visa assistance agency

hi everyone
really nice to have forums like this for confused spouses lol

want to inquire if anyone of you had asked for assistance fr visa agencies in processing application? or is it better to do it personally?!?

thank you

Yes. We used a good UK based agancy.

The trick is to find a good one as there are some bad ones out there.

You have the choice. Many do it themselves. Its up to you. If your application has some complexity about it or if you and your partner are short of time then paying out the extra and using a good agency might be best for you.

hi johnash!
thank you for your response. so even tho the application will be submitted in the philippines,we can still get an agency in the UK?!? how will they check the documents/paper works before submitting it here in the phil?

our case is not really complex,and were not in a hurry as my hubby is still yet to look for a 2nd job if there are any :-( but im just worried on how ECo decline applications even if people comply with the requirements esp the financial req :-( so just bothered and being O-C if i will get help or not or maybe il find out the success rates of people who hired agents vs applicants did it on their own

Many people have succesfully applied without assistance from an agency.

The agency steer and advise on the evidence you need to collect. With some exceptions, they compile the evidence, complete the application form and send the whole lot onto you, the applicant. The final pieces of your evidence are added at the Philippines end and then you, the applicant makes the final submission in Manila.

Why are you worried about the financial requirements? If you meet them then you will be okay.

actually he's only earning £13500 at the minute thats why he's still have to look for a 2nd job,but if there's none,we can go by the savings account for the remaining amount.

but i was reading other applicants who meets the £18600 but for odd reasons still gets declined :-( thats what im just worried about :-(

thank you, il discuss this with hubby if we will get help from agencies or il just do everything,which means sleepless nights of googling and researching hehehe

I used an agency too. They can be very helpful and reassuring. I didn't know about this forum at the time, though, and you can get a lot of information here too because people are glad to help out.

With the agency i used, i had to complile the nformation myself but they checked everything and told me of any gaps to fill or explanations I needed and so on. I found them very useful.

they also filled out the applications, helped with booking appointments and so on. For me it was worth it as I didn't know what to do.

But be careful, because we were unsuccessful first time round due in no small part to using a different and very poor agency.

Hi 2die4, there is no odd reason why people have their visas declined, it is because they made a mistake, do not supply enough supporting evidence with the application, have been advised badly by a visa agent or do not meet the requirements.

Reading and posting on this forum will help you avoid all the above, there is absolutely no reason at all to use a visa agency if you have a straight forward application, all the information you require to make a successful application is contained within this forum.

Good luck young lady

This is true. If you fit the criteria and your application is done correctly then you won't get refused.

As I said, we were unsuccessful once but it was because we never gave enough documentation. The agency we used said it was fine and, even though I had my own doubts about it, I sent the documents in. It was only on the second application, with another agency, that I realised just how poor our first application was.

It's frustrating. Had we been successful first time we would have been on the old rules and it would have all been done and dusted now.

I would have done exactly the same as you Graham, it was only by stumbling across this site whilst Googling for visa information that we decided to do it on our own. If I had used a visa agency I would have trusted them 100% like you did and assumed the visa would be a formality, I have now learned through cases like your own that there isn't always a happy ending when using an agent.

When you are on your own and forumless so to speak, how are you going to know which is a good agency to use or not for your visa application?

Hi 2die4 and welcome.

I think it is a waste of money to pay someone else to do your visa.
If you get organised, you can do it yourself
The internet and forums can save you money and unnecessary heartaches.

wow! thank you for all the advice its really nice to have this forum and having read diff threads really makes one wiser on how to go about the application,really is a big help!

i just hope hubby will go thru the diff threads here too,coz he's leaving the research all to me so he'll work and i read hahaha

yeah maybe we can get help fr an agency just a review of the documents before we submit it,has anyone used agency here in the philippines?!? is it ok to tell which agency perhaps?!? hehehe

It would be a good idea if your future husband joined the forum as it will be him that will be providing the majority of the paperwork required for the visa application.

i know but he's too busy working and not really a computer person so i just tell him all what ive found out on my sleepless nights of research hehehe thats why this forum really hepls a lot,no need to google much hehehe

Fair comment, If you need any help someone here will try to point you in the right direction if they can.

thanks so much Timmers, appreciate it so much

Best to use a UK agency as it is UK law and regulations that the application applies to.

Yes. You need a UK agency without a doubt. Your husband will have to do nearly everything with the application as it is his status they are interested in.

hi 2die 4

please be aware under the very latest regulations--you need to pay an extra £500 surcharge for the NHS contribution as well as the spouse visa fee.