VISA AGENTS - is it a dodgy industry?

[steven100]

On 2/11/2025 at 11:20 AM, wozzlegummich said:

I'm chasing a decent Visa agent to assist my Thai partner in obtaining a tourist visa to Australia.

But everywhere I go I seem to get red flags about the validity of these companies. None seem to be above board. 

Are there any honest ones and if so can someone recommend one?

my recommendation is find one yourself,   you make out they are dodgy when many are not. Your just stirring up a can of worms imo.  DO some searching for yourself instead of being the fat lazy guy that you are.

[steven100]

On 2/11/2025 at 11:20 AM, wozzlegummich said:

I'm chasing

well go chase a cow 

[Jumbo1968]

Do it yourself, you provide all the info/documents to the agent and all they do is forward it to Global in Bangkok. I am not sure but the person applying for the visa  will have to go to Bangkok like they do when applying for a U.K. Visa.

[hotandsticky]

1 minute ago, Jumbo1968 said:

Do it yourself, you provide all the info/documents to the agent and all they do is forward it to Global in Bangkok. I am not sure but the person applying for the visa  will have to go to Bangkok like they do when applying for a U.K. Visa.

 

 

Yes, to submit biometrics.

 

For Australian visa applications everything else is done online.

[wozzlegummich]

On 2/11/2025 at 3:33 PM, Nemises said:

Nothing “dodgy” about the Visa agent I used to get a tourist visa to Aus for my TGF. 
 

In fact I used them again to get her 2nd visa …and will continue to use them in the future. 
 

The agent did everything. Couldn’t be happier. 

Would you care to PM me their details?

[jacnl2000]

On 2/11/2025 at 5:20 AM, wozzlegummich said:

I'm chasing a decent Visa agent to assist my Thai partner in obtaining a tourist visa to Australia.

But everywhere I go I seem to get red flags about the validity of these companies. None seem to be above board. 

Are there any honest ones and if so can someone recommend one?

 

After working with agents for a while, you get pretty good at spotting and chasing down the dishonest ones. Honestly, I haven’t met any yet—once they mess up, they’re out of business faster than you can say “visa denied.”

 

I know reading and understanding all those written texts here on Asean Now can be tricky too—maybe I should get a bot agent to do that for me.

 

By the way, some visa types actually require the use of an approved agent. I haven’t tried those agencies yet.

 

I’m not Australian, but I’ve gone through the visa process many times. Once, I had to hire a very expensive agent because I made a mistake—I was in a hurry and didn’t fully explore the official websites. I also didn’t have time to visit all the ministries for legalization in The Hague—unaware they must be visited in a specific order, and clueless about their exact locations or opening hours.

What I realized:

An agent doesn’t just handle paperwork—they buy you time.
While they chase documents, you can focus on preparing, learning, and managing what matters most.

The real delays come from rigid planning systems.
When time is tight, it’s not the visa itself that slows you down—it’s the chain of appointments, legalizations, stamps, and tight deadlines. You quickly learn that planning ahead isn’t a luxury—it’s a survival skill.

It would be much easier if every applicant had a unique ID number—but even then, operators can still press the wrong buttons.

A good agent, if managed well, makes you sharper.
Stay involved, ask questions, and you’ll walk away confident and ready to handle it yourself next time.

And when legalized Thai translators are involved—like those near Leiden University, in Udon Thani, or by Victory Monument in Bangkok—I don’t mind paying a bit extra.
It supports their families, and I respect the care and detail they bring to a process often hinging on a single word or stamp.

Speaking of which… I have four Catholic surnames.
After 25 years of forms, I’ve seen them spelled every possible way by legalized Thai translators. I’ve learned to closely interact with them, laugh, and live with it.