12 questions for a relocation expert: a checklist for your free consultation

You've sent a request and an expert will be in touch shortly. The consultation is free and commits you to nothing, but it is where you decide who you'll go on with. So you're not the one being examined at that meeting — you're the examiner, and a checklist of 12 questions will help you do it properly.

Money: what you're actually paying

Question 1: “What does the price cover, and what will I pay for separately?” State fees, consular charges, translations and courier delivery of documents almost never sit inside the price of the service itself. Ask for two lists — “included” and “not included” — in writing. Red flag: “all inclusive” said out loud, with no itemised list.

Question 2: “The price says «from» — what decides the final figure?” A “from” price is normal practice: the total depends on the tier, the format (arranging things remotely under a power of attorney is often dearer) and your situation. An honest expert explains what makes up your particular quote and fixes it in the contract. Red flag: the figure creeping up as the work goes on, with no explanation of what for.

Question 3: “How does payment work: when, how much, and against which document?” Paying in stages is normal; paying in full before the contract is signed is not. The contract should come before the money and set out the scope, the price and the timeline. Red flag: a request to send a “deposit” to a personal card before any documents exist.

Timing and format: remotely or with a trip

Question 4: “What's the realistic timeline, and what does it depend on?” The honest answer is a range, not an exact date: some stages are controlled not by the provider but by a government body, a bank or a consulate. Ask which steps depend on you and what most often drags the process out. Red flag: “guaranteed within a week” where the state makes the decision.

Question 5: “Can it all be done remotely — and what changes if it is?” Many services genuinely are arranged without a trip: under a notarised power of attorney whose original is couriered over. But the remote format can be dearer and slower, and some procedures require you in person — biometrics, for instance. Red flag: a promise of “entirely remote” in a procedure where the country's rules require filing in person.

Question 6: “What will I have to do myself?” Every process has your part in it: gathering documents, having a power of attorney notarised, flying out to file or give biometrics. A good expert names it upfront, so you can plan your time and not miss deadlines. Red flag: “you won't have to do anything at all”.

The provider: who answers for your case

Question 7: “Who exactly will handle my case, and what are their qualifications?” Find out the provider's name, their experience with your country and their licence where one is required: advocacy and immigration advice are licensed in a number of countries. Red flag: refusing to name the provider, or “we've been on the market for years” instead of documents.

Question 8: “How many cases like mine have you handled in the past year?” A German work visa and a sole trader in Georgia are different specialisms, and experience in one doesn't guarantee experience in the other. Ask for specific examples in your country and on your grounds. Red flag: “we do everything, everywhere” without a single concrete case.

Risks: refusal, guarantees and a plan B

Question 9: “What happens if I'm refused: a refund, refiling, whose responsibility?” On many migration routes an official makes the decision and it is discretionary — conscientious providers say plainly that no guarantee of approval exists. A guarantee written into the contract with refund conditions is a real instrument; a verbal “100% guarantee” on a government decision is marketing. Red flag: “we never get refusals”.

Question 10: “Are these grounds the best for my situation, or is there something simpler and cheaper?” One goal often has several routes: a different visa, a different country, a different tax status. An expert who compares the options and sometimes talks you out of the pricier one is working for you. Red flag: an adviser selling a single product from the outset, without a single question about your situation.

Question 11: “What obligations will I have once it's done?” Registering a business or getting residence isn't the finish line: filings, renewals and presence requirements follow. A sole trader in Georgia, for instance, doesn't make you a tax resident automatically — that's a separate status, arranged separately. Red flag: “we'll set it up and you can forget about it”, without a word about tax and reporting.

What you should be left with after the consultation

Question 12: “How will I know what's happening with my case?” Agree the format: which stages there are, who reports the status and when, which steps are confirmed in writing. Red flag: all communication by voice notes, with nothing recorded.

A good consultation ends with you understanding four things: the route, the full budget along with what it doesn't cover, your own part of the work and the plan if you're refused. If after the conversation there's less specificity and more promises — that's an answer too. Evasiveness at the selling stage almost always repeats itself in the work.

Don't worry about seeming pedantic: professionals are glad of prepared clients — fewer surprises and less rework. In the Pactors catalogue some of the answers are visible before the consultation: every service card states what is and isn't included, whether it's remote or in person, and the range of timelines. For an expert with nothing to hide, your list of questions only saves time.