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6 Tips For Avoiding Visa Scams When Migrating

gtrgreWhen moving from one country to another, a variety of reasons might be present as to the nature of the move. Sometimes people are studying abroad, so they seek an education consultant who helpfully shows them the ways to apply for student visas and all relevant documentation, and sometimes people are moving for work.

Whatever the reason may be, the move is still a dangerous time for people, especially those less skeptical of the many scams taking place online and in the world of migration visas every day. We’ve put together six tips for just such a situation, in the hopes it will show you how to recognise a scam and avoid it successfully.

Website Authentication

The first sign of a potentially untrustworthy connection is the security of the website that hosts the page you are doing research on. Any legitimate business has authentication and security measures in place to protect themselves and the people visiting their web pages, and a lack of these things is a red flag.

A small green lock symbol in the address bar signifies a secure connection and an authenticated website, but a website might still be safe and legitimate without this. The real thing to look out for is an actual red flag symbol in the address bar, which will announce the website as unsecured or unsafe when hovered over with the mouse.

Make Calls

If the website seems safe, but there are some things off about the process of migrating, the best thing to do is start making calls. Anyone can set up a website and make it look professional, but talking on the phone is a different scenario altogether.

Many unscrupulous individuals won’t have any contact number listed at all, and under “contact” will just list an email address. This is suspicious, as anyone who regularly deals with the governing bodies of emigration and immigration will need to speak to people via a phone call.

Check With Governing Bodies

A direct lead-on from our previous point, making a call to a governing body is a must in these situations. If you call up a company and they seem trustworthy and reliable, call the relevant governing body as well.

If the company is a legitimate one, the authority on the matter will be familiar with them, and will have records of their company and their relevant licenses and permits for conducting their business. It only takes a short while to confirm, and it can mean the difference between a successful trip and being in serious trouble later down the line.

Talk to Migration Agents

Migration agents are professionals in the field of getting people’s whole lives from one place to another, and they know more about the process than anyone else. Talking to a few different companies to compare costs and wait times is a good idea, and asking about other companies is also a good idea because it allows you to gauge whether or not a migration agent wants what’s best for you or whether they just want another sale.

Get Second Opinions

Second opinions are key on these things, and the internet is a great source for second opinions. Message boards are not always trustworthy places, but speaking to people who have emigrated using a company before will tell you exactly how they were treated, how smoothly the process went, and whether or not they’d recommend it. Ask around about a few different companies to get an idea of who is reliable and who isn’t.

Triple Check Everything

Finally, there is the last step before going forward with this incredible journey. Triple checking everything about your immigration forms, visas, immigration forms and residency and work in your new home. Make sure everything is in order before going ahead, because having to backtrack while halfway through moving to another country is incredibly difficult and time wasting.

This is the best way to prepare yourself for the few scams you’re likely to run into when moving from country to country, and if you follow these steps, you are significantly more likely to get to where you’re going safely. Don’t delay any longer, start filling out your emigration forms today.

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