VISA Application Procedure

The application procedure for a visa depends, among other things, on the country for which the visa is needed; the type of visa; but also (for example) the education and experience of the applicant or the size, ownership and organizational structure of the company he / she will work for.

VisaVersa tailors its services to the needs of her clients. Rarely will two visa applications be exactly the same, even for a visa application that concerns the same role within the same company.

An exact description of all steps in the process and the turnaround time will therefore be difficult in many cases. However, a number of steps can be specified that will be repeated in almost every application, such as:

1 – Orientation and choice of strategy

First there will be an initial phone conversation where the specific situation of the applicant will be discussed in more detail. This discussion will generally include the education, experience and job title of the applicant. This discussion will also include the organizational structure, and how the current and future employer abroad are related.

Subsequently, the possible visa options are discussed in some detail. If it is already clear after the initial phone consultation which visa application can be initiated, we will get to work. If several important questions remain unanswered, an appointment will in many cases be made for a follow-up meeting or visa consultation. This can be by phone or Zoom/Teams, or on location at VisaVersa’s office or the company’s offices.

2 – Collect information and prepare visa application

VisaVersa has a checklist available for every type of visa application that indicates what information we need from:

  • the applicant and their family, including Health and Character questions
  • the current employer in the home country
  • the future employer in the country of destination
  • the transfer assignment, investment amount, etc.

With the information we receive from the customer, we can start compiling the visa application. Often there will be a number of iterations in which we request additional information from the customer, or discuss how certain information can best be presented.

In the completion phase, the application form and application documents are signed by the applicant, employer, partner, etc.

3 – Submit visa application

The organization where the application must be submitted will differ per country and often also per visa type. Visa applications for countries such as New Zealand and Australia will increasingly be lodged digitally.

Visa applications for the United States and the Netherlands will often still have to be submitted on paper. Furthermore, for a US visa application, it is important whether the application can be submitted directly to the US consulate in Amsterdam, or must first be submitted to the US Immigration Service (USCIS).

3a – Answer additional questions

The Immigration Service or Consulate may ask additional questions based on the information submitted. These questions must be answered before the application can proceed further. Additional information will often be required from the applicant or client company.

4 – Pick up or receive visa

With electronically submitted visa applications for Australia and New Zealand, an electronic visa will usually be issued. When applying for a visa for the US, one will in many cases have to personally go to the American consulate in Amsterdam to apply for the visa. VisaVersa assists in setting the appointment and preparing for it.

Why VisaVersa?

In the past 25+ years we have built an excellent track record with a success rate (approved visa applications) exceeding 99%. This success is based on the following key elements of our client-focused approach to immigration:

Selecting the Right Visa

We aim to provide a clear overview of all visa options available to our clients from the perspective of the applicant as well as their employer. Usually visa options are first discussed by phone, if necessary followed by a meeting with all parties involved in the visa application (in person or online).

These discussions include a fair share of Dutch honesty (or bluntness, as some might call it): if we feel the basis for a visa application is not strong enough we will say so and might not even take the case.

Preparing the Visa Application

At the start we provide a detailed overview of all information required for a particular visa application. Often these requirements are not documented in detail on official forms or checklists, but our experience tells us what information is necessary.

Filling out forms is just a minor part of a visa application. We feel that compiling a visa application is often more akin to writing a thesis. That is why we often ask for additional or more detailed information from our clients to better 'tell the story' of our clients' visa application.

Communication and Support

Depending on the type of visa, the application procedure can take weeks, months and sometimes even years.

We prepare our clients for this, and always aim to guide them through the process as quickly as possible.

The Covid years were an exercise in patience for us and our clients: never have we experienced so many changes, stops & starts and frustrating delays. Hopefully the future will bring us a more stable immigration environment.

Clear Overview of Costs

Most of our services are based on a ‘flat fee’. This way there won’t be any surprises about the cost of a visa application.

Before we start work on a visa application, a written agreement is always drawn up between VisaVersa and the client. The agreement will describe the services we will provide and the associated fees. This includes VisaVersa fees, expected government fees and various additional fees (legalization, translation, shipping fees, etc.)

Customized Expat Policy

For clients with frequent employee transfers between countries we assist in preparing travel policies and expatriation policies. These expat policies describe in detail when a visa is necessary and what employees qualify for a particular type of visa.

It is our experience that this helps streamline expatriate processes in client organizations and helps in managing expectations when a potential transfer is discussed in the company.

Monitoring Visa Validity

We keep track of visa validity dates for all our clients. This ensures that visa renewals are started on time and minimizes any last minute surprises.

We generally aim to start with renewals of visas approximately 6 months before they are about to expire.

Contact us

Are you looking for a visa for yourself or your employees? Contact us at +31 (0)78-7518450 or ask your question in this form:

    +31 (0)78-7518450

    Monday - Friday
    8:30am - 17:30pm

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