South African Immigration Consultant

When seeking South African immigration advice, or expert help, for compilation and submission of your permit or visa application you may well turn to a South African immigration consultant.

Immigration to whatever country is a daunting and complex process and there is little doubt your chances of a successful move are increased with professional assistance.

That said some individuals may prefer to undertake the process themselves, below we look at the merits of using / not using a South African immigration consultant, some guidance on how to make your selection and introduce our services to you.

What is a South African Immigration Consultant?

South African immigration consultants are covered in the South Africa Immigration Act under section 46. Under the act they are allowed to be appointed to act on a persons or companies behalf with regards to their immigration application and proceeding and procedures flowing from the act.

Are South African immigration consultants regulated?

Yes they are. Immigration practitioners are registered on a roll of immigration practitioners and have to perform their duties in accordance with the act. Failure to do so may result in their removal from the immigration practitioners roll.

How can I find out if a company is registered?

Companies are not registered but individuals within an immigration consultancy are. They should be able to supply you with those individuals names and also their certificates proving they are indeed registered practitioners.

Do I really need to appoint an Immigration consultancy?

No you do not and you can research, prepare, submit and monitor your own application. The biggest reason for doing so would probably be one of budget restrictions. South African Immigration consultancies are private companies that work for fees, not using one will save you these fees.

That said South African immigration consultants tend to be far less expensive than that of Immigration companies for other countries. You need also to be aware there will be a considerable time investment and nearly always a degree of frustration should you go the ‘do it yourself’ route.

What can I expect from an Immigration Consultant?

From your very first enquiry you should already garner an impression of the professionalism of the company. Prompt initial responses are indicative of how their service may be. So expect a quick and informative reply.

Advice and pricing should be in writing with no hidden extra’s or complications and their terms and conditions should clearly lay out how they work and what you may expect.

Please also remember no immigration consultant can guarantee you a visa, nor a time frame for a decision, false promises are unfortunately made in respect of both of these when by law only the Department of Home Affairs can do this.

In compiling your application you should receive regular feedback from the administrator assigned to your case and clear updates as to the progress of the compilation.

Submission, wherever possible, should be done by the Immigration consultant and they should continue to monitor and evaluate any further action that may need to be taken.

Collection of the visa should also be done by your immigration consultant who should also continue to remind you of any other requirements such as renewals going forward.

What should I look for when appointing an immigration consultant?

The below is not an exhaustive list but will provide you with some guidance:

Is the immigration company a registered company and does it have registered immigration practitioners?
Look on the internet for compliments about the company.
What is the size of the company – small companies and one person providers may struggle resource wise.
Did they explain your options clearly and concisely with all associated costs?
Where possible visit them or meet with them – see for yourself if their website claims are backed up with reality.
Can they communicate in your language, if your English is not so good it is important to ensure you have ease of communication throughout the process and this may be achieved better by being able to speak etc in your own tongue.
Look at their clients and associations – this will give you a clear indication of their standing in the industry.
Look at their service offering – moving countries is more than just getting the correct visa.
Ascertain how long they have been immigration consultants for – whilst the oldest may not be the best you cannot discount experience.
Be comfortable – you will be working with your appointed immigration consultant in South Africa for many months and sometimes years so it is important that you feel comfortable with them.

Intergate Immigration – Immigration Consultants for South Africa

Since our inception in 2006 we have taken great pride in our service levels and also our honesty which we believe goes hand in hand. Any immigration consultant who can claim to have always, 100% of the time, got their service correct is probably exaggerating.

We are convinced that in the vast majority of cases our service levels exceed expectations but if we if we do not live up to them, we hold our hands up, put it right, compensate accordingly and learn not to do it again.

It’s this approach that sees us constantly evolve and never be satisfied – our goal from outset was to become the go to South African immigration consultant for both individuals and companies. Having successfully processed in excess of 6000 individual applications and being the preferred immigration consultant for many hundreds of international companies we enjoy a reputation befitting this goal.

You can expect:

Prompt and informative advice provided free of charge and with no obligation.
A dedicated Client Manager who will deal with your application personally throughout your visa application and settling in.
A dedicated administrator to compile, submit and monitor your application.
Access and advice to experts in the fields of banking, taxation, company set ups, property, insurance, exchange control and insurance.
A state of the art client system that ensures you are up to date and communicated with for regular updates
Discounts for returning clients.
A warm and friendly welcome!

Find out more about Intergate Immigration Consultants for South Africa.