Do I need a Migration Agent?
Can you give me a guarantee?
When do you start charging for your service?
Why don't you show your prices on your website?
Do you take on cases which have been refused already?
If I have enough points... will I get a visa regardless?
Will I get a refund if my application is refused?
How long does it take to get a visa?
What is your successrate?
Do I need a Migration Agent?
Whether or not you need a Migration Agent depends on which visa you would like to apply for and how much of the leg work you are willing to do yourself. Australias Migration legislation is a complex matter and even though all the information is 'out there'- it needs to be interpreted correctly.
Migration Agents can't gurarantee you sucess but you maximise your chances by avoiding mistakes when applying for your visa. Your case officer in DIAC doesn't have to request missing information, they can decide on the ground of what is available. If you (or your sponsor) aren't already Australian residents you may not be able to call on the tribunal and the possiblities to lodge further applications can be restricted.
Can you give me a guarantee?
Registered Migration Agents are by law prevented from offering a guarantee. With good reason! There're numerous factors we can't control like: illnesses nobody knew about, wrong or incomplete information from our clients or simply the Immigration Department changing their policies half way through an application!
A registered Agent lodging an application without a chance of success risks their license as DIAC will pick up on such applications and report the agent. A responsible Migration Agent will therefore encourage you to share all necessary information and will discuss openly any areas of concern with you. Always be careful if a migration Agent offers you a guarantee!
When do you start charging for your service?
Simply speaking: as soon as you sign a contract. An initial assessment is obligation free for you and usually free of charge. Pleae note that in some cases there is no clear 'yes' or 'no'. You may not reach 120 points but that doesn't mean there're no other options for you. To make a comprehensive assessment, which usually includes a certain extend of research, I may come back to you with quite a few more questions and a quote for my assessment before I start researching.
Why don't you have your prices online?
My fee depends on your circumstances. E.g. which subclass, is it a one stage or a two stage visa, how many persons are involved and how many skills assessments are needed - if any.
Do you take on cases which have been refused already?
If you're not in Australia and don't have a sponsor in Australia you usually have no right to call on the Migration Tribunal to overturn DIACS decision. For this reason there is no simple 'yes' or 'no' answer. If your application has been turned down, it depends on your personal circumstances whether you have the right to challenge the decision.
If I have enough points... will I get a visa in any case?
Unfortunately no. The points test' is not valid for all visa classes and is by no means the only critieria to meet. Additionally, it sometimes seems easy to add all the points, but it may turn out to be a lot harder to provide relevant evidence.
Will I get a refund if my application gets refused?
No. The 'Department of Immigration and Citizenship' generally doesn't refund fees. My fees you pay in two installments, e.g. in the unfortunate event that your application gets turned down you won't pay the second half of my fees. Please note that there are two exclucion clauses: if you chose to withdraw your application or your application is refused because you have provided false documents.
How long does it take to get a visa?
There is no general rule with regards to processing times. They depend on subclass, current workload in the Department and how your application is presented. Lodging a complete application may safe you months of processing times.
GENERAL SKILLED VISAS: With the new processing regime introduced earlier 2009 processing times have become entirely unpredictable. Some (few) occupations, which are listed on the new critical skills list turnaround times are very short, everyone else waits a lot longe than previouslyr. It's important to understand that processing times can change without further notice and might affect all applications currently in the system regardless when they have been lodged.
What is your successrate?
Since I'm being asked frequently: So far everyone of my clients has gotten their visa. But even though I find a 100% successrate desirable, it's not on top of my agenda. Why not? I find it more important to play fair than to play safe.
For one: Don't be fooled. You have no way of checking whether such a claim is just a marketing gimmick or actually true. Secondly: a 100% successrate is not necessarily a sign of quality work. It may also be the result of a 'play it safe' approach. Leading to a refusal to take on cases that are not bulletproof in order to not jeopardise the '100 % successrate'. Many of my most respected, experienced and valued colleagues are a far cry from a 100% successrate - simply becaue they're not shy to take on difficult cases and are dealing with visa subclasses that are always affected by a high refusal rate, like refugee visas.
Can you give me a guarantee?
When do you start charging for your service?
Why don't you show your prices on your website?
Do you take on cases which have been refused already?
If I have enough points... will I get a visa regardless?
Will I get a refund if my application is refused?
How long does it take to get a visa?
What is your successrate?
Do I need a Migration Agent?
Whether or not you need a Migration Agent depends on which visa you would like to apply for and how much of the leg work you are willing to do yourself. Australias Migration legislation is a complex matter and even though all the information is 'out there'- it needs to be interpreted correctly.
Migration Agents can't gurarantee you sucess but you maximise your chances by avoiding mistakes when applying for your visa. Your case officer in DIAC doesn't have to request missing information, they can decide on the ground of what is available. If you (or your sponsor) aren't already Australian residents you may not be able to call on the tribunal and the possiblities to lodge further applications can be restricted.
Can you give me a guarantee?
Registered Migration Agents are by law prevented from offering a guarantee. With good reason! There're numerous factors we can't control like: illnesses nobody knew about, wrong or incomplete information from our clients or simply the Immigration Department changing their policies half way through an application!
A registered Agent lodging an application without a chance of success risks their license as DIAC will pick up on such applications and report the agent. A responsible Migration Agent will therefore encourage you to share all necessary information and will discuss openly any areas of concern with you. Always be careful if a migration Agent offers you a guarantee!
When do you start charging for your service?
Simply speaking: as soon as you sign a contract. An initial assessment is obligation free for you and usually free of charge. Pleae note that in some cases there is no clear 'yes' or 'no'. You may not reach 120 points but that doesn't mean there're no other options for you. To make a comprehensive assessment, which usually includes a certain extend of research, I may come back to you with quite a few more questions and a quote for my assessment before I start researching.
Why don't you have your prices online?
My fee depends on your circumstances. E.g. which subclass, is it a one stage or a two stage visa, how many persons are involved and how many skills assessments are needed - if any.
Do you take on cases which have been refused already?
If you're not in Australia and don't have a sponsor in Australia you usually have no right to call on the Migration Tribunal to overturn DIACS decision. For this reason there is no simple 'yes' or 'no' answer. If your application has been turned down, it depends on your personal circumstances whether you have the right to challenge the decision.
If I have enough points... will I get a visa in any case?
Unfortunately no. The points test' is not valid for all visa classes and is by no means the only critieria to meet. Additionally, it sometimes seems easy to add all the points, but it may turn out to be a lot harder to provide relevant evidence.
Will I get a refund if my application gets refused?
No. The 'Department of Immigration and Citizenship' generally doesn't refund fees. My fees you pay in two installments, e.g. in the unfortunate event that your application gets turned down you won't pay the second half of my fees. Please note that there are two exclucion clauses: if you chose to withdraw your application or your application is refused because you have provided false documents.
How long does it take to get a visa?
There is no general rule with regards to processing times. They depend on subclass, current workload in the Department and how your application is presented. Lodging a complete application may safe you months of processing times.
GENERAL SKILLED VISAS: With the new processing regime introduced earlier 2009 processing times have become entirely unpredictable. Some (few) occupations, which are listed on the new critical skills list turnaround times are very short, everyone else waits a lot longe than previouslyr. It's important to understand that processing times can change without further notice and might affect all applications currently in the system regardless when they have been lodged.
What is your successrate?
Since I'm being asked frequently: So far everyone of my clients has gotten their visa. But even though I find a 100% successrate desirable, it's not on top of my agenda. Why not? I find it more important to play fair than to play safe.
For one: Don't be fooled. You have no way of checking whether such a claim is just a marketing gimmick or actually true. Secondly: a 100% successrate is not necessarily a sign of quality work. It may also be the result of a 'play it safe' approach. Leading to a refusal to take on cases that are not bulletproof in order to not jeopardise the '100 % successrate'. Many of my most respected, experienced and valued colleagues are a far cry from a 100% successrate - simply becaue they're not shy to take on difficult cases and are dealing with visa subclasses that are always affected by a high refusal rate, like refugee visas.
Why 'Registered'?
The
legislative framework for our profession is provided by the 'Migration
Agents Regulations 1998 as well as the 'Migration Act 1958'.
Part of this legislative framework is the Code of Conduct, which outlines
rights and responsibilities of Migration Agents and their customers.
All registered Migration Agents are bound by this insturment of quality
assurance.
Member of the Migration Institute Australia
