Re: Do you really need an agent???
 

Hi all

Am a subscriber to NZ site, just checking out some info for two mates hoping to emigrate to Oz soon. They've spoken to other mates who have said that they really need to use an agent to help the whole process, but to a tune of £3.5k......... We're half way thru' NZ immigration and doing it entirely ourselves, so my view is you should be able to do it independently and save some of that vital cash! They are both on the skills shortage list for Oz, under 45, no house to sell, no kids to worry about so eminently moveable!!!

What I am asking is this........... is the Oz process so horrendous that you really need an agent to prevent trip-ups, minefields and the like?? The mates that are using an agent have said that you can really come unstuck without one.... but maybe they are simply justifying themselves, eh??

So peeps, what do you reckon?? Thank you on their behalves, and mine as I'm a nosey whatsit and want to know if Oz immo is very different?!!

Diz :)

Re: Do you really need an agent???
 

The proces isnt horrendous and most people do it without the use of an agent. I used one even though my case was straight forward, just for added peace of mind. And I don't regret spending the extra £1k at all.

I usd ASA, www.australia-migration.com, and thought they were superb.

SS

Re: Do you really need an agent???
 

Hi SS

Thanks for the reply...... looking at your timeline, did you have to invest money as part of your visa application??

Ta
Diz

Re: Do you really need an agent???
 

We used an agent because I have a phobia about forms and knew they would never get done if I had to do them, also with working and looking after a little one it was much easier, it seems lots do the process themselves. I'm not a particularly organised person so an agent was neccessary for us.
We lodged visa application Jan and got visa 6thJuly would have took much, much longer if we'd done it ourselves probably still have forms sitting on the desk but now we are off 4th October.
Good luck, Nicola

Re: Do you really need an agent???
 

I didn't use an agent. Straightforward case so thought what the hell.

Obtained STNI from SA and did it all by email. Scanned the documents they needed and got a very quick reply.

It's really not that difficult to get the forms filled out correctly. You just end up checking them 45 times before they go into the envelope....then as soon as the DHL man leaves you ask yourself if you checked Question 43 etc etc.

Re: Do you really need an agent???
 

We used an agent, it gave us extra piece of mind that everything in our application was spot on. For the sake of £1,000 I would have hated to have failed for not filling in the forms correctly or not giving enough information, especially so with the TRA.

Hope this helps.

Jo

Re: Do you really need an agent???
 

we used an agent and worth every penny in my book, cost £1500 plus the usual visa and tra costs so not too bad.

www.thinkingaustralia.com

:)

Re: Do you really need an agent???
 

We are in the same situation as your friends and could probably have done it ourselves, with hindsight, but chose an agent as we wanted piece of mind.

We used Go Matilda who were excellent: www.gomatilda.com

Re: Do you really need an agent???
 

With hindsight we probably could have done it without an agent. The TRA bit was the only bit we needed major help on, and we would have probably failed at a first attempt without the help of our agent, thanks to them we passed and are in the twilight of our app now, visa within a month or two, depending on the house sale.

I wouldn’t necessarily say you need an agent for the actual application as its just a case of filling in the form and following procedure and instructions sent from DIMIA.

With that said we are still happy to have spent the extra £££s and use an agent, to be honest we didn’t even think about not using one, as around 10 years ago when we first thought about emigrating we were looking at agents, and when we finally took the plunge last year, the first thing we did was contact an agent and pay a deposit.

It was only after, that I found this site, and with the information and help available on here it is definitely possible to complete the process without an agent. But its up to you if you use one or not.

Re: Do you really need an agent???
 

We didn't use an agent and don't regret it as we had no probs, however we had a very straight forward case, we are in our 20's with no Kids, good health, equity in our current property and were on the MODL list.

If you friends choose not to use one, then I suggest lots of research on the internet, ask a million and one questions on this website and check your forms a million times.

If they choose to use one then I would go with one thats been recommended on this site that has a good reputation like Matilda.

Simone ;)

Re: Do you really need an agent???
 

HI
to be honest with you when you first look at the forms you tend to think :confused: :eek: oh my God !!!
But take it step by step and ask all these lovely people things you are not sure of :rolleyes: .
We have passed our TRA by ourselves and have just put our main application together UPS taking it tommorrow so hopefully we have crossed all the t's and dotted all the i's we said if we fail for any reason it would fail with or without an agent !
Hope this helps
Jane x

Re: Do you really need an agent???
 

Hi All
Just thought I would give you the benefit of my use of an agent. My wife and I applied with an agent in Devon 6 years ago and she made a mess of our application resulting in us being refused. We started applying online ouselves 18 months ago and our visa where granted in Feb this year, so my advice if you can handle form filling do it yourself and just double check everything and save yourself some money. Cheers dave

Re: Do you really need an agent???
 

I guess it also depends on how coplicated your friends application is. We needed me & hubby, mum & dad and the prospect of piecing this altogether was frightening. Looking back there is definately pieces we could have done off our own back, but thats only because we have learnt as we have gone along. We have used 1stcontact, not cheap, no real frills to speak off but they have done what we paid them to do and that is good enough for me

Re: Do you really need an agent???
 

No

G