My New Life in the Fragrant Harbour

I have been in the immigration industry for almost 9 years, and as part of that have assisted thousands of people to settle in Australia, both temporarily and permanently. It has been an extremely rewarding experience and I enjoyed every minute.

Earlier this year, I switched sides.

This time, I was the one applying for a visa and wanting to settle in a new country, Hong Kong.

Even though I had assisted so many people, I never understood the emotional toll the visa and relocation process could take on a person. So much depending on the visa being finalised by a certain time, as there were relocation aspects which one cannot do without the visa.

Standard processing times were 2-4 weeks, so naturally, I should have an outcome at the two-week mark. I knew I met the requirements of the visa, however, as the 2 weeks rolled by, I started to question if there was something in my application which would lead to a negative outcome. Did they find out about the time I wore incorrect socks to school and was given a demerit? There was that late library fee that I thought I had paid, but who could be sure? My university changed names recently, so are they maybe questioning my qualifications?

Unfortunately, as anybody who has gone through a visa process knows, processing times are quite uncertain. They are affected by the case load of the Immigration Department, the discretion of the case officer and many other aspects that the applicant or the service provider has no control over. Patience truly is a virtue!

Thankfully our team here in Hong Kong was there to guide and support me and reassured me throughout that there was nothing out of the ordinary with my application. The whole process was explained to me in great detail and I was guided throughout each step. This could have been a very daunting experience, but I was given sufficient information to put my mind at ease.

Eight weeks later, I am settled in Hong Kong and am once again assisting others to settle in a new country. Having been on the other side, I empathise with them on a whole new level. I try to provide them with as much information as I think will assist to make this process as easy for them as possible. I am able to pre-empt their questions and provide them with personal anecdotes and experiences. My experience helps me appreciate the pressures of the process and the protocols Fragomen has in place to ensure this goes as smoothly as possible.

As I look out the window onto Victoria Harbour, I realize that aside from looking at a different Harbour, I am also looking at the whole visa process in a new light and I appreciate why I am in this industry so much more.  Being a service provider in this space, I now have empathy and a better understanding of what the applicants are looking for from their relocation and immigration service providers and in my role as Client Relationship Manager, I can share this experience with my colleagues and client contacts.

NB: My visa came through at the 3-week mark, for those interested. 

Learn more about how we can help you with your visa process.