Dear readers,
Last night, 28th July 2013, our local M-Net show -Carte Blanche revealed the unethical approach of one of the biggest online immigration companies providing “visa assistance” to the general public. The TV show revealed how their travel consultants based in Cape Town, act as immigration advisors that are only sales driven at the expense of the client qualifying or not. This approach to the immigration industry obviously stimulates fear and a lack of trust in the industry, hence this article has been written.
Move Up’s Director, Ryan Rennison, had the misfortune of having worked two weeks for the same mentioned company prior to stepping out and opening this successful consultancy. Prior to the disheartening experience, Ryan also worked for another more ethical immigration firm, 1st Contact, for two years prior to that.
“1st Contact offered training and revealed the demand for visa solutions in South Africa. Their core target market and established market presence however is UK based. Hence I have stepped out to start Move Up with the intent to do things better and to help the South African market” Ryan says.
Visa assistance is optional and not everyone applying for a visa needs help. There is however complications and technicalities that needs to be addressed and this is where we come in. On a daily basis, travellers call in to say their visas have been declined by the UK Home Office and ask if we can then help them.
What we would like to communicate to our prospective clients is how we differ to the above mentioned company. One of the biggest elements where we differ is the fact that we do not hide behind accredited institutions such as OSIC (The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner).
OSIC is UK based and responsible to make sure that immigration practitioners are in compliance with providing solutions in accordance with UK immigration law.
Move Up is not OSIC compliant as our area of expertise lies purely in Entry Clearance (getting permission to enter the UK). OSIC’s control over immigration practitioners is limited consultancies operating in the UK. They have no control over institutions outside of the UK and therefore do not impact our practice.
Ryan Rennison’s experience, when working for OSIC registered firms, is that OSIC had no real impact in the service being provided. No direct monitoring took place with immigration practices. Based on this past experience, Move Up has chosen not to register with them.
Move Up has an UK based affiliate, specifically 121 Visas (www.121visas.co.uk) who are OSIC registered and they specialise in extensions and nationalisation applications (these applications are dealt with in the UK).
In closing, what makes Move Up different from the previously mentioned compromised firm in the TV show last night, besides the fact that we do not hide behind accredited governing bodies, is that we honestly strive to operate in the applicants best interest. Move Up offers free visa assessments, where no fees are charged to confirm applicants’ eligibility. We only represent applicants who do qualify and we don’t charge applicants who do not.
Move Up also strives for a service leading 6 working hour response time. Finally Move Up also adopted a continual improvement strategy that offers up-to-date guidance with the continually changing immigration rules.
Move Up continues on its path to be the best and most successful immigration firm in the world.
Your feedback to this article is welcomed. Feel free to response to ryan at move up dot co dot za to express your input.