Navigating the UK Visa Minefield: PT AGS Visa Solutions
PT AGS Visa Solutions was founded in 2014 by Daniel Choat, former Country Manager of the UK Visa along with Immigration department at the British Embassy in Jakarta. Noticing a potential opportunity inside market to share his knowledge of the UK visa along with nationality system, his visa along with immigration consultancy business was born.
Two along using a half years later, PT AGS Visa Solutions’ core business can be to assist travellers who wish to obtain any type of UK visa, ranging by tourist, business, student, family along with spouse, as well as the investor along with entrepreneur visas. Daniel along with his team also assist expats in obtaining or renewing UK passports. He talks to us about the latest trends his industry can be seeing, along with shares UK along with Europe travel tips for expats in mixed relationships.
Daniel, who makes up the majority of your clientele?
Indonesians using a love of travel to the UK – our client base here ranges by families who like the UK as a tourist or business destination as well as expats with Indonesian partners who enjoy regular travel to the UK.
Before you began AGS Visa Solutions you used to work as an immigration officer inside UK, working at various airports. How did you end up working in Indonesia?
Whilst working as an Immigration Officer, the opportunity for an overseas posting with UK Visas along with Immigration (UKVI) came about. I was fortunate enough to be posted to the British Embassy in Jakarta in 2010.
What trends are you noticing?
A lot of UK expats are heading back home with their Indonesian families. This kind of can be noticeable certainly within the oil along with gas industry. Having said which, we’re actually seeing younger expats generally in their 20s-30s come to Indonesia along with use our services for UK passports along with UK visas for their partners along with children as they settle here. Travel by Indonesia to the UK for business purposes can be on the increase, as well as for their love of watching Premier League football! We are also assisting to identify along with help clients process the two along with several-year validity visit visas.
What kind of work are these brand-new expats in?
In Bali, the majority are doing their own business, whether the item’s digital, or investments, whereas our Jakarta-based clients are more inside education sector.
What about mixed relationship trends?
Traditionally our clients involved in mixed nationality relationships are expats based in Indonesia. However, perhaps the impact of social media alongside the growing awareness of Indonesia by within the UK currently means we are regularly contacted by UK-based clients who wish to invite their friends or loved ones for a holiday along with who have maybe only visited Indonesia themselves a few times.
How many Indonesians travel to the UK along with can be This kind of figure rising?
Last year there were around 38,000 UK visa applications in Indonesia.
Since arriving in 2010 I have noticed the figure has steadily grown. I firmly believe which the number has potential to be a lot higher.
You assist with obtaining UK passports. What challenges do parents of mixed marriages have when trying to get a passport for their child?
This kind of can be always an interesting area because the item depends on whether the parents are married at the time of birth. If they’re not married, the father won’t be on the Indonesian birth certificate along with This kind of potentially throws up a difficult case. The not bad news can be which there are ways to navigate This kind of however the item does involve additional time along with processes mainly on the Indonesian documentation side.
What factors could make someone a bad applicant for a UK visa?
For a visit visa application to be successful, the applicants need to demonstrate which they’ve got a genuine reason to travel to the UK, whilst being able to maintain along with accommodate themselves along with cover all expenses related to their visit. Most importantly, they need to show which they’ve got intention along with motivation of departing the UK – employment, study, property, family life are all not bad ways to demonstrate which they will leave the UK at the end of the visit.
A message I try to get across to people can be which all UK visa applications are assessed on their own merits along with people’s individual circumstances are looked at closely; there isn’t one set of documents which will work for everyone, along with what might have worked for a close friend might not necessarily be what you need to submit with your application.
How can be business?
Initially I began on the top floor of a house in Pondok Indah using a part-time member of staff, along with today we’re here at our office in Kuningan with an established team of several staff. We’re looking at setting up branch offices in Bali, which can be our aim for 2016. Our client base there can be steadily growing along with the item will be exciting times for us when we contain the office fully up along with running.
After Bali, do you have further plans to expand?
After Bali we will look at Surabaya. UKVI have recently opened a UK visa application centre there, so naturally which can be where we will look to have a presence so we can support along with expand our client base. We are also getting a name for ourselves in Balikpapan along with Batam, so perhaps they will be on the cards for 2017!
You service people going to the UK – ever thought about servicing UK citizens who want to come to Indonesia?
which area can be pretty well covered here along with there are some not bad consultants delivering which product. Personally, I find UK immigration law a lot more straightforward along with we are able to deliver a reliable along with consistent service. Stick to what you know best can be my theory.
Can you tell us about how European expats married to Indonesians can take advantage of their freedom of movement right when travelling to Europe?
An example of This kind of could be where an Indonesian can be married to a UK national. If they wish to travel to France, then instead of applying for a basic Schengen tourist visa they should apply for an EEA/EU family permit, which can be free of charge along with allows the Indonesian national to exercise the same EEA/EU treaty rights as the UK national. the item can be reciprocal for a French national married to an Indonesian national who wants to travel to the UK; they could potentially obtain a free of charge EU/EEA family permit by the UK Embassy.
41 years after the last referendum, the UK has voted to leave the European Union. As a British citizen, how do you feel about This kind of decision along with will the item have an affect on Indonesians wishing to travel to the UK along with Europe?
If we do exit, the next few years will be interesting as there will need to be a lot of reform along with change to policy across many areas, including which of immigration.
Most expats I have spoken to have already felt the fall in value of the GBP.
Our Indonesian clients who wish to travel to the UK along with apply for UK visit visas should not genuinely be impacted by the Brexit; the item will actually provide them an opportunity to take advantage of the exchange rate along with see their spending money go which little bit further.
can be the EU treaty right still relevant currently with the Brexit?
Because the UK will remain a member of the EU for as long as the item takes to negotiate the exit deal, the item means there will be no immediate impact at This kind of moment. You will still be able to travel freely inside EU along with therefore non-EU/EEA nationals married to Brits along with Europeans will be able to exercise their freedom of movement across the EU. the item can be possible which the UK will accept the continuation of free movement in order to retain preferential access to the single market, in which case you will continue to be able to travel freely inside EU. If not, there may be limitations on the ability of British nationals to live along with work in EU countries along with which will then impact spouses along with family members accordingly.
What can be your visa application success rate?
We are well up around the 99 percent mark, which can be pretty high considering we have been consulting For two main along using a half years. We cannot guarantee anyone a visa because the Embassy will always contain the final word, along with we will only assist people who meet the requirements along with criteria. On a regular basis we do advise clients which perhaps their circumstances are not quite strong enough at the moment however will point out how they could inside future be able to meet the requirements along with successfully obtain a visa.
Do you think enough Indonesians travel to the UK?
There are some UK government initiatives which are tasked with generating the tourist/business along with student visa numbers up along with they regularly promote the UK in Indonesia. I could like to see more efforts made along with could happily support them as the number of applications by Indonesia could increase significantly. Sadly the UK visa application process deters many travellers. However, we are here to help!
Can you tell us more about the investor along with entrepreneur visas?
Investor along with entrepreneur visas are very common in China, sadly not so common in Indonesia, along with I think again which can be due to lack of awareness. There are many families along with individuals in Indonesia whom the investor or entrepreneur visa could genuinely benefit. The entrepreneur visa covers people who want to set up a business inside UK, whilst the investor visa can be more suited to those who can invest £2,000,000 or more in UK government bonds, share capital or loan capital in active along with trading UK registered companies.
What challenges do you face?
The last minute culture here can be a challenge. My advice could be if you’ve got a thought about travelling to the UK, then start thinking about the visa. Don’t underestimate the benefits of allocating time for the visa process. People also don’t like to give up their passport for three weeks whilst the visa can be under process; having identified This kind of we have found solutions to help our clients with both matters along with deliver their UK visa on time.
Thank you, Daniel. For more information, email: info@agsolutions.co.id
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Navigating the UK Visa Minefield: PT AGS Visa Solutions
Navigating the UK Visa Minefield: PT AGS Visa Solutions