springonion

Hi to everyone here. This is a great forum and I've been looking through it for a few weeks now.

I'm just starting out on the road of applying for my 175 visa with the aim of heading out to Perth with the family.

I'm a computer contractor in the UK and have worked freelance for the past 15 years. I've sent my details off to the ACS to be assessed and that can take up to 12 weeks before they come back. Hopefully it'll be positive.

In the meantime though I want to prepare as much as I can for the actual visa application. I'm doing it myself and not through an agent but I'm not sure if thats a good option really.

So while I'm waiting for my ACS assessment to come back, can I send off my application for the 175 online and when I receive the ACS response, send that through?

I thought it would be easy to understand the process but its looking quite involved.

I'm also wondering whether to take the english language test just to get the extra points. Any thoughts on that?

thanks again and a big thumbs up to this forum.

Nick

biggles7374

Hi Spring-onion

I don't think you can apply before you get your positve skills assessment because this is one of the key criteria to assess initial validity and therefore must accompany your application.

Go for it yourself, as long as you do plenty of research you will be fine. I did it myself and apart from the Skills Assessment everything else is quite logical and straightforward.

Plus there is this forum should you get stuck...I found it invaluable getting insight into the experience of others and the advice from the few agents knocking about that will give titbits of freebee advice. Also you will save a few quid doing it this way (up to £2K)

Andy

springonion

Hi Andy,

Thanks for that - I'll wait on then. I'll probabley start filling out the fields on a paper based one so when the ACS thumbs up comes through (fingers crossed) then I have all the information ready to type in online.

cheers

Nick

biggles7374

See you have the hang of this already!!!!

Start researching required work references also as they have to be in a prescribed format and get these requested from previous employers cause these can take some time to come back

Also any education certificates, birth certificates - dig these out in good time so that any missing ones can be replaced in good time.

I cannot emphasise the importance of good preparation as it is this that will make you application go as smoothly as possible.

regards

Andy

Funkey Monkey

We didn't use an agent either and found it all okay, if a bit time consuming. Just plough through it all and remember to keep your sanity!!!

Good luck

scrum

You cannot submit your visa application for the 175 without first gaining your skills assessment result.

You could get all the paperwork together and scanned in etc though. That will save you time when you do get your ACS result.

Trish

springonion

cheers to everyone for their help on this. I'll definately get everything ready to go once I get my ACS result back and then I can hit the send button for the visa application

scrum

Good luck with everything.

Trish