MigrateYou vs DIY.
You can apply for an Australian visa entirely on your own through ImmiAccount. It is free (beyond the government fees). But going it alone carries real risks. Here is how DIY compares to using MigrateYou.
DIY (apply yourself)
Free
- + No additional cost
- + Full control over your application
- + Government website has instructions
- - No guidance on what to include
- - Easy to miss documents or make errors
- - No points validation before lodging
- - Write your own personal statements
- - ImmiAccount is confusing to navigate
MigrateYou
$199
- + Smart checklists for your visa type
- + Points calculated and validated
- + Personal statements drafted
- + Documents generated
- + Step-by-step ImmiAccount guide
- + Readiness score before you lodge
- + Optional agent review ($299)
- - Costs $199
When DIY works.
Applying entirely on your own can work if:
- - Your occupation is clearly on the Skilled Occupation List
- - You have strong English (IELTS 7+ or equivalent)
- - Your qualifications and experience are straightforward to document
- - You are comfortable navigating government websites and filling in complex forms
- - You have time to research each step thoroughly
The real cost of getting it wrong.
A DIY application is free - but errors can be expensive. If your application is refused because of missing evidence or incorrect points claims, you lose the visa application charge ($4,640 for a subclass 189). That is $199 for guidance vs the risk of losing $4,640.
Frequently asked questions.
Can I apply for an Australian visa myself without an agent?
Yes. There is no legal requirement to use a migration agent. You can create an ImmiAccount, lodge your application, and upload documents yourself. The Department of Home Affairs provides instructions on their website. MigrateYou helps bridge the gap by guiding you through the process step by step.
What are the risks of a DIY visa application?
The main risks are: missing documents that delay processing, incorrectly claiming points that get rejected, submitting incomplete evidence for skills assessment, and making errors in ImmiAccount that are difficult to correct after lodgement. A rejected application means losing the visa application charge ($4,640 for a 189).
How does MigrateYou reduce the risk of errors?
MigrateYou uses smart checklists that adapt to your situation, validates your points claims against the official criteria, generates supporting documents and personal statements, and produces a step-by-step ImmiAccount lodgement guide that tells you exactly what to enter in each field.
Is the government ImmiAccount website hard to use?
ImmiAccount is functional but not intuitive. It has hundreds of fields, some with unclear labels, and different visa types require different information. Many applicants find it confusing without guidance. MigrateYou produces a lodgement guide that maps your information to each ImmiAccount field.
Try the free assessment first.
See your estimated points score and visa pathway before you decide how to apply.