie anyway). I knew already that my skills assessment would be straightforward to come by, which it was, so I didn't even need any help with that. Having said all this, I'm the sort of person who is good with paperwork & form filling (have to be, working in the NHS!) & I like to be in control of things as well! It did leave me with a few questions & concerns, but this site helped with those, & my visa was granted without problems. The only difference really would have been that an agent would have known to send hubby's birth cert & passport (CO requested it just prior to visa grant). I found the online application process quite easy, & am overall glad I didn't use an agent because I don't think they'd have done much that I didn't. Hope this helps, but really it depends on whether you think you can handle the process in your circumstances. Best of luck Sarah x Sarah, Why did you apply for a skilled visa if your husband is Australian - could you not have applied for the grant of a cheaper and quicker Spouse visa? Best regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest littlesarah Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Hi Alan I researched all of the options when I first decided to migrate several years ago, & to be honest going on a spouse visa didn't feel right for me. Some friends of ours did that, & I just couldn't be doing with having to demonstrate that our relationship is genuine! Also (mainly), I'm fiercely independent & wanted to get a visa on my own merit. I know that I could have obtained a spouse visa & then applied for 175 onshore, but I wanted to know before leaving the UK that I could make Australia my home permanently. I know how lucky I am that I had lots of migration options, & I knew at the start that the one I was taking was not the cheapest &/or quickest - but I tend to do things my own way! As it turns out, the processing time turned to my advantage, as I got a promotion at work worth more than the visa costs! Thanks for your input - I wasn't trying to say that agents aren't worth their weight in gold. If I were in a more complex situation I would definitely have left it to a registered professional; if things are less clear-cut than my situation that someone who knows the system (& the legislation) is vital. Regards Sarah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Hi Alan I researched all of the options when I first decided to migrate several years ago, & to be honest going on a spouse visa didn't feel right for me. Some friends of ours did that, & I just couldn't be doing with having to demonstrate that our relationship is genuine! Also (mainly), I'm fiercely independent & wanted to get a visa on my own merit. I know that I could have obtained a spouse visa & then applied for 175 onshore, but I wanted to know before leaving the UK that I could make Australia my home permanently. I know how lucky I am that I had lots of migration options, & I knew at the start that the one I was taking was not the cheapest &/or quickest - but I tend to do things my own way! As it turns out, the processing time turned to my advantage, as I got a promotion at work worth more than the visa costs! Thanks for your input - I wasn't trying to say that agents aren't worth their weight in gold. If I were in a more complex situation I would definitely have left it to a registered professional; if things are less clear-cut than my situation that someone who knows the system (& the legislation) is vital. Regards Sarah Hi Sarah My sister shared your own attitude 100%. She did not marry her Aussie hubby till after she had PR in her own right but they were living together etc. Elaine's view was that the relationship between herself & Neil was nobody's business except theirs and also she was not prepared to put up with conditions about having to prove the relationship again later and so on. I applaud you. Best wishes Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Hello!! Is it best to use a migration agent to help you along with the process, or is it just as easy to do it off your own back?? Anybody who has done either and can offer any advice would be greatly appricated. Thanks. Amanda Hi Amanda I think that mostly it depends on your own temperament. Some people are nervous and want the reassurance that an Agent double-checking everything will provide. Nowt wrong with that and I would support anyone who chooses this option. Others feel that they cannot spare the time to wade through the DIAC website, teh one for the relevant skills authority and so forth so they decide to delegate the work to somebody else. Also perfectly reasonable in my opinion. Others still have complex issues involved. They do not appear to fit into any of the obvious categories easily as far as they can see. In that situation a good Agent can make a world of difference in terms of securing a successful outcome. The fourth group are confident that they will be OK on their own, so to them I would say "Go for it." Best wishes Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest littlesarah Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Well put, Gill. It all comes down to personal choice I guess. I'm glad someone apart from my husband understands why I went for the 175! Sarah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OgaPoga Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Hi Amanda, We are going with a migration agent. Few reasons for that: 1) Know how. They have been applying and going throw these things million times and they know what they are doing and how all the process work. What steps to take when and so on. 2) It saves a lot of time. I do not think it is difficult to apply for these visas, but there are a lot of things you should read and find out. And sometimes it is not very clear. For example - when we applied for the skills assessment, your job references needed to be written in certain way...and so on. As me and my husband are both working long hours, we were better off with agent help Those 2 are probably the main reasons. Yes, it costs a bit of money, but this entire move to Australia is not going to be cheep. And I think people should not forget that. And visa is very important step towards living in Australia. No visa – no Australia J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlet mia Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Hi Amanda We are applying for a 175 and are not using an agent to save money really. It has been straight forward so far (touch wood) and because hubby has been in the same job and worked for the same employer since leaving school the TRA was pretty straight forward, this site is also brilliant for info and someone always seems to have the answers if you get stuck. It really is a personal choice and if money was no object I probably would have used an agent just for the reassurance, but so far so good. Good luck with the process whatever you decide and if you need anything and I can help let me know. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlet mia Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Only just realised but I think I may have replied to a very old post and Amanda may already be in oz lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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