# Visa - apply personally or via agent



## miss_pronounced (Sep 10, 2014)

Hi,

Recently I underwent a pre-assessment exercise with an immigration agency and was found suitable for an independant visa. I fulfilled the min 60 points requirement and so now comes the next stage...

I was told by the agent that the agency fees for the (current) formal application of visa will total to approx. USD4,500 (this excludes the fees for IELTS exam, the actual visa itself, government charges, etc) and roughly will take 20mths to complete.

Any guidance for the following questions is much appreciated:
1) What are the steps that I'll have to take if I choose to go through the visa process myself instead of through an agent?
2) How much does a Independance Skilled Visa cost?
3) Do I apply for Ozzie jobs while waiting for the visa to approve?

Am in a serious crossroad in my life currently on this great move. Hoping to receive some good vibes here


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