Companies Offering Visa Application Services

[tariq]

Hi

I'm going to try and bring my GF over to the UK on a visitor visa towards the end of this year. A few people have mentioned using the services of companies in BKK that specialise in helping with visa applications. I was wandering when the general opinion on the forum was on these companies.

Do they offer a valuable service or could anyone with half a braincell and access to some friendly folk on this forum be able to make the application just as well?

I have a little more than half a braincell but I don't want to balls thew whole thing up!!!

Cheers

Taz...

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Do it yourself and be guided by the UK immigration experts on the forum

[xerostar]

Do it yourself and be guided by the UK immigration experts on the forum

I would highly recommend an agency, at least for the final check

to see if all is in order.

I pride myself in the ability to organise my information.

I can prepare documents and I read a lot on the forum and elsewhere.

But nothing prepared me for the problems I came across.

I went to the agency to get some last-minute translations done.

They had a quick look at my paperwork (which I was happy with).

The agency immediately pointed out some major mistakes (omissions)

in our application that I had not envisaged.

I had run out of time and had to get back to Oz.

So the agency took over the final stage of my wifes immigration visa application

to Australia and even though it cost me 10K Baht, I think it was still good

value, knowing that the submission would have the best chance of success.

[the scouser]

In my opinion, there are only a few competent agencies in Thailand. Most are cowboy outfits who have no knowledge of UK immigration law, policy, and practice. Therefore, if you do decide to instruct someone to assist, make sure that they know their stuff.

In reality, providing that the circumstances of the application are not complicated by, for example, previous refusals etc., the process is one that you can complete alone.

Scouse.

[topfield]

An identical question would be 'should I use a lawyer to defend me in a criminal case OR do I use a lawyer to sue for my rights in a civil case ? The answer must be as the scouser says...use somone who is competant .

The BIG difference of course is that solicitors are trained, qualified and subject to the rules of the Law society. Most visa agents have no qualifications whatsoever and little experience.

250 applications must be the minimum to have gained experience in the subject and one should ask for evidence of experience before using the services of such an office..

[Merlin]

[...snip]

So the agency took over the final stage of my wifes immigration visa application

to Australia and even though it cost me 10K Baht, I think it was still good

value, knowing that the submission would have the best chance of success.

which agency was it - can you pm me some contact details?

cheers,

[daleyboy]

Dont use one. My wife and i used a agency and when the embassy found out they refused our first application due to the fact the agency had lied when filling out the application form for my wife. I was in the U.K when this happened.

What happened, there was a question on the application asking if you had any help filling out the forms, not sure if it still there or not, but anyway they had marked no, then when my wife was interviewd they asked if she filled the forms out herself, she says no and that was the end of the interview, they then start saying why are you lying on your application?

Cant be botered to write the whole story out, but basically it took us a long time to prove to the immigaration officer that we didnt intentionally lie on the forms and it was a simple mistake

Seriously do it yourslef, witht he help of te clever bods here, there are a few of em out there and they are always happy to help you out And i wish i had found this site when we were applying for our visa

Edited June 2, 2006 by daleyboy

[cuddleypete]

hello there

The british embassy themselves advise not to use visa companies as it is the embassy that will say yes or no to a visa,and none off the outside companies offering that they will get your visa for you have any influence on what is said or done at the interview.

Even the compaines that say that they can get 100% guaranteed (which there is no refund)

Just think if they were that good everyone would use them and there would be no need for forums like this.

If you find one that says to you that they can 100% guarantee can you ask them for this week saturday lotto numbers as it is a superdraw and i would like the numbers Ha Ha Ha !!!!!!

All i can say is that we DID not use these visa services when my wife got her settlement visa we did it are selfs with the help off this forum and listening to scouser and gu22 and many other members.

There are so many off these so called 100% companies waiting outside the embassy just looking to make a fast baht. (KEEP AWAY FROM THEM)

so we wish you the best off luck, Pete & Som

[toptuan]

hello there

The british embassy themselves advise not to use visa companies as it is the embassy that will say yes or no to a visa,and none off the outside companies offering that they will get your visa for you have any influence on what is said or done at the interview.

Even the compaines that say that they can get 100% guaranteed (which there is no refund)

Just think if they were that good everyone would use them and there would be no need for forums like this.

If you find one that says to you that they can 100% guarantee can you ask them for this week saturday lotto numbers as it is a superdraw and i would like the numbers Ha Ha Ha !!!!!!

All i can say is that we DID not use these visa services when my wife got her settlement visa we did it are selfs with the help off this forum and listening to scouser and gu22 and many other members.

There are so many off these so called 100% companies waiting outside the embassy just looking to make a fast baht. (KEEP AWAY FROM THEM)

so we wish you the best off luck, Pete & Som

Traveled to 40 countries. Never used a visa agency. Never had a problem. Always have read up on the regulations and started the process early. It depends on how much money, time, and patience you have. If you're short on the the last two, consider an agency. But you better be long on the first item.

[soap]

Hi

I'm going to try and bring my GF over to the UK on a visitor visa towards the end of this year. A few people have mentioned using the services of companies in BKK that specialise in helping with visa applications. I was wandering when the general opinion on the forum was on these companies.

Do they offer a valuable service or could anyone with half a braincell and access to some friendly folk on this forum be able to make the application just as well?

I have a little more than half a braincell but I don't want to balls thew whole thing up!!!

Cheers

Taz...

if you are bringing your gf over for a holiday it should be much easier than if you were applying for a settlement visa. my wife has been over to the uk twice on holiday,no appointment needed at the embassy,45 minutes later,thank you have a nice trip. mind you that was over 8 years ago but i think the principle is still the same, if you only speak the truth you cant tell any lies,if you do have anything to hide the embassy arn"t stupid they do this day in and day out.

for me i would go to the embassy and find out exactly what they require, thats what they are there for if you are not sure ask again if everything is in order your gf will get a visa,i dont think paying agents tens of thousands of baht is going to make any difference

[kfchugo]

I used an agency inBangkok....they sold me a "package deal" ...it included their costs, Aust Govt application fees and the air fare.......they were unable to get the Visa and just flatley refused any kind of refund......even though the air ticket hadnt even been booked, much less paid for......its the old saying..."caveat emptor"

[Douggie Style]

Each situation is different, there is no one answer fits all.

Visa types vary from simple to very complex.

Rules vary from easy to multi layered.

Agents vary from downright criminally incompetent to absolutley essential.

It goes on.

A good starting point is:

1. Ask yourself what are the consequences of failure?

2. Always have a plan B in advance

3. Read all the opinions on TV, they cover a good range of views

A good cover all bets approach is to research and do as much as possible yourself, then get a final check only.

Finding a good agent is another story all in itself but be wary of referrals, many agents pay a commission for these referrals, often the worst agents are the biggest 'tippers'. Bizarrely once ripped off themselves, some people recover their loss through referring their friends to the same agent!

Good question, good luck.

[tariq]

Hmmm..... some varied answers which is what I thought I'd get to be honest.

I think I'd rather trust some of the old timers on this forum though than some agency in Bangkok who I know nothing about even if it had come from a recommendation (although its a recomendation from someone who knows someone who knows someone etc who managed to sort out a visa)

Thanks for your replies guys.. no doubt I'll be posting another message in the next couple of months asking for help with the application.

Cheers

Taz...

[agsnowdon]

Hey read this thread! Visa items

ChrisP's visa was a success so im sure you can do it with out on of those agents all though Chris did.

Good Luck

[topfield]

OK you folks. Next time I get arrested or charged with an offence I won't bother with a lawyer as they are all a waste of money . I'ill Just defend myself and so can't go wrong.

Same with civil law. Next time I want to sue my neighbour or he sues me ...I won't waste my money on a good lawyer..I'll .learn the law and practice myself and away I go.

Next time I want a liquor licence I won't bother with a lawyer. I'll swat up on administrative law and argue my own case.

Above all, I'll never use the services of a Thai lawyer.....I'll.deal with the Thai authorities myself. I can always get by using my Thai wife as interpretor and who knows perhaps they speak English so I cannot lose out.

Thanks you guys for your advice. I'll dispense with all professional help in future..who needs it !

[dr_Pat_Pong]

At least someone thinks that the visa agents are professionals LOL

[daleyboy]

OK you folks. Next time I get arrested or charged with an offence I won't bother with a lawyer as they are all a waste of money . I'ill Just defend myself and so can't go wrong.

Same with civil law. Next time I want to sue my neighbour or he sues me ...I won't waste my money on a good lawyer..I'll .learn the law and practice myself and away I go.

Next time I want a liquor licence I won't bother with a lawyer. I'll swat up on administrative law and argue my own case.

Above all, I'll never use the services of a Thai lawyer.....I'll.deal with the Thai authorities myself. I can always get by using my Thai wife as interpretor and who knows perhaps they speak English so I cannot lose out.

Thanks you guys for your advice. I'll dispense with all professional help in future..who needs it !

These people aren't professionals, they don't have qualifications in visa laws or immigrations laws, they will take your money, then if you don't get the visa tough shit, i have been there and done that.

The members we have here contributing their services, for free by the way are ex immigration officers and the like, and quite frankly i would rather trust the advice of someone who has done the job, rather than some monkey who is more interested in your money, you know a real professional

You use a lawyer as an example, ok so what you are saying is you would rather speak to some bloke in an office who promises you 100% that you will get not get charged with an offence, rather than speak to someone who actually knows what they are talking about? Somebody who is actually qualified to answer the questions you might have

Really you have shown yourself up really well haven't you?

[xerostar]

I prepared the documents for my GF's (3) Tourist Visas last year.

They were not issuing 12 month multiple entry visas then.

I had a *^$* load of problems, but we got there in the end.

I registered my intention to marry at the Oz embassy in December.

Then we went looking for a translation agency.

They offered to arrange everything for 6000 Baht.

We were married, the agency organised the paperwork.

Everything went very smoothly and it only took 2 hours!

If I had done it myself (as some people advised) we would have been

wondering around for days, not sure where to go, who to see.

Over the past 6 months I prepared my wifes Immigration Visa.

Over about a year I have kept reading this forum trying to sieve out some useful facts from the mass of information.

Part of the problem is that all the Immigration info is under one title

"Visas and migration to other countries"

Last year I suggested that this would be better organised separately under each country.

ie. One for GB, One for Oz, one for USA etc.

This would reduce the enormous waste of time checking threads that are not relevant.

After so much reading, (irrelevant threads included) its easy to get confused.

Thus my problems with the tourist visas.

Some members are thoughtful enough to post with an indicator in the title as to which country they are referring, but many don't.

As one of the previous members said "every case is different, some complex, some simple".

Perhaps I should have given a long history of our case, with all the facts.

Then waited for a complete list of instructions?

Nobody on the forum wants to provide such a list to an apparently lazy newbie.

Members are very good at answering specific questions (if you know what to ask!) but if you ask a general question, then you get generalised replies and are often just referred back to the Embassy website. Generalised replies often don't have the details that we need.

So in desperation we newbies end up finding someone who (appears) to know all the answers.

... An Agency or a lawyer!

Yes it's "buyer beware" as with anything else you buy.

Its a boiling hot Bangkok afternoon,

You've trudged for an hour through packed streets,

your sweat is making your shirt stick to your back,

two days left before you have to go back home,

you don't speak any Thai,

the wife is getting cranky,

she speaks very little English,

the children are fighting each other,

we've left a vital paper in Udon Thani,

Who you gonna call?

An agency - that's who! - just make sure its the right one!

Then relax, get back to the hotel, open a cold beer, turn on the aircon, send the kids off to the pool, lie down with your Ti lak and forget your toubles ..

[Gary A]

I'm an American so this is only applicable to US citizens. I bought a do it yourself kit off the Internet. I thought it was great and simple to follow. The CD includes all the forms needed in Adobe format and printable. I bought the K-1 kit. Here is the link;

http://www.usavisanow.com/immigrationvisakits.htm

Check your country and see if perhaps the same type of kit is available for you.

Edited June 5, 2006 by Gary A

[doctormann]

Hi

I've had just the one experience with a visa agent and it was a bad one. We were trying for a UK VV for my TGF and because we thought that we didn't know enough about the process we decided to use an agent. This wasn't one of the 'major' outfits, just a small local firm in Pattaya and it turned out that we knew a fair bit more than they did!

We were encouraged to be economical with the truth in our application, even though this was never going to be necessary, and were told that we had to provide documents that clearly were not needed. The application was rejected, informally, on two occasions because of incomplete paperwork and because they had messed up the dates (which I should have spotted but didn't). They wanted to try again but were clearly not going to improve so I sacked them.

On the third occasion, after I had sacked the agency, we did it all ourselves, taking advice from others on this forum. We had no problems at the Embassy whatsoever and the visa was granted.

I think that it is best to steer clear of the agencies but you do need to be properly prepared. Look at the guidlines on the Embassy website and have a good read through the many posts on this forum. If you really don't meet the requirements then be realistic about your prospects. If you can tick all the right boxes and convince the EO that the GF will return to LoS (always a bit tricky) then you should be OK.

DM

[GU22]

Members are very good at answering specific questions (if you know what to ask!) but if you ask a general question, then you get generalised replies and are often just referred back to the Embassy website. Generalised replies often don't have the details that we need.

If someone posts a general question, then a general reply is all that can be given. In which case the reply is very often "Read the official guidance notes, and then come back with any specific questions."

As you say, it would help if the OP said which country they are asking about, or, again as you say, their were specific sub forums for the more common countries, which seem to be the UK, US and Australia, with another sub forum for every where else.

[coldcrush]

Do it yourself, just listen to people on the forum and clarify before applying you have understood and have all the information for the application. Also goodluck!

Edited June 5, 2006 by lopburiguy