How to Check an Immigration Agent's Licence

To check an immigration agent’s licence, you must verify the adviser against the official register held by the Immigration Advisers Authority (IAA) before you engage them. If the adviser named in your application is not on that register and is not exempt from licensing, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) will refuse to accept or will decline the application, and the IAA will be contacted because unlicensed advice is an offence. The only people permitted to give immigration advice are licensed immigration advisers (LIAs) or people who are exempt from holding a licence, such as lawyers, diplomats, or certain education agents. You can check the register on the IAA website, confirm a lawyer’s practising certificate through the New Zealand Law Society, and verify exemptions against the official list of who does not need a licence.

Who is allowed to give immigration advice

Immigration advice must come from a licensed immigration adviser (LIA), or a person who is exempt from being licensed. Anyone can help you fill in a visa application form, but any advice on immigration matters must come from someone approved by Immigration New Zealand or exempt from licensing.

The Immigration Advisers Authority (IAA) is the body responsible for licensing immigration advisers and regulating the advice they give. Before you ask an immigration adviser to help you, check the IAA register to make sure the person has a current licence, and the right type of licence. Licensed immigration advisers must meet competency standards and follow a Code of Conduct set by the IAA.

What counts as immigration advice

Advice is any information or assistance tailored to your individual needs and situation. The official guidance lists examples of what counts as advice:

• what type of visa you should apply for
• what supporting documents you might need
• how you should answer a question in the form
• how you should answer any follow-up questions from Immigration New Zealand
• what type of visa you may be eligible for at a later date

It does not include help to simply fill in an application form, using details you provide. This distinction matters because it determines whether the person helping you needs to be licensed.

Who is exempt from licensing

Some people have a job or responsibility that means they do not need to be licensed to give immigration advice. The exemptions differ depending on where the adviser is located.

Outside New Zealand, the following are exempt:

• education agents who are permitted to give immigration advice about student visas
• employees of the New Zealand Government who provide immigration advice as part of their job
• foreign diplomats and consular staff

In New Zealand, the following are exempt:

• lawyers with a current certificate to practise
• Members of Parliament and staff who provide immigration advice as part of their job
• government employees who give immigration advice as part of their jobs
• volunteers at Community Law and the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)

Note that education providers not in New Zealand can give immigration advice without being licensed but are restricted to advice about student visas. If you are working with an education agent, confirm that their exemption covers the specific advice they are giving you.

How to check a licensed immigration adviser

To verify a licensed immigration adviser, check the IAA register. The register is the authoritative list of people who hold a current licence. You should confirm two things:

1. The person has a current licence.
2. The person has the right type of licence for the advice you need.

If you have difficulty finding a licensed immigration adviser, or you want to complain about one, you can contact the IAA directly. The IAA also provides information on who can advise you, how much it should cost, and any limits on the advice they can give you.

How to check a lawyer

If you are using a lawyer, they must have a current certificate to practise in New Zealand to be exempt from licensing. The New Zealand Law Society website can help you find a lawyer or legal firm, or check that your existing lawyer has a current certificate to practise. This is a separate check from the IAA register.

What happens if the adviser is not licensed

The consequences are significant. If an adviser named in an application does not appear on the register of immigration advisers and is not exempt, INZ will refuse to accept or will decline the application. INZ will also contact the IAA, because if someone provides immigration advice when they are neither licensed nor exempt, they are committing an offence.

This means that failing to verify an adviser’s credentials can put your application at risk, not just the adviser. The application itself may be refused or declined because the adviser named in it is not properly licensed.

Who can apply on your behalf

Immigration advisers, employers, education agents and providers, and travel agents can use the Immigration Online system to help others apply for visas. Those who can help others submit an online application include:

• licensed immigration advisers
• lawyers
• education agents
• education providers
• employers
• travel agents

If you are giving advice about immigration matters when helping someone with their application, you must be licensed to do so, or be exempt from holding a licence. If you are not licensed to give advice or exempt from licensing, you can help with applications only if it is part of your job and you are recording information given to you by the applicant. This includes education providers, employers and travel agents.

What to do next

Before you engage anyone to help with your visa application, take these steps:

1. Check the IAA register to confirm the adviser has a current licence of the right type.
2. If using a lawyer, verify their current certificate to practise through the New Zealand Law Society.
3. If relying on an exemption, confirm the person falls within one of the listed categories and that any restriction (such as education agents being limited to student visa advice) applies correctly.
4. If you are unsure, contact the IAA directly for guidance.

You can also complete a visa application yourself using the Immigration New Zealand website. Each visa type has an application form and a guide to help you, and INZ recommends reading the guide carefully before filling in the application form. If you have problems completing the application, you can contact INZ for help.

The official pages to verify are the IAA register of licensed immigration advisers and the New Zealand Law Society’s find-a-lawyer tool. These are the two authoritative sources for confirming that the person advising you is properly licensed or exempt.