Yes I am registerted with mara, (RMAN 0533982).

just been quoted by The Emigration Company for a Visa processing service - on a straightforward Skilled Sponsored Australian Visa... £2000 plus £250 skill checking assessment plus an extra £750 sucess/completion fee without the usual costs from Australian Immigration (£1450) ....is it just me or does £3 grand fees seem a tad steep? That makes a total charge for a family of three on a skilled sponsored Visa - £4340! Is this the going rate???

I would not like to say whether it is steep or not.

What i can say is go to the following link.
http://www.themara.com.au/Online/Def...&ArticleID=429

This is to the MARA site and it will show the average,cheapest and most expensive fees chargedby agents from June to Nove 05. That should help you. Please feel free to look at my website at sf-migration-australia.co.uk. The forms aren't working yet, but you can contact me through this contact point if you want.

Best wishes
Andy Sinclair-Ford

Hi

We have used Ian Harrop who has been brilliant so far. They are friendly, efficient and will give you advice over the phone prior to taking your case. Whoever you decide to use make sure they are registered.

Best wishes

Kersten

The quote you have is very very steep. Contact a guy called Ashley at Oceania Emigration his prices are very reasonable and he really knows his stuff. He is a Native Kiwi and a registered migration agent. Try www.oceaniaemigration.co.uk.
Good Luck with your application
BOAT

George Lombard would get my vote, very good at what he does and very well recommended!

Ditto that who we are using scary :scared:

Do NOT use 'Concept Australia - South, Dartford Office'! they are very slow at replying to emails & sometimes they don't even reply at all!

When you send them documents & paperwork they dont bother to tell you they have recieved them unless you ring - a simply 10 sec e-mail with "recieved docs ok" would stop you worrying but too much trouble I think!

Their website is pants also, they said that the new one would be up & running a month ago, where you could view & input your personel info - still waiting!

Ok, rant over with, feel better now

By contrast it seems their Manchester office is very good & so if you do go for Concept - use the Manchester one

The reason they are so slow and we found this too is that the have other clients and also the fact they want to get things right..

We kept thinking things were going slowly all the time and its frustrating but as long as you get the Visa its money well spent !

Patience is a virtue.

I will offer to design their new website !!


Nick

I have to disagree with you. We used Concept Australia - South and I have no problems recommending them at all. They got us through our very complicated TRA first time and we now have our visas which we validated in February. They are very thorough so that does sometimes make it seem they are being slow but they don't waste any time making unnecessary phone calls or writing emails. Their prices are much lower than quite a few other agents, payable in 3 stages so you can just use them for the TRA part if you want. Their approach is that they'll tell you if they require anything further from you and this helps keep the cost down.

Absolutely sure.

Go Matilda are definitely registered. I had a direct line to the agent in Southampton who was courteous and very professional.

They come highly recommended by a number of people on here.

Not read the whole post but thought I'd add as a "don't use".... The Migration Bureau in London they are pants and soooooo expensive!!

Sue x

We payed £2786

I would also add as a "don't use" - Louise Edwards based in Perth. I was given bad advice regarding my VETASSESS skills assessment and this cost me 9 months in time, £800 in cash and I received a Negative twice! I wasn't even informed that I'd been put in for a re-assessment!!! (I thought clients were supposed to be informed of everything in their visa process but obviously not??!). I also had to send some emails twice before they were replied to! And to top it off, when I got my 2nd Negative, the only advice was to go for a possible appeal or go back to college and study for years! - We've got to name the agents who give bad advice as well as praise the good!

Through help on here I found out that I could apply for a re-assessment under a different occupation so I did this myself and within 2 weeks I received a positive from VETASSESS!!

I am now using George Lombard for my 139 application, he comes highly recommended and I've got to say that he has been brilliant so far, his fees are also very reasonable! (less than half the price of my previous agent!!). I would recommend him every time!

All the best.

Stu

we like Nick, used concept australia in manchester, didn't find them slow very good we thought whole process with them has taken 8 months
Tess xxxx