US Citizen Looking for professional help NZ immigration
 

Hi. I'm a United States citizen and am exploring immigration options to NZ. I am seeking professional assistance to go through the process. Due to time constraints, I want to delegate the paper work, and legalities and also complete the process as expeditiously as possible. Please let me know if you know of firms or people who are legally qualified and experienced to assist me at a reasonable cost--especially in the United States. Greatly appreciated in advance!

Mo

Re: US Citizen Looking for professional help NZ immigration
 

Hi
From what I can tell agents are very expensive, running into the thousands of pounds just to do the paperwork and then there are all the visa and other costs on top. I haven't heard of anyone on here who has been quoted what seems a reasonable cost to me:eek:
It depends on what route you are planning to take: temp work visa or skilled migrant [applying for permanent residency], work to residence etc.
I applied via the skilled migrant category and if you can spare a couple of hours you can apply yourself. After all you are the one who has to hunt down the necessary documents that the agent will ask you for and they can't go for the medicals for you:lol: So there is still going to be a fair bit of work that you have to do yourself. The EOI will take 2-3 hours to fill in and then it is just arranging medicals, sending off for a police cert and getting proofs of work experience/qualifications and relationship evidence if necessary. It really isn't that arduous or time consuming if you apply yourself to the job.
Ask away if you have any other questions
Sue :D

Re: US Citizen Looking for professional help NZ immigration
 

If you really want to spend out $$ on an agent then use one from NZAMI. They have a list. Please be wary of those offering an 'all-in' service. i.e. settlement and job offers. Pick one that simply offers to do your NZIS paperwork for you.
I do know of one tried and tested agent that has done stirling work for both easy & difficult cases and come off tops due to attention to details.

This will not necessarily save you any time on paperwork because you still have to spend time providing the information for someone else to fill in those forms. You still have to read and sign. You still have to provide the certified docs, go for meds and obtain a police check. The legalities are not that complex.

Agents/Consultants cannot speed up the process. What does speed up the process is you offering quality information / documents. Having other required criteria to hand i.e. police checks and meds & the all important one that always gets an application to the top of a pile - an NZ job offer.

If you would consider sharing, then let us have your bare details and we can tell you which route you need to go and how easy/difficult it will be for you. At least you will then be informed enough to know if your agent is on the nose, or not.

Edited here:-

Per the new licensing rules regarding agents. It is possible to look up for a licensed agent from the Immigration Advisors Authority website.

Re: US Citizen Looking for professional help NZ immigration
 

Sue R, BEVS, thank you for your kind responses. I am looking to apply under the skilled migrant category. Perhaps you are right and it is not worthwhile delegating this. The main trigger for my request is that after spending time filling out the online form it seems that I have to get some documents in order and have them approved BEFORE I apply. The primary example is my education. It seems unless I have my education documents certified with reference numbers, then I don't get the points applied. I'm OK with getting this done but I was wondering if I am going about doing this correctly in the first place and if so, what other documents do I need to have demonstrably ready before I continue with the online application.

Again, all thoughts and advice are greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Re: US Citizen Looking for professional help NZ immigration
 

Hi, I think you are making the right decision about doing it on your own. Especially if you read some of the threads about agents on here at the moment;)
I can't help you with the qualification assessment part as mine was on the list of recognised quals so I didn't have to go down that route. Others on here have had to have assessment so will be able to help you.

You shouldn't need any other documents when filling in the EOI as you don't send any documents in until you return your ITA. Everything you need to gather can be done once it has been submitted. Police certs only last 6m so best to leave until the EOI is selected at the very earliest. Don't do medicals until you receive an ITA as they are only good for 3m. You can start getting proof of work experience together, a full birth certificate [don't know the system in America, in UK we have a short version as well:blink:], proof of English language ability if you are not originally from an English speaking country and I think that is about all:eek: As you can see most of the documents you would have to hunt down anyway so that would take time whether you have an agent or not:rofl:
By the way, how many points do you have and is your profession on the long term skills shortage list? That will give you an idea of how likely you are to be selected.
Sue:D

Re: US Citizen Looking for professional help NZ immigration
 

Sue, thanks. Something is amiss. I have advanced degrees, yet I am being asked to provide certification numbers on the EOI before I get credited. I look at it again.

Re: US Citizen Looking for professional help NZ immigration
 

Hi
I think you may need to get a Pre Assessment Result to put on your EOI. You then need a full assessment for the ITA stage.
Now I may have got this wrong but that's what it looks like from the NZIS website. Hoping someone else will come along and help on this as I did not need to go through NZQA assessment
Sue:D