Stats for visa approval/refusal based on doing it yourself or getting a lawyer

[sitandwait]

I would love to know where to find the stats for refusals/approvals of visa applications done without a lawyer/consultant's help VS the stats for refusals/approvals of visa applications done WITH the help of or done completely by a lawyer/consultant. Anyone have any ideas where I could find and compare this information?

 

[potcakes]

I guess you could look on trackitt, or you could do a straw pole on here, CIC do say it does not make a difference, especially if you are applying from a non visa country and you have a simple life ie no kids, no interesting background!!
The main reason they send back, is if you do not fill everything in!!!, however even lawyers can have a bad day, one case, a lawyer friend got client stuff sent back as he filled in a Stat Dec in BLUE ink not BLACK!
If you have a complex family history, are from a country which is not English, French speaking I would recommend a lawyer, if not clear the dining room table, brew a big mug of coffee and get down to it (with a black pen of course ;D )

 

[smrty]

just read the instructions... you dont need a lawyer

 

[HoneyBird]

You don't need a lawyer if you have a simple case i.e. no marriage before, no kids, no criminal records, you have good evidence of your relationship, he/she is from a visa exempt country, they never overstayed blah blah.

You need a lawyer if you don't have a combination of the above. And if you can't fill out the forms yourself because you have difficulties i.e. you don't speak english etc.

A lawyer should only come on the scene, if you have serious doubts that you can prove your relationship convincingly or if there are some skeletons in the closet that would come out when it is in process.

However if you have nothing to hide...etc..then do it yourself and save your money.

AND people here can assist you and if you read thread by thread, you will get the gist of what you need to etc.

 

[sitandwait]

Thank you all for the advice. I actually have already sent the application.
I was just curious as to whether it's true when some of the lawyers/consultants claim they have never had a refusal. We've all seen the ads I'm sure.
I just know for myself, our application looked a whole lot different after I got a little advice. (not a lawyer)
Our situation is not simple, nothing to hide but not simple, so I'm glad I went.
What is a straw poll? ;D

 

[BeShoo]

The consultants who say they guarantee you won't have a refusal probably have to give refunds sometimes (if the clients bother to ask for a refund; sometimes they don't). Do they actually claim that they have never had a refusal, or do you just get that impression from what they say?

A straw poll is a poll is any kind of an unscientific poll really. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_poll If we asked the question here, we wouldn't get a fair representation people who were denied or granted PR, so it wouldn't officially say anything.