Licensed Immigration advisers
We are based in New Zealand, but we assist clients all over the world, not just in Canterbury or Christchurch. A licensed immigration adviser (LIA) or OMARA agent can make the difference between success and failure. With recent law and policy changes, using a professional is more important than ever because if you or your representative includes information that is false, misleading, or should be there but isn't, then your application may be declined (which is expensive) and you may not be able to apply for residence in the future. Even honest mistakes may make it impossible to apply for residence, so non-professionals doing visa applications increases the risks. Both Australia and New Zealand's immigration systems allows self-made applications, but it is still set up for professionals with the asumption that applications are at a certain high standard. Using a professional can also save you money in the long run, and professional fees should alwasys be reasonable.
Look for the evidence
A licensed immigration adviser will be able to show you their license, which must be current. You can also search for an advisers license status on the IAA website. To search for evidence of an adviser's licensing status, follow this link Find an adviser
Australian OMARA agents also will be on the register and have a MARN number that shows they are registered. You can serach the OMARA register here https://portal.mara.gov.au/search-the-register-of-migration-agents/
What is an Immigration adviser or OMARA agent?
Immigration advisers and OMARA agents are licensed professionals who are skilled and knowledgeable in New Zealand and Australian immigration law and procedure. Advisers will process and manage the application at all stages for you and can represent you and talk directly to INZ or Home Affairs for you when you need someone to advocate for you or talk to other agencies on your behalf. The main role of an immigration adviser is to professionally prepare and manage visa applications and appeals for clients to be able to stay or live in NZ. We use our skill and knowledge about immigration law and processes to get the best possible outcome for our clients.
Must I use a professional to apply for a visa?
If someone makes your visa application for you then they must be licensed or specially exempt. This is the law in NZ and in Australia. This means that generally an immigration adviser or lawyer are the people who are legally authorised to make an application for a client. There are some exempt people or groups such as MPs or Citizens Advice Bureau, but they will generally not do visa work, but will offer general advice and guide you to a licensed immigration adviser.
If you use an adviser for your application, they must be licensed, and you can check licensing status as explained previously. Every licensed professional will be in the register.
Are immigration advisers the same as immigration officers?
No, we are separate from Immigration New Zealand and Home affairs. An immigration officer works for the Government and makes the decision on visa applications. An immigration professional works for the client and guides the immigration officer make the correct decisions. The role of an immigration officer is to check whether the applicant has shown that they meet the requirements for a visa, they don't actually help the application to succeed. However an immigration adviser's job is to help the application succeed as much as possible.
Are immigration advisers amd OMARA agents the same as lawyers?
No, we are specialists only in immigration and related law, we do not do general legal work and things that are not immigration related. We are similar to immigration lawyers who only specialise in immigration law and do not practice other aspects of law. Apart from being regulated by different authorities, an immigration adviser's qualification is 100% focussed on immigration law, while lawyers have to study a wide range of legal topics to become qualified. The GCNZIA / GDNZIA course is a 1 year full time, 120 credit course containing only immigration law, compared to a LLB containing a wide range of general law, and very little immigration related law (one semester 15 point paper). The learning is quite different in the amount of preparation for working on immigration matters.
Immigration advisers still deal with relevant case law, NZBORA, Privacy Act, Official Information Act and other relevant statutes that relate to the situation of our clients. We have successfully defended clients accused of domestic violence and handled this area of law as it related to the requirements of the residence application for example.
Immigration advisers must be licensed and in many cases must be qualified for immigration work, however anyone working in a lawyers office can do immigration work without needing to be qualified or licensed.
While lawyers in general are allowed to do immigration work, if they do not specialise in this area of law, there is no reason to believe that they will have the required level of skill or expertise. Law has specialities just like medicine, so in the same way that you wouldn't go to a dentist for heart surgery, you wouldn't choose a criminal lawyer to do your visa work.
We are on your side
If you have done something wrong and really don't know what to do. If you have been deceived or have purposely done things which you shouldn't have done, then a LIA will do their best to help you. We won't tell INZ and get you deported, our job is to do whatever we can to legalise your status, get you a visa, or if this is not possible, recommend a pathway that will provide the best possible outcome for you. Your privacy is always protected and that means to everyone.
Using an adviser is like using a lawyer. if you have done something wrong and you need to fix the situation, it is best to talk to a lawyer, they will help you get out of trouble. A LIA is the same, we will always do our best for our client. The only thing we will not do is help you break the law.
Official information on LIAs
The IAA has a guide for clients about using licensed advisers. This is available in other languages too. Click here for the guide in other languages
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