How to Choose an Immigration Consultant

Tap to Read ➤ Sucheta Pradhan

Want to immigrate to a foreign country but don't know how to go about it? Hire the services of an immigration consultant. Here, we tell you what you should look for while hiring one.

Trivia

In the 1960s, qualified people migrated in large numbers from Asia and Latin America to the USA, Canada, and Europe. These countries had very complicated rules for immigration visas, owing to which the concept of immigration consultancy took root.

Immigrating is a big decision that demands the completion of an enormous amount of paperwork and several other formalities. More often than not, it becomes difficult for an individual to understand and handle these procedures, which is when an immigration consultant comes into the picture.

He/she is a licensed individual, who helps people with their immigration requirements and procedures. It is often advised to hire a qualified and experienced person, in order to facilitate a smooth immigration process.

Choosing an Immigration Consultant

People migrate for various reasons, and hence, the immigration laws and regulations tend to vary from case to case. An immigration consultant specializes in these specifics and possesses a clear and apt knowledge about the various procedures that may be involved in the immigration processes of his clients.

By hiring his/her services, an immigrant also seeks to ensure that there is minimum, if any, possibility of mistakes in the whole process, and that the processing of documents takes place quickly. Here are some tips for you to choose the right person for the job.

Determine the Geographical Location

Decide where you want your consultant to be located. Depending on your personal preference, you may either want to hire a local consultant or one from a country where you intend to immigrate.

Both have their own sets of pros and cons. While choosing a local consultant may enable you to meet and talk personally to him/her, hiring one abroad may help you seek trustworthy assistance with regards to finding a house, job, and so on.

Ask People

If you know people who have immigrated in the past, it is a very good idea to consult them before choosing your consultant.

In fact, you can ask them who their consultant was, and then seek the services of the same person. This way, you will not have to worry much about the consultant's qualifications, experience, and reputation.

Search the Internet

The Internet is a vast information pool that can help you find information on almost anything and everything under the sun.

Look for information about reputed consultants online. Once you find a few established and trusted names, you can talk to them individually, and then choose the best one from the lot.

Ask Questions

Ask a lot of questions to your prospective immigration consultant.

Do not hesitate to ask anything that comes to your mind, even if it may sound silly. You never know what may create complications in the future, as even seemingly small things may delay the immigration procedure.

Qualifications and Experience are Vital

Make inquiries about the qualifications and experience.

You can ask for some testimonials by people who have sought their services in the past. If your country needs the consultant to have some kind of a special qualification or a license, ensure that he/she has one.

Seek Information about Fees and Services

Inquire thoroughly about the fees and charges of the consultant, and also about the different kinds of services offered by him/her.

See to it that the consultant gives you the details of his/her fees and services in writing so that further misunderstandings may be avoided. As far as possible, stay away from a consultant who hesitates or refuses to give the details in writing.

Inquire about Additional Services

Ask if the consultant also offers some additional services, such as helping you find a new house abroad or for getting a new job.

Some consultants also aid their clients with things such as finding an appropriate health insurance, and so on. Added to this, you may also need help regarding certain other issues, such as opening a new bank account, etc. Inquire if the consultant offers such kind of assistance.

Ask about Visa Interview Coaching

Verify if the person you are about to hire also helps you prepare for your visa interview. Many consultants offer this service, and most of them also hold mock interviews, in order to help you get the desired visa.

If the consultant is not offering this service, it is better to look for other options unless you are absolutely sure that you will be able to crack the interview on your own.

Some Essential Tips

❏ Once you chosen your immigration consultant, ensure all the paperwork regarding the fees, services, and other things is done properly. ❏ Refrain from signing any blank documents/forms. If the consultant asks you to do so, give a second thought to hiring his services. If the consultant insists to sign a blank forms, better don't hire his services at all.

❏ Be absolutely sure that you have understood the contract completely before you sign it. ❏ Always keep a copy of the contract and those of the receipts and other documents with you. It is good to trust your consultant, but blind faith can be dangerous.

❏ Do not sign any document that is written in a language you don't understand. In such a case, it is advisable to hire the service of a translator to help you understand what is written. ❏ Every country has different immigration laws. So, see to it that your consultant specializes in immigration laws of the country that you intend to go.

Make sure that you look for all the things mentioned here while hiring an immigration consultant. Remember that a right consultant will ease and smoothen your immigration process, and will also keep you informed about all the new updates from time to time until your goal is achieved.