I was in my late 50’s when I became a permanent resident

There are many ways you can secure a visa, and while many people will file an application themselves, others choose to pass it over to a qualified migration agent.

One of our recent clients was Carole who was born in New Zealand. She was mid-way through her application for the Skilled Independent visa subclass 189 New Zealand Citizen stream, when she decided to enlist our help.

“I just felt there were a few hurdles when doing a DIY visa application. It wasn’t clear whether or not I’d need a medical and when I rang the Department of Immigration for advice, I didn’t get a straightforward answer,” she explains.

Carole’s DIY approach

Carole is very methodical and is a qualified paralegal in estate administration at a boutique legal firm. She describes herself as organised and that was evident in the way she submitted her documentation to us.

Carole had started drafting her NZ Stream Subclass 189 visa herself but found it protracted.

“I just felt there were a few hurdles when doing a DIY visa application. It wasn’t clear whether or not I’d need a medical and when I rang the Department of Immigration for advice, I didn’t get a straightforward answer,” she explains. By this time, Carole had spent many months reworking the visa application draft with various information that’s being asked.

“There were also long queues when trying to get through by phone to officials. Everything is automated so it took ages to contact the right person,” adds Carole.

Using a professional migration agent

It was through a personal recommendation by Vicki and Ross Hutson, the owners of Katie’s Kattery in Nowergup, that Carole came to contact Home of Visas.

“I’d heard about the planned visa changes and knew the Australian Government were tightening up on their immigration policy. I came to Perth in 2004 from Nelson in New Zealand and have been here for 15 years but like many New Zealanders I hadn’t bothered to get permanent residency,” she says.

“I knew I’d be stupid not to apply for PR especially because of the impending migration changes. I’m not getting any younger and I’m starting to think about my retirement and entitlement to government superannuation.”

Carole also knew that permanent residency would lead to citizenship and that would open more doors for her – such as the right to vote.

Submitting documentation to Home of Visas

As a paralegal, Carole leads a busy life, so communication with Home of Visas was done by email, text or phone.

“This worked really well for me. The team at Home of Visas, Fizah and Zahirah, were very responsive. They were pleasant to deal with and they just knew so much. The fact that they’d ring me outside of office hours was a real plus.”

Nowadays nearly all visa applications are lodged electronically. Working in the legal profession Carole knew how important it was to provide exactly what was required and was meticulous in her attention to detail.

“Home of Visas asked me for supporting documentation such as jobs I’d held and qualifications I’d obtained. I was asked to contact former employers for reference letters. It was a team effort which reaped results.”

Visa approval

Carole’s permanent residence visa was submitted on the 26th July 2019 and was approved on 30th October 2019.

“I got a text around 6:45 pm one night from Fizah and Zahirah to confirm I was an Australian permanent resident. How did I feel? Elated, it was a relief and I went public with my announcement on Facebook.”

And what advice would she give to those who are thinking of submitting a visa application themselves?

“It’s hard work and very time consuming. I spent hours and hours on mine before contacting Home of Visas. My application was half-completed, so a fee was agreed upon which reflected my efforts. It was more affordable than I thought, so I’d say leave it to the experts.”

Home of Visas offers a highly personalised migration service, so before you submit your own visa application, speak to us here.

We offer a free initial consultation whatever your circumstances, and our fees are very competitive. Ring us now and make an appointment on +61 (08) 6117 4004.

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CONTACT US

EMAIL: visas@homeofvisas.com.au
PHONE: +61 (0)8 6117 4004

OFFICE: 34 Welshpool Road, Welshpool, WESTERN AUSTRALIA (by appointment)