Once you have finally chosen where you want to emigrate to, you will then need to see if you qualify for a visa so you can stay there permanently. As always it is highly important to do your research but there are five main categories/groups when it comes to obtaining a visa:
1. Skill-based visas
To get a visa based on your skills, your qualifications and relevant experience are crucial. Some countries including Australia have a points based system where you need to score a certain amount to be able to apply. It’s also worth noting that quite often skills-based visas are age-sensitive, so be aware of this.
2. Business Visas
Fairly explanatory but it includes having relevant experience and/or a promising business idea.
3. Family Visas
If you have a certain family member who is a permanent resident or citizen of Australia, New Zealand, Canada or America they can be eligible to sponsor your emigration.
4. Retiree Visas
Australia offer retiree visas although bear in mind you need sufficient funds and satisfactory health.
5. Temporary Visas
If you’re unable to get a permanent visa then a temporary one is your next option, these include a temporary work permit, working holidaymaker visa or a study visa.
A crucial factor that needs to be considered is timing and generally skilled visa applications for Australia, New Zealand and America can take approximately 6-12 months to be processed.
As expected the whole process can be very long-winded and rather confusing, especially when it comes to filling in all the forms and gathering documentation, which is why quite often people employ an expert to help with the whole process. There are two types of experts that can help: an immigration lawyer/attorney and an immigration consultant/advisor. Make sure to look for a Government approved agency if possible, for example, if you are emigrating to Australia, make sure to use a MARA approved agent (Migration Agents Registration Authority), https://www.mara.gov.au/. If you are emigrating to New Zealand, look for an approved NZAMI agent (New Zealand Association for Migration and Investment) – http://www.nzami.co.nz/.
