Finding a registered migration agent in Australia (and avoiding visa scams)

According to Home Affairs, only three kinds of people can lawfully give you immigration assistance:

• A registered migration agent (RMA). Registered with OMARA, with a unique Migration Agents Registration Number (MARN), and bound by a Code of Conduct.
• An Australian legal practitioner. A lawyer with an Australian practising certificate, giving the help as part of their legal practice. Since 22 March 2021, lawyers with unrestricted practising certificates aren't on the migration agents register; they're regulated by their state or territory legal body.
• An exempt person. For example, your sponsor or nominator, a close family member, a member of parliament, or certain diplomatic and international organisation staff. Exempt people must not charge a fee.

"Immigration assistance" means preparing or helping to prepare your application, advising you about it, or representing you. Home Affairs says some things aren't immigration assistance, such as purely clerical help, translating or interpreting, and passing on information without substantial comment. Education agents aren't exempt: unless they're also an RMA or a lawyer, they can't advise on your visa.

1. Ask for their MARN (or, for a lawyer, their practising details). A genuine agent will give it straight away.
2. Search the [Register of Migration Agents](https://portal.mara.gov.au/search-the-register-of-migration-agents/) by name, location or MARN. The register also lists registered agents who work outside Australia.
3. Check the details match: name, business and contact details. Scammers sometimes copy a real agent's name.
4. Look for disciplinary decisions. OMARA publishes notices about sanctioned agents.
5. For a lawyer, check with the legal profession regulator in their state or territory.

OMARA's consumer guide sets out what you can expect under the Code of Conduct. Your registered agent must give you the guide itself (it's available in many community languages), and must:

• Be honest about your chances of success and keep you informed.
• Tell you about any conflict of interest.
• Give you a written statement of the services, estimated fees and other costs before starting work.
• Keep money you pay in advance in a separate client account.
• Give you an invoice that lists the work actually done.

Whoever helps you also lodges a form with Home Affairs (Form 956) that you sign, so the department knows who is acting for you. If an agent won't put fees in writing or won't lodge that form, treat it as a warning.

Home Affairs' visa scams page warns that scam agents often pretend to be registered and are often promoted on social media. Be wary of anyone who:

• Promises to guarantee a visa or fast-track processing. Home Affairs says anyone who claims this is lying and may be trying to scam you.
• Won't give a MARN, or the MARN doesn't match the register.
• Won't give you a written statement of services and fees before starting work.
• Offers to supply documents for you, or suggests information that isn't true.
• Won't show you what was lodged, or keeps the department's decision from you.
• Is only reachable through social media ads or messaging apps, with no details you can check.

Home Affairs says you remain responsible for your own application, even if someone else prepared it. The risks of a scam include losing money, a refused or cancelled visa, being refused entry and future bans.

If you have a problem with a registered agent, raise it with them first, then use OMARA's complaints form. OMARA says complaining won't affect your visa application. It can't order refunds; for that, contact your state or territory consumer protection agency. Complaints about lawyers go to the relevant legal services regulator.

Some documents you'll give your agent may need translating first. See translating documents for a visa.