Using An Immigration Agent To Get An Australian Visa
This part of our guide to emigrating to Australia looks at Australian migration agents…
Using a migration agent, who is an expert in the field of emigration issues, isn’t necessary when applying for an Australian visa, but many prospective immigrants enlist the help of one anyway. This is because their knowledge and experience of the visa regulations and the application process can shorten the time it’ll take to obtain your visa, and almost eradicates the likelihood of an incorrect application being lodged (most offer a guarantee of a refund if this happens).
If you opt to use an agent, be sure to only use one that is registered with the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and also make sure you get a full account of all the costs involved before starting the application process.
Try starting off with one of the free eligibility tests that many migration agents offer on their websites, which take less than 10 minutes to complete. They’re only meant to be preliminary review of your eligibility, and the result of them shouldn’t be taken as 100% accurate, though they are based on the DIAC’s official immigration criteria.
Having completed an eligibility test, the next step is to talk with an agent to further discuss your application. There are many different types of visa available and they’ll assess which one is best suited to your circumstances, and your chances of success in applying for it. On deciding on the right type of visa, your information and documentation will then be collected, examined, assessed and processed by them. This is a critical step in the application process as applying for the wrong type of visa will result in your application automatically being rejected and you having to re-start the process from the beginning with the payment of another application fee.
They’ll work in consultation with you right up to the lodging of your immigration application with the DIAC (and for any appeal that may be required) and at each step of the process will advise you of any factors that may increase the prospect of a successful application.
