In recent years, South Africa has become stricter about the requirements when it comes to immigration since they are desperately looking for skilled individuals to call our country home.
If you’re looking for a way to make this whole process less challenging and you want to make sure you are doing things right the first time around, you might want to consider appointing an immigration lawyer in South Africa.
Before appointing a South African Immigration Lawyer, there is just some information you need to have to avoid getting scammed. Below are the seven most important questions to ask.
1. Ask if they are a registered immigration consultant.
Because there are so many fly-by-nights and scammers looking for opportunities to steal your money, it’s crucial to make sure your immigration consultant is registered. Since immigration is such a complex topic, scammers know that you’ll be vulnerable and believe anything they say. Before any payments are made, make 100% sure your immigration consultant is legitimate.
2. Ask how many successful visa applications they’ve had in the last year.
It’s important to know the success rate of your immigration consultant since this will give you an idea if they know what they’re doing. Nobody wants to spend money just to have your application be declined because of incompetent immigration consultants.
3. Ask what their services cost and what other costs are involved.
Before you sign any contract, make sure you know exactly what the process will cost and that there aren’t any hidden costs. This includes the fees for their services, as well as the visa costs to your desired country. Also, find out if they require upfront payments or upon visa approval.
4. Ask the lawyer how they will contact you and how frequently.
Since immigration to South Africa can be a lengthy process, enquire how often you can expect to hear from them, which communication method they will use, and whether you need to follow up on the status of your application.
5. Ask for referrals or references.
Very important – ask for references. Talk to as many people as you can to find out if the immigration consultants you’re about to hire are reliable and trustworthy.
6. Ask the lawyer if they think your application will be successful
A reliable immigration consultant will never speculate, even with years of experience. If, however, they “guarantee” your success with the application or encourage you to lie or provide inaccurate information, under no circumstances hire them.
7. Ask who your point of contact is.
It is crucial to have a specific contact person you can follow up with. It will also ensure consistency and the exchange of accurate information.
No need to stress about the details of your immigration process when you let immigration lawyers handle the entire process. This enables you to focus on other more important things.
