How to find a registered migration agent in Australia

To find a registered migration agent in Australia, use the Search for a Registered Migration Agents tool on the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) website. You can search by the agent’s name, their unique Migration Agent Registration Number (MARN), their business name, or their location. If an agent does not appear in the search results, they are not registered and cannot legally provide immigration assistance in Australia. A registered migration agent can advise on visa requirements, help you lodge a visa application, and communicate with the Department of Home Affairs on your behalf, usually for a fee. Their fees must be fair and reasonable under the Code of Conduct, and you can ask for fee information in writing before you commit.

What a registered migration agent can do for you

A registered migration agent is someone who is registered with the OMARA and can provide immigration assistance in Australia. According to the official guidance, a registered migration agent can:

• advise you on visa requirements
• assist you with lodging a visa application
• communicate with the Department of Home Affairs on your behalf

They usually do this for a fee. The official guidance is clear that if you need specific advice or help with your visa application, you should use a registered migration agent. This is different from general information, which you can obtain yourself from the Department of Home Affairs website.

It is important to understand that the OMARA office itself has no access to visa processing information. If you need general information about Australian visa and citizenship processes, you should visit the Department of Home Affairs website. From the visa support page, you can find a visa for your circumstances, estimate the price of a visa, and make an application. But for specific advice tailored to your situation, a registered migration agent is the appropriate person to consult.

How to search for a registered migration agent

The OMARA provides a public search tool on its website. From the home page, follow the link titled “Search for a registered agent.” This takes you to the Search for Registered Migration Agents screen. You do not need to complete every search field; you only need to complete the fields relevant to your search.

The search fields are described in the table below.

Search field	What to enter
Agents given name	The agent’s first name. If you are unsure of the spelling, enter only the first few letters.
Agents family name	The agent’s surname. If you are unsure of the spelling, enter only the first few letters.
MARN	The agent’s unique Migration Agent Registration Number. If you know the MARN, you do not need to complete any other fields.
Business Name	The name of the company or business the agent works for.
Business Location	The country, state, suburb, or postcode where the agent practises.
Voluntary Organisation only	Select this option to see only agents who work for a voluntary organisation. Note that help from voluntary organisations is not available to everyone; you must meet certain criteria.

When you have completed the fields that are useful to your search, select Search. The search results will display. To see an agent’s details, follow the Family Name link.

If your preferred agent does not appear in the search results, this means they are not registered and are not able to provide immigration assistance in Australia. This is a critical check to perform before you engage anyone to help you with your visa application.

What is a MARN?

When a person becomes a registered migration agent, they are issued a unique Migration Agent Registration Number, known as a MARN. This number is specific to that individual agent. If you know an agent’s MARN, you can enter it in the MARN search field, and there is no need to complete any other search fields.

The MARN is a useful identifier because it is unique to the agent. If you are working with an agent, you can ask them for their MARN and then verify it through the OMARA search tool. This is a straightforward way to confirm that the person you are dealing with is actually registered.

Fees and what you should expect to pay

The official guidance does not set a fixed fee schedule for registered migration agents. Instead, it explains that fees depend on a range of factors. These include:

• the type of visa you are applying for
• the amount of time it will take to prepare your visa application
• the services you need
• whether you need extra help
• whether you have a complex case, for example if you have other people listed on your application
• the registered migration agent’s experience

The key rule is that your registered migration agent’s fees must be fair and reasonable. The rules for fees are set out in the Code of Conduct. This is the standard against which an agent’s charges are assessed.

Initial consultation fees

A registered migration agent may ask to meet with you in person, by telephone, or by video call before they give you a contract. This meeting is called an initial consultation. In the initial consultation, the agent will give you general information and answer your questions.

Some registered migration agents do this for free, and others charge a fee. If an agent charges a fee for an initial consultation, you should ask them to give you information about the fee in writing. This is a sensible step because it ensures you have a record of what you have agreed to pay before you proceed.

Choosing the right agent for you

The official guidance points to a resource on the OMARA website called “Steps to choose a registered migration agent.” From the home page, you can select this link to find more information about choosing the right agent for your circumstances.

When you are choosing an agent, you should consider the factors that affect fees, as well as the agent’s experience and the complexity of your case. You should also verify that the agent is registered before you engage them. The search tool is the authoritative way to do this.

If you are a refugee applicant, the guidance notes that you may be able to seek assistance from voluntary organisations. The search tool has a specific option to filter for agents who work for a voluntary organisation. However, help from voluntary organisations is not available to everyone; you must meet certain criteria. The official guidance directs you to the MARA website for further information about the types of registered agents.

What to do next

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

1. Visit the OMARA website and use the Search for a Registered Migration Agents tool.
2. Search by the agent’s name, MARN, business name, or location.
3. Confirm that the agent appears in the search results. If they do not, they are not registered and cannot provide immigration assistance in Australia.
4. If you are considering an agent who charges for an initial consultation, ask for the fee information in writing.
5. Check the Code of Conduct to understand the rules about fees, and use the “Steps to choose a registered migration agent” resource on the OMARA website.

The official guidance does not publish a fixed fee schedule, so you should not rely on any advertised standard fee. Instead, ask the agent directly for a written quote or fee information, and verify their registration through the OMARA search tool. The Department of Home Affairs website is the place to go for general visa information, including finding a visa, estimating the price of a visa, and making an application. For specific advice, a registered migration agent is the appropriate person to consult.