Kerrygold

Has anyone recently used a migration agents for New Zealand they could recommend?

TheArmChairDetective

Better still.
Are they worth using?

Biddy

Very much a matter of opinion
On the one hand they are expensive - Malcom Pacific quoted me £3800 and Ambler Collins (who we went with) quoted £2000 payable in 4 installments.
But on the other, what they offer is Peace of Mind. Emigration to wherever is by its very nature expensive, stressful and a logistical nightmare getting everything together. it's something you only do once (usually) and I wanted to give the whole thing the best chance of being right first time. That's why I opted for help. I've no doubt I could have done it myself, but I really believe it would have taken me longer and caused me a lot of headaches. As it is it's been pretty easy and straightforward.

Dec 04, spoke with Ambler Collins, agreed price and checked points. I have 110 and no job offer.
Mid Jan got EOI submitted online (they did this from our scribbles on the hard copy) and a week later it was drawn out of the hat! (had i been doing this on my own I would have waited until the 3 passports that were out of date were returned, but they suggested we submit using the out of date ones - no probs!)
A couple of weeks later we were advised that it had been approved.
Then we started working on the list of docs needed (they supplied this).
Early March application for residence arrives. Booked medicals (Southampton - Dr Goodall, Walnut Tree sy very good) and police checks. These arrived back in approx 1 week.
Mid March after getting old employers refs back and proper full length birth certs for the kids we submitted all docs to AC who completed the Application for Residency. Because everything has been checked and double checked I'm 99% certain it will be approved and anticipate being in a position to move some time early Summer.

To summarise:
For my particular case Pros - Speedy! Lack of stress, Peace of mind, help with finding work, got it right first time.
Cons - £2000 + VAT! However my view is that the main reason for working and earning money is to buy stuff or get people to do things for you - so that's what I did.

If using an agent I would certainly recomend Ambler - Sinead is particularly on the ball.

Cheers

Biddy

Kerrygold

Hi Biddy,

at last some positive feedback! Reading some of the threads makes you wonder whether it's all worth it. We also have 110 points so you have really made my day. I appreciate our circumstances may be different but I'm certainly more hopeful. We appreciate it won't be easy - no where is perfect but we need a change of lifestyle (fed up with commuting, lager lout culture and crime problems in UK. We have three children and won't to give them a more peaceful and relaxed childhood. I will be contacting Ambler Collins today.

Thanks again. Kerry.

Biddy

Excellent news Kerry, really hope it works out for you. Just ask if there's anything else you need.
Biddy

Don

Hold your horses. We used a very good agency, NZ based and a bit cheaper than the prices quoted (about USD1500, you'll find NZ based agencies are cheaper than UK based ones and distance is no problem what with email and courier mail etc). I'd recommend them any day, they were knowledgeable, efficient, polite and professional. Give me a PM and I'll provide their details.

But the point is, using an agency seems to be peace of mind etc but it's not. This forum gives better advice than them if you can sift the truth from the dross plus it's free.

I would NOT use an agency if I could choose again.

Agency money for NZ immigration is money down the drain and believe me, you'll miss that money when you're on a NZ wage!

However, if you've got particular problems, eg acrimonious divorce and custody of kids issues, an agency might be a help.

Kerrygold

Thanks Don, if you would mind providing details, it would be appreciated. We intend to contact a few for quotes.

The process does seem fairly straight forward and having taking the NZ High Commission on line test we are over the points ratio for lodging an EOI. Just worried there might be problems further along in the process which we might need assistance with.

As you state, every penny will count once we're on NZ wages!

Thanks again.
QUOTE=Don]Hold your horses. We used a very good agency, NZ based and a bit cheaper than the prices quoted (about USD1500, you'll find NZ based agencies are cheaper than UK based ones and distance is no problem what with email and courier mail etc). I'd recommend them any day, they were knowledgeable, efficient, polite and professional. Give me a PM and I'll provide their details.

But the point is, using an agency seems to be peace of mind etc but it's not. This forum gives better advice than them if you can sift the truth from the dross plus it's free.

I would NOT use an agency if I could choose again.

Agency money for NZ immigration is money down the drain and believe me, you'll miss that money when you're on a NZ wage!

However, if you've got particular problems, eg acrimonious divorce and custody of kids issues, an agency might be a help.[/QUOTE]