Immigration consultants

[Oluwafisayo25]

If you have the extra money then why not use a qualified immigration consultant.
The trick is to find a qualified one.
Hopefully their experience can help alleviate your concerns with good advice and will keep you informed.
There's no guarantee and they will not make your application go faster.

If not complicated then do it yourself. Follow the guide carefully.
You can save some money and the risks will be the same.
Are you up to it?

Thank you for your reply....its not complicated this is our first but I have been denied study permit 3times before we got married so we just want the consultant to put us through all the documents...he found one her name is Catherine E MacLennan from Frontera

 

[Oluwafisayo25]

He

Campbell Cohen. They are the ones who run this forum.

he found one her name is Catherine E macLennan from frontera

 

[Oluwafisayo25]

Consultants are not invested in your success and some are not thorough. Its a risk you take and applying through them is no more a guarantee of success than applying for yourself. If you have patience you can do this. I mean the consultant may fill the forms out but you still have to produce the documents to support your application so it doesn't remove you from the process totally.

We have all the necessary document...the case is I have been denied study permit 3times and I applied myself...we just need someone to put us through...

 

[Ohdontyousee]

I think if you got denied in any visa category before. You should at least try to get a free consultation from a a registered consultant.

I did my sponsorship application with a consultant. Cost was close to CAD $5K, my sponsor met with them prior to signing a retainer and went over our challenges. I actually called dozen consultants before settling on one.

See you’re not just paying for them to fill the forms. You’re also paying for their immigration expertise. I thought a lot about doing the application by myself. I spent 2 years reading forums and prepping the paperwork... etc but My application is little complicated and I can’t afford to have it rejected.

My family sponsorship application with a consultant was close to 120 pages. Forms, LoE, support documents, supplemented proofs.. etc

Hope this helps

 

[Western Mountain Man]

I am thinking of getting my application for common-law spousal sponsorship be checked over by a lawyer before I send it. Will do all the work, but just need to get them to check it as it is a big deal application. Mind you saying that I applied for study and PGWP myself.

Good idea especially with a ' big deal application '. They may be able to pick something up you missed. In that case
it's well worth it for a professional 2nd opinion. You want everything to be in order for IRCC so they can do their job with minimal delays.

 

[Western Mountain Man]

Thank you for your reply....its not complicated this is our first but I have been denied study permit 3times before we got married so we just want the consultant to put us through all the documents...he found one her name is Catherine E MacLennan from Frontera

Wow, they really didn't want you to come here and study.....Then you got married.
Even though your application is not complicated there are many things IRCC will consider.
I am not trying to tell you what to do but I think a good consultant/lawyer for your application could be helpful.
If you decide, check their reputation, ask lots of questions, and find out their rates. They don't have to be in your area.
Make the best decision with your spouse.

 

[Abonde]

We just don’t know anything about it‍

Hello Fisayo,
I am Nigerian as well and I applied for my wife in August, 2018 and her Visa was approved on June 5th, 2019. The application is pretty straight forward, just make sure your follow the guide and make sure you ask lots of questions on this forum. Lots of knowledgeable people on this forum. To be honest, putting the application together is not easy, the sponsor has to be ready to put in the time. It took me a full month to put all the application together and I had 3 friends who went through the process to look through the application before I submitted. Your husband will need to be on top of the application bigtime for smooth sailing, I was following every step from Canada. Calling to book her medicals, calling VAC office for biometrics and calling and faxing Ghana.
Your husband can put in the application for you if he has the time to follow up with it. If you guys have the extra cash to play with then go with a Consultant. If you have any questions, feel free to email me.
Thanks.

 

[pr90]

Quick FYI

Get a consultant:

• more than one applicant/previous marriages ( 2nd, 3rd marriages, kids, etc.)
• previously been denied
• just have money to blow.
• language barrier

Don't get a consultant:

• just one applicant.
• straightforward application.

One last thing, this may take some time to gather so i suggest to request for them right away, are police clearances ( especially if you are outland ).

 

[Longroadtoimmigration]

Consultants are cheaper than lawyers. My lawyer was going to collect $3000 for reviewing my file. I mean just going through my already filled and packaged documents.
I was too broke to give her the money so she couldn't check it .

 

[Qwertypod]

Consultants are cheaper than lawyers. My lawyer was going to collect $3000 for reviewing my file. I mean just going through my already filled and packaged documents.
I was too broke to give her the money so she couldn't check it .

Agreed. We paid our consultant $2400 to do everything (except provide the documentation and information, of course). I still think that they don't give a rat's ass about checking the status of your application and following up, and he has said many wrong things, but unfortunately I only found this forum after filing with him.

 

[juliakristof]

We just don’t know anything about it‍

No one knows very much about the process when you first start. The way we did it is we printed out all the forms pertaining to us and filled them out with a pen. We highlighted questions that we weren't sure about (there were a lot of them) and then researched/used this forum full of helpful people for clarification. It took us less than a month but was definitely extremely stressful.

 

[Western Mountain Man]

Agreed. We paid our consultant $2400 to do everything (except provide the documentation and information, of course). I still think that they don't give a rat's ass about checking the status of your application and following up, and he has said many wrong things, but unfortunately I only found this forum after filing with him.

The fees may vary depending on the complexity of your application. Of course the consultant
is cheaper than a lawyer but each case is different and that should determine which one you deal with.
Yes, there are some ' rat's ' and ' wannabes ' that are too busy to follow up and may not have experience,
so use your best judgement. I spoke to some out west and they didn't want to talk to me unless I gave them my visa card.

If your application is not complicated and there are no language barriers then I would do it myself ( which we did ).
It will take longer as you move forward and understand the process. Definitely stressful for such an important undertaking.
Family is important ......This forum was very helpful and entertaining at times!

 

[Oluwafisayo25]

Hello Fisayo,
I am Nigerian as well and I applied for my wife in August, 2018 and her Visa was approved on June 5th, 2019. The application is pretty straight forward, just make sure your follow the guide and make sure you ask lots of questions on this forum. Lots of knowledgeable people on this forum. To be honest, putting the application together is not easy, the sponsor has to be ready to put in the time. It took me a full month to put all the application together and I had 3 friends who went through the process to look through the application before I submitted. Your husband will need to be on top of the application bigtime for smooth sailing, I was following every step from Canada. Calling to book her medicals, calling VAC office for biometrics and calling and faxing Ghana.
Your husband can put in the application for you if he has the time to follow up with it. If you guys have the extra cash to play with then go with a Consultant. If you have any questions, feel free to email me.
Thanks.

Hello thank you for your reply....did you apply yourself or you got a lawyer....just worried I don't know if the consultant will be very helpful with it.

 

[Abonde]

I applied myself and we did all the process ourselves. The process is lengthy and stress, I applied August, 2018 and Visa was approved June 5th. If your man has the time to follow up, you don't need a Lawyer or Consultant. Make sure your guys follow the application guide exactly, ask a few people who have gone through the process to look at the application and ask tons of questions on this forum before you submit.