Why Using a Registered Migration Agent For Your Partner Visa Makes Perfect Sense

 

You’ve met the one you love and you believe you’re eligible to apply for a partner visa before your current visa expires.

You’re thinking,

“I’d like to use a Registered Migration Agent/Immigration Lawyer  to handle our Partner Visa application but it’s already so expensive. Why can’t we do it ourselves?”

It’s such an expensive process even without the migration agent’s fees!

At the end of the day it’s comes down to a personal choice. You are not obliged to use an agent, but not using an experienced professional is an exercise in false economy when your application is refused because you’ve made an error of judgment.

There are a lifetime of benefits in using an experienced Partner Visa Registered Migration Agent to prepare your Partner Visa application.

You should weigh up the cost of having your partner visa application prepared professionally against the implications of having your visa refused, because you haven’t prepared your application properly or you have omitted critical steps and/or evidence in your application.

The way we see it,

“There is so much riding on your partner visa application that you want to do everything you can to maximise the likelihood that your visa application will be successful”

Negative consequences of having your visa refused:

• Application fees are non-refundable – and if you want to apply for a Partner Visa again you will need to pay the application fee again. Application fees are currently upwards of $7,500 AUD.
• There are no second chances to lodge another partner visa application in Australia. If you are on a Bridging Visa when your application is refused you will be what is called “Section 48 Barred” from applying for any other visa in Australia and will have to leave Australia in order to lodge a new Partner Visa application.
• If you do lodge a new partner visa application outside Australia you won’t be able to return to Australia to live and work until your new partner visa is granted. This could take anywhere between 12 and 22 months (and longer in some cases – depending on which offshore office processes your new application).
• Sometimes it may be possible to overturn the decision to refuse through an appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal – but expect to end up paying anywhere between $7,000 and $10,000 if you do lodge an appeal, and there is no guarantee that your error can be corrected.
• If you do lodge an appeal at the AAT you can remain in Australia while a subsequent offshore partner visa application is processed if you step outside Australia on a Bridging Visa B (BVB) to allow your new offshore application can be lodged. You could then return to Australia to await the Tribunal hearing in the hope that your new application will be processed before your AAT hearing comes around. This is very expensive; two applications plus the cost of lodging an AAT appeal.
• Having an application refused prolongs the stress associated with the application. More waiting and more uncertainty can put unwanted pressure on a relationship when all you want is to be able to relax and enjoy your time together in this wonderful country.
• A failed application extends the time you will have a temporary Partner Visa and delays the grant of your unconditional permanent partner visa.
• A failed application also further delays the time you will meet the criteria for Australian citizenship.

There are priceless benefits of using an experienced, reputable Partner Visa migration agent to handle your partner visa application:

Words cannot express how grateful and happy we are for getting our partner visa granted in only 7 months. This was the best news we could hope for and so life changing in all aspects. All this thanks to the Team at AHWC and especially Patrick who has been of tremendous help from start to finish.
Patrick has been so professional during the whole process. It all felt quite confusing and very complicated for us to handle alone but he made it so easy and stress free. Everything was clear and our application was lodged decision ready. Never would we have thought going into this that we would get a visa so quickly ! The service provided is definitely worth each cent. Thank you so much.

Eric & Caroline H

• A Partner Visa grant depends on a high-quality decision ready application, which involves more that just the completion of the correct forms. These applications, when done correctly are life changing and worthy of an investment in a reputable professional immigration service.
• Experienced migration agents lodge “Decision Ready” applications which get processed quicker than non-decision ready applications.
• Good Partner Visa migration agents avoid mistakes. Partner Visa paperwork is extensive, complicated and deceptive and without an expert’s help there are lots of opportunities to make fatal mistakes.
• Experienced Migration Agents will walk you through all the evidence needed, including how to apply for all the additional documents required for the application.
• An experienced Partner Visa Migration Agent will have prepared thousands of partner visa applications for people in the same position as yourselves and will have extensive knowledge of what is required to advise you, and prepare and lodge a successful application tailored to your unique circumstances.
• They will also advise appropriate steps you can take if you don’t quite meet the criteria for a Partner Visa
• Registered Migration Agents experienced in Partner visas, know how to deal with Department of Home Affairs requests and all the complex procedural issues that may arise. They also know how to deal with unexpected issues such as health and character issues, which so often result in a refusal for the unprepared applicant.
• Experienced Partner Visa Migration Agents’ livelihoods depend on their applications being well prepared and successful. They must deliver visa grants for their clients as they rely on referrals and reviews to maintain their business.
• They will have lots of experience compiling de facto evidence and be able to make suggestions to you on what other evidence you could put in place or steps you could take to make your application stronger.
• If your application is prepared by an experience migration agent with a good reputation, your application will be accompanied by a submission to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) addressing each of the criteria which must be met for your application to be successful.
• Experienced Partner Visa Agents can often convince the Department of Home Affairs to grant a Permanent Partner Visa immediately after the Temporary Partner Visa has been granted where certain criteria are met.
• Registered Migration Agents/Immigration Lawyers must be registered with OMARA and to maintain their registration, must undertake regular Continued Professional Development (CPD) to keep up to date with migration legislation, which is complex and ever changing.
• Some migration firms including AHWC Immigration Law, offer a No Visa, No Professional Fee Guarantee in the (unlikely) event that an application they prepare and lodge is unsuccessful. Only firms who are very confident in their ability to prepare and lodge successful applications are prepared to offer this type of guarantee.
• You can take advantage of Payment plans. Some firms, including AHWC, offer payment plans to approved applicants. These payment plans which are usually provided through a third party financier, can often be the difference between being in a position to lodge the application before the expiry of your current visa.

Don’t Risk Your Future In Australia.

You wouldn’t do your own surgery so why take the risk of preparing your own Partner Visa application? Don’t gamble your future together in Australia. For your own peace of mind, find an experienced Partner Visa Migration Agent with a good reputation and  good reviews, who handles many partner visa applications annually.

Leave your Partner Visa to an expert to handle.

When you use a Partner Visa specialist you can relax while your application is being processed, rather than spend your time worrying that you may have missed something!

You can feel confident that Departmental requests are being handled properly, that application is being monitored and all you need to do is wait for you Partner Visa grant.

Tips for when you’re Looking for an experienced Partner Visa Migration Agent

Always check that your agent is a Registered Migration Agent with the Migration Agents Registration Authority. Migration Agents and Immigration Lawyers must be Registered to provide Immigration Advice.

When choosing a migration firm to handle your application, log onto their website and check out their testimonials page. Look at their Google Reviews as well. Businesses with high Google ratings do a great job for their clients and deliver excellent results.

To book a consultation with one of our experienced partner visa experts, please book online through the following link to our website www.ahwc.com.au/book-a-consultation Alternatively, phone 1300 887 818 during business hours (9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday AEST). Overseas callers: +61 3 9573 5200.

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