Why is it so important to have a consultation with your migration agent first?
“I only have one question.”
“I’d like for you to lodge my application now.”
“My case is straightforward.”
Maybe, but maybe not. When you contact a migration agent you need to understand that this is the person who will handle what could amount to be your future in Australia. You need to meet the person and establish confidence in their experience and abilities.
It is also important to carry the perspective that you need to understand the process and be involved. Visa applications are a very large time and money investment and that errors could not cost you much more than you expect. Visa refusals do not bode well for future applications. Moving from bridging visa to bridging visa over multiple applications or getting yourself in a BVE situation is similarly not a good place to be in.
It also would not be very diligent of the migration agent to offer you a simple reply to what you may believe to be “simple question”, because visas requirements are just not simple. Often times the accurate and honest answer is “it depends”.
Consultations are a complete assessment of your eligibility for a visa. It is a check on your history, on important dates (regulations change), on the actual modules in your course, even on how your marriage was legalised overseas. Migration agents are required to be bachelor degree holders before they can embark on attaining a graduate certificate in Australian Migration Law and Practice. They also have to undergo yearly professional development courses to ensure their knowledge in migration law is up to date.
Just take this as an example: Jeremy calls in and tells us he’s done his research and just wants us to confirm his findings. He has completed a bachelor’s degree in public relations and communications from UNSW. He wants to know if he can apply for the post study work stream under the Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485). We convince him to come in for a consultation and we find out that he has been changing courses and first student visa was granted before November 2011. He is not eligible for the post study work stream even though he holds a bachelor’s degree. We also discover that his study is not closely related to any occupation on the skilled occupation list (SOL) and he is therefore ineligible for even the graduate work stream.
So if you are looking for a migration agent, look for one that won’t just answer your questions but will also ask you questions. There are no straightforward answers because no two stories (families, jobs, you name it) are alike.
And if you are thinking about talking to the team here at Australian Immigration Law Services, please do, we would love to help you. With nearly twenty years of operating practice in all kinds of visa applications there are not many migration law scenarios we haven’t encountered. Our solid reputation ensures that consultations are truthful and give you up to date advice that you actually can use, even if you choose to do your application on your own. We have assisted generations of families where we began with a student visa, planned a pathway to permanent residency, assisted in a partner application and then helped to bring their parents here.
We work hard to find options available to you if your initial plans are not a secure pathway to residency. We will also discuss timelines, and fees during consultation based on a complete understanding of your personal situation.
Call us at +61 2 8054 2537 to arrange a consultation or book online. We both are located in the heart of Sydney metropolitan next to Wynyard station and also offer telephone and Skype consultations.
