The first conversation with a new client sets up everything that follows. Get the facts right and the file runs smoothly. Miss a refused visa, a condition on a current visa or an expiry date in three weeks, and the whole plan changes later at a worse moment.
This guide covers how to run the intake call, what to record, and a free intake form you can copy into your own practice. It's general information for registered migration agents and their teams, not legal advice.
Before the call
- Book it properly. Record the date, time, who will attend, and whether it's in person, by phone or by video.
- Send a short pre-call form. Name, contact details, current visa, passport country and the reason for the enquiry. People answer these better in writing than on the spot.
- Ask for the basics in advance. Passport bio page and current visa grant notice, if the client is in Australia.
- Check for a conflict of interest. Search your records for the client, their partner and any sponsor or employer named.
During the call: five things to cover
1. Who the client is
Full name as in the passport, date of birth, citizenship, contact details, preferred language, and whether an interpreter is needed. Record who else is included: partner, children, a sponsor.
2. Where they stand today
- In or outside Australia
- Current visa subclass, grant date, expiry date and conditions (for example no further stay or work limits)
- Any previous Australian visa applications, refusals or cancellations
- Any other country's visa refusals
- Health or character matters the client raises
This is where most surprises come from. Ask directly and record the answers as given.
3. What they want
The goal in the client's words: study, work, join a partner, stay permanently, visit. Record the timing that matters to them, such as a job start date, a course start or a visa that ends soon.
4. The facts for the likely visa
Depending on the pathway: qualifications, work history, English test results, occupation and skills assessment, relationship history, sponsor details. Use the visa's own checklist so nothing is missed. Our skilled visa workflow lists the facts for 189, 190 and 491 matters.
5. What happens next
Tell the client what you'll send, when, and what you need from them. Then send it in writing.
After the call
- Write a file note the same day. What the client told you, the options you discussed, the advice you gave and what they decided. See file notes for migration agents.
- Record every date. Current visa expiry, passport expiry, test result dates, course or job start dates. Add reminders before each one.
- Send the client service agreement before you start paid work. See client service agreement for migration agents.
- Check your obligations at the start of a matter. The Code of Conduct sets out what you must give a client and record. Check the current requirements on the OMARA website (mara.gov.au), and see our OMARA record-keeping checklist.
- Send the document list. One clear list per visa type, with a date you need it by.
Free intake form
Copy these fields into your own form, spreadsheet or CRM.
Client
- Full name (as in passport)
- Other names used
- Date of birth
- Citizenship(s)
- Passport number and expiry date
- Email and mobile
- Preferred language; interpreter needed (yes/no)
Current status
- In Australia or outside Australia
- Current visa subclass
- Visa grant date and expiry date
- Visa conditions
- Previous Australian visa applications (subclass, year, outcome)
- Any visa refusal or cancellation (any country)
Family and others included
- Partner (name, date of birth, citizenship)
- Children (names, dates of birth)
- Sponsor or employer (name, contact)
Goal and timing
- What the client wants to achieve
- Key dates (course start, job start, visa end)
Background for the likely visa
- Highest qualification and year completed
- Work history (last 10 years)
- English test (type, date, scores)
- Occupation and skills assessment (if relevant)
- Relationship start date and living arrangements (partner visas)
Office use
- Date of call, staff member
- Conflict check done (yes/no, date)
- Visa options discussed
- Advice given (summary)
- Client service agreement sent (date)
- Document list sent (date)
- Next action and due date
How AgentDS fits
AgentDS is a CRM for migration agents. For intake:
- Appointments and check-in for booking the first consultation and checking clients in at the office.
- Client records that hold the intake details, file notes and tasks in one place.
- Visa expiry tracking: record the current visa and passport expiry at intake, and AgentDS sends reminder emails at 90, 60, 30 and 7 days before each date.
- Document checklists to send the same list to every client for the same visa type.
Frequently asked questions
What should a migration agent ask in the first consultation?
Who the client is, their current visa and history (including refusals), what they want and by when, and the facts the likely visa depends on. Record the answers and the advice you gave in a file note the same day.
Is there a free intake form for migration agents?
Yes. The form above lists the fields most practices need. Copy it into your own form, spreadsheet or CRM.
When should I send the client service agreement?
Before you start paid work for the client. Check the Code of Conduct on mara.gov.au for the current requirements.
What dates should I record at intake?
Current visa expiry, passport expiry, English test dates, skills assessment dates, and any course or job start dates. Set reminders before each one.
This guide is general information, not legal or migration advice.