People may give you false or misleading information in order to take advantage of your desire to visit or migrate to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong etc. Becoming a victim of fraudulent activity could mean you lose your life savings or your identity or have your visa cancelled.
Warning signs to look out for:
- Never get impressed if the Consultant is Canadian or Australian or New Zealand Immigrant or Citizenship or having office in these countries. Always consider the experienced one.
- Whether the amount is paid for Office Fee or Consultant's Fee, no receipt is provided
- the fee seems extremely high – If any Immigration Consultant asks huge fee with no logical reasons behind or provides lame excuses like he has to pay for his licensing fee in Canada or Australia or New Zealand or he is different from other consultants or he is a Canadian Citizen or Australian Citizen or New Zealand Citizen, you are not advised to take his services.
- no office address is given and you are asked to meet at a café or other public area
- only a post office box or mobile phone number is provided
- only residential address with residential phone number(s) given.
What Immigration Consultants Can No Say:
- I can guarantee that you will get a visa
- Only authorized officers from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship can issue you with a visa.
- No-one can guarantee you will get a visa. Avoid internet sites and advertisements by anyone who claims they can 'guarantee' a visa.
- A visa is only issued if your circumstances meet all the visa requirements.
- This is a 'once in a lifetime opportunity', or your 'only' chance to travel or migrate
- Visa officers do not telephone or email people offering 'deals'.
- There may be a number of visa options.
- The department will only contact you in relation to a visa application you have already lodged.
- There may be a number of visa options.
- The department will only contact you in relation to a visa application you have already lodged.
- Only I can pay the department's fees. Give me the money and I will pay the department's fees for you.
Make sure you know how much the visa application charge is.
- I have a special relationship with the Immigration department
- No-one has a special or privileged relationship with the department.
- The department treats all applications in the same fair and reasonable way.
- Your application will not be given special attention or guaranteed approval
CHOOSING AN IMMIGRATION CONSULTANT
- Ask for recommendations from people you trust. Talk to several potential advisers before choosing one.
- Ask about their training and experience:
- ask for references
- find out how long they have been in Immigration business.
- Discuss what services they will provide and the fee. Get this information in writing.
- Ask for Assessment and relevant questions.
- Be careful of anything that sounds too good to be true.
ONCE YOU HAVE CHOSEN AN IMMIGRATION CONSULTANT
- Make sure you get a written contract—read it carefully before you sign it. Make sure that all the promised services are listed and the fee is clearly set out.
- Do not leave original documents or photos with the consultant.
- Do not sign blank application forms. If the consultant has forms or documents for you to sign, do not sign them unless you are able to read them. If you don’t understand them, bring someone with you to translate. Make sure to get copies of any documents that are prepared for you.
- Any time you make a payment, get a signed receipt.
- Make sure your consultant updates you on your application on a regular basis.
