ScottishMatilda Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Hiya... My hubby and I are in the early process of thinking about when to apply for PR. I have another 3 years of a course to complete first and we are trying to get the timing right to move around early 2015? This might be a silly question, but do you have to have an agent processing your PR visa or can you do it yourself? I think we would be going for 176 visa, as my profession is on the SOL for most areas in Australia. Any idea on timescales regarding when is best to apply and also whether we can do it independently and not pay massive agent fees? I am also wondering if I can apply before my course finishes given the skills assessment? I am thinking my skills won't be able to be recognised until the course is fully complete. This is a complicated business...thanks folks :biggrin: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 If your case is straight forward then there is nothing stopping you going it alone. Personally we still used an agent for peace of mind that was in the days of the 136 visa though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishMatilda Posted January 3, 2012 Author Share Posted January 3, 2012 Thanks for your reply 'MovingtoMelbourne' Do lots of people do it alone then? Just seems such a complicated process and knowing where to start a bit tricky! Maybe there is a visa 'to do' list on here I should look at before asking so many questions. Also, any ideas on if I can apply while still completing my course? Thanks folks.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devon67 Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Hi, we completed all our paperwork via an agent, yes they are expensive, but if you have the spare cash, it makes it easier, we do not have the time as we both work full time we just email them questions all the time and they reply straight back, instead of searching forums or the website for the answer. we did have a no visa no fee contract, but i guess theres no guarantee about anything these days we went through visa bureau they gave us some great advice cheers steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishMatilda Posted January 3, 2012 Author Share Posted January 3, 2012 Thanks Steve, it does seem like an agent gives you peace of mind then, despite the expense! Great advice re. the 'no visa no fee' contract! Will ask about that when the time comes. :biggrin: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bensdad Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 We did our own visa. Reason being was we had to gather all the information to give to an agent anyhow so we applied direct. It all depends on how you like form filling etc. if your comfortable with that and your case is straight forward it's easy enough to do. However if your not sure use an agent. There are a couple of good ones active on here. Go matilda and George Lombard seem to have very good reputations. Loving Fremantle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PositivePixie Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 If you have a straightforward case (ie no medical issues, no criminal record issues, no children from a previous relationship, no 'tricky' qualification of work experience issues) then it is as easy as getting a passport or drivers license in the UK - you just fill in all the paper work (not that hard - when they say name, guess what they want? ), make sure you have all the relevant 'proof', which they send you a nice tick list for and you are dealing with a real human being at that stage anyway who you can email/phone and have a chat to about getting things if you really don't get it, forums like here who have loads of helpful people (and qualified sometimes too ) who have been through it themselves and can answer questions. We didn't use an agent, it took literally a matter of days for our SS to be granted, and then a matter of weeks for our 176 visa to be granted - it just flew through and was so so easy. If you are the primary applicant on the application then you will have to wait until your qualification is finished and you have done your 12 months work experience before you can apply, but if your partner is the primary applicant and you aren't claiming any points for your qualifications/skills then you don't have to have finished your course, its pretty irrelevant to DIAC (I don't mean that to be derogatory at all btw, just from a visa pov). You have 12 months more or less to validate your visa (its actually 12 months from the date of your police check, but you usually get that done just before you get your grant but let's not split hairs at this point), and after you've validated you have 5 years to go over and live there (from date of initial grant), so you have time before you have to move over there. (But it sounds from your post like you are the primary applicant, so you will have to wait until you have completed your studies, then do your skills assessment and your 12 months out of the previous 24 months work experience, so another 4 years to go). They do tend to change the immigration rules every 6 months or so for Oz it seems - they changed it last July (and previously not too long before that I think), they are changing it this July, who knows when it will change again.... Bottom line, its really not very complicated at all to apply for the visa, especially if you find a good step by step list or guide of what someone else did, but if you have any issues an agent can help with those cases - otherwise you are just paying them to fill in the forms that you have to give them all the info for anyway really, and personally I'd rather spend that couple of K on my new life down under than for someone to fill in a piece of paper for me - but then we had a straight forward case, all pretty text book really (we were very lucky with the last round of changes which were all very very much in our favour). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lebourvellec Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 We didnt use an agent, we spoke to one on phone (from Edinburgh) when we started to look in to the process, but they said our case was straight forward, so we did it our selfs. There is so much information at the beginning, but once you get your head round it the process is not that complicated. If you are the main applicant you would need to have finished your course before you can apply and have 12 months work experiance in chosen occupation immediatly before applying, this usually has to be post qualification. If you are waiting till 2015 to apply, it will be difficult for anyone to predict what changes will come in the next 3 years, and if you would still be eligible then. The main change that is coming with the GSM process is the Expression of Interest and Invitation ro apply in Jul 2012 - called SkillSelect. Occupations can come and go from State Migration Plans and the SOL, and thats how many people have found themselves in Cat 5, no knowing if there application will ever be processed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlegreenman Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 We did it without agent. Easy as pie as long as you remember two basic things: 1. Don't try to cut any corners and stick exactly to what they ask for, even if that means looking another 2 days for a specific document. 2. Give them plenty of supporting documents. The more, the better. Remember, you want something from them and not vice versa. If they ask for payslips give them every payslip you have, even if it takes half a day to get them photocopied etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishMatilda Posted January 3, 2012 Author Share Posted January 3, 2012 Thanks for all the responses folks...it is very much appreciated! :wink: My hubby has type 1 diabetes (well controlled with no complications currently) so perhaps not as straightforward an application as it could be. I am also anticipating that my profession will prove tricky to do skills assessment for. Still lots of time to consider things though which is good. Re. me as primary applicant, that is what we had intended, but if it means an extra year then we might reconsider. My hubby is a welder so perhaps we could look for him to be primary applicant. One last things re. IELTS. I read somewhere that if you a have a passport from a predominantly English speaking country, then you are given English 'competency' automatically. Is this right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinkla Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 You do not need IELTS if you are a citizen of UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand or Ireland. The details are here: www.immi.gov.au/allforms/booklets/1119.pdf You do not need an agent to apply for a visa and the process is designed that individuals can apply for themselves. Agents will not change the outcome of the process but may speed things up by filling in forms properly and making sure enough information is included first time. But if DIAC require more information, they will ask and not just reject the application. If you are able to fill in forms (and as others say, you will need to tell an agent the answers anyway), speak reasonable English and don't have major complications then do it yourself. And for a condition like well-managed Type 1 Diabetes, it would be assessed by formula anyway. What is the average cost to the community of a Type 1 diabetic of the particular age and sex. A migration agent would be unlikely to be of value unless/until DIAC decided that the health requirement had not been met. Then, by all means, enlist an agent. Bon chance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 People do IELTS (even though they don't need to if they speak English as a first language) as they can still get the extra points for their application. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lebourvellec Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Thanks for all the responses folks...it is very much appreciated! :wink: My hubby has type 1 diabetes (well controlled with no complications currently) so perhaps not as straightforward an application as it could be. I am also anticipating that my profession will prove tricky to do skills assessment for. Still lots of time to consider things though which is good. Re. me as primary applicant, that is what we had intended, but if it means an extra year then we might reconsider. My hubby is a welder so perhaps we could look for him to be primary applicant. One last things re. IELTS. I read somewhere that if you a have a passport from a predominantly English speaking country, then you are given English 'competency' automatically. Is this right? It may be advisable for yo to look in to your OH being the main applicant, depending on his qualifications and if he is able to get positive skills assessment. This could mean by they time you qualify you could already hold your PR and can move over when you like. (but you would need to validate your visa a year after getting medicals or PCC which evey date is earliest). Having a UK passport is enough to prove competent english, but many still have to sit IELTS for extra points. http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/pdf/points-test.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishMatilda Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 It may be advisable for yo to look in to your OH being the main applicant, depending on his qualifications and if he is able to get positive skills assessment. This could mean by they time you qualify you could already hold your PR and can move over when you like. (but you would need to validate your visa a year after getting medicals or PCC which evey date is earliest). Thanks again folks for the informative answers re. IELTS and skills assessments. Very helpful. One last question re. above answer...what is PCC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lebourvellec Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 police clearence certificates Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishMatilda Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Brilliant, Ta! :biggrin: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graemsay Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I ran a DIY application about two years ago, and I'll agree with the comments above that it's quite straightforward. I found that the hardest part was getting the documentation together for my skills assessment, but that wasn't helped by me being a freelancer for a few years, and moving jobs several times a year. With regards to the medical, it might be worth having your other half taking his before applying for a visa. It's a lot cheaper to spend £200 (or whatever it is these days) then the £2000 for a visa application. I've heard of a few people doing it that way to make sure that there aren't any problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrussell Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Hiya... My hubby and I are in the early process of thinking about when to apply for PR. I have another 3 years of a course to complete first and we are trying to get the timing right to move around early 2015? This might be a silly question, but do you have to have an agent processing your PR visa or can you do it yourself? I think we would be going for 176 visa, as my profession is on the SOL for most areas in Australia. Any idea on timescales regarding when is best to apply and also whether we can do it independently and not pay massive agent fees? I am also wondering if I can apply before my course finishes given the skills assessment? I am thinking my skills won't be able to be recognised until the course is fully complete. This is a complicated business...thanks folks :biggrin: Agents do not process applications. You can apply without retaining the services of an agent. Some advice: If you qualify, apply as soon as possible. If you want to know whether you qualify, consult a registered migration agent for an assessment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishMatilda Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Hi Milly! Thank-you for your kind words about there being no stupid questions! :biggrin: Everyone has been very helpful so far, despite us being in the very early stages of our emigration journey! I hope you get good news soon. Thanks also Graemsay and wrussel. Good to see that you can make an informed choice about whether to apply yourself or not. Ideally we would be applying tomorrow, but as I have said, I need to get my course under my belt to ensure that we have a fighting start to a life down under! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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