Three Ways A Registered Migration Agent Can Help You
The Australian immigration system is very complex. There are over 75 different visa subclass and many of these have multiple visa streams. A Registered Migration Agent can assist you to navigate this complex system. This article discussed the three main services Registered Migration Agents can provide to assist you with your visa pathway.
Assessment of Eligibility
Applying for an Australian Visa can cost anything from $20 to $7,715, depending on the visa. To avoid wasting this money, it is important to ensure you are eligible before making an application. Refunds are not available just because your application is refused. When assessing your eligibility that are several factors to consider, including:
- What are your long term goals? Are you just looking to stay in Australia temporarily or are you looking for a long term pathway?
- How long are you willing to wait for a visa? Processing times can range from a couple of days to a couple of years.
- Are you hoping to obtain a Bridging Visa while you wait in Australia? Are you hoping for work rights?
- Do you meet the eligibility criteria and do you have the documents to prove it? What creative strategies can be used to provide different evidence?
- How does the current application fit in to your whole visa pathway? What are the requirements for the next visa on your journey? What should you be doing to ensure eligibility in the future?
What an Eligibility Assessment Looks Like
After making a booking, one of our Registered Migration Agents will send you a formal request for information before the consultation time. This request will provide the agent with all of the information they require to assess your suitability for several promising visas to meet your goals. Once the Registered Migration Agent receives your information, they will take the time to research your options. They will also plan out the best way to communicate this information to you. There are often many pathways with different positive and negative aspects.
Once they are prepared, your Registered Migration Agent will then contact you for your consultation. This may be over mobile, Skype, WhatsApp or many other options depending on your preferences. Your Registered Migration Agent will then talk you through your options and answer any questions about the process.
Finally, your Agent will research any final points before providing you with a detailed letter of advice. Before this advice is sent, you will also have an opportunity to ask further questions. These questions can often be answered in the letter of advice. These letters are quite detailed and are usually between 4 – 7 pages long. The advice will include accurate quotes for the full service.
Full Assistance
Once your eligibility is established our Registered Migration Agents can assist you with your application. Our Agents can help you gather all of your evidence, fill in the correct forms and meet any further requirements up until the application is decided. This assistance has several phases.
1. Issuing a Documents Checklist and Templates
After obtaining a detailed understanding of your application, your agent will provide guidance on the information they require to build your application/s. This takes the form of a document checklist. The checklist is usually 7 to 9 pages long and outlines all items that they require in terms of information for forms and particular pieces of evidence. Templates are usually provided at this stage to guide you and other parties to make statements that best address the core eligibility criteria. Both the checklist and the templates are specifically tailored for your case. No two checklists are the same and no templates are exactly the same either. Each application has particular strengths and weaknesses, and this is reflected in the checklist and templates.
2. Working on Your Evidence
You and your Agent will set a timeframe in which your documents and information should be provided. Once you have met this deadline, your Registered Migration Agent will start reviewing all of your evidence and information. They will work closely with you during this time to improve your evidence. You will get feedback on statements before having them finalised and weak evidence will be identified and strengthened accordingly. There may be gaps in evidence that need to be filled in creative ways or you may need to strength evidence in other areas to compensate for gaps elsewhere
3. Finalising the Application
Once the application is almost ready, your Agent will send you draft forms to double check before submitting these on your behalf. Depending on the application, your Registered Migration Agent will direct you to focus on providing particular types of evidence. You may be able to gain some more time and alleviate stress by providing other evidence later. Once everything is finalised, you Agent will send you evidence that your application has been submitted and provide receipts for payment of the visa application charges.
4. Waiting & Updates
Depending on the application, you may have to wait for some time. Your Registered Migration Agent will let you know the likely time frame and what comes next. For Employer Sponsored Visas the time frame may be short and there may be little to do other than wait. For Partner Visas you may settle into a rhythm of providing relationship updates on a regular basis. Either way, your Agent will keep you updated of the process and let you know what will happen next. They will let you know when to expect contact from them and ensure you are not left unsure of what happens next.
5. Decision
Once a decision is reached (hopefully a visa grant), your Registered Migration Agent will provide you with the official documents. This may be a decision record or a visa grant letter. Your Agent will then advise you on what happens next. This will likely be how to prepare for the next application. You may start this process again once you are ready to commence the next stage of your journey. This may be the next Temporary Visa, a Permanent Residency Visa or Australian Citizenship.
Consulting
Perhaps you have already started the process yourself but need assistance. You may be struggling with a particular part of your application and may wish to speak with an Agent for a short period about a particular issue. Or, you might have a number of procedural questions about what form to use or how to respond to a request from the Department of Home Affairs. You may want to conduct a review before lodging your application. Our Agents can structure a review service to talk you through any final questions, help you strengthen your application or something else. Depending on your needs and financial situation, our Registered Migration Agents can often find a flexible package to suit you. The process in this case will usually be a mix of the consultation and full assistance package outlined above.
How to Verify Our Credentials
You can search the migration agent registration number of our Agents in the Office of Migration Agents Registration Authority Register. Agent numbers can be found on About Us page.
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