Choosing an agent · Verify before you pay
How to Choose a Registered Migration Agent in Australia
Anyone can call themselves a ‘migration consultant’. Only a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner may lawfully give you immigration assistance for a fee — and you can verify which you are dealing with in about two minutes. This guide shows you how to check registration, the warning signs of a dishonest operator, what a properly run agent actually does, and how to complain if something goes wrong. Prepared by Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent MARN 1576536.
By Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536) since 2015 · WIDEN, Sydney · Reviewed September 2026
Keshab Chapagain · MARN 1576536 · Registered since 2015 - Who can lawfully advise
- Registered agents + lawyers
- How to verify
- OMARA register + MARN
- Outcome guarantees
- Prohibited by the Code
- Fees
- In writing, before work starts
MARN 1576536 · Verifiable at mara.gov.au
The short version: before you pay anyone to help with an Australian visa, confirm they are either a registered migration agent (with a MARN on the public OMARA register) or an Australian legal practitioner. If they are neither, they cannot lawfully charge you for immigration assistance — and engaging them can put your visa, and your money, at risk. Everything else below is how to tell a good agent from a bad one once you know they are genuine.
Who may lawfully give you immigration assistance
Under the Migration Act, only two groups may provide immigration assistance in Australia for a fee or reward:
- Registered migration agents — individuals registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA), each holding a MARN and bound by the Migration Agents Code of Conduct 2021.
- Australian legal practitioners — lawyers holding a current practising certificate. Since March 2021 they no longer also register with OMARA, so a lawyer is verified through their state legal admission body, not the OMARA register.
Everyone else — overseas “consultants”, education agents, “visa services”, and self-styled “RPL agents” — is not lawfully permitted to give paid migration advice or lodge your application, even if they are helpful, confident or cheap. Using an unregistered operator is one of the most common ways applicants lose money and end up with a refused or fraudulent application.
Verify registration in about two minutes
- Ask for the agent’s MARN (or find it on their website, emails or fee agreement). A genuine agent displays it openly.
- Go to the Register of Migration Agents at portal.mara.gov.au and search by MARN or name.
- Confirm three things: the registration is current, the name matches the person you are dealing with, and there are no adverse conditions you were not told about.
- If they are a lawyer rather than a registered agent, verify their practising certificate through the relevant state or territory law society or legal services board instead.
Worked example. This page is written by Keshab Chapagain, MARN 1576536, registered since 2015. You can paste that number into the OMARA register above and confirm it before reading a word of our advice — which is exactly the check you should run on any agent, including us.
Red flags — reasons to walk away
| Red flag | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| “Guaranteed” visa or 100% success rate | No registered agent can lawfully guarantee an outcome — the Department decides. A guarantee is a sign of either dishonesty or inexperience. |
| No verifiable MARN | If you cannot confirm them on the OMARA register and they are not a lawyer, they cannot lawfully charge you. |
| No written services agreement | The Code requires fees and scope to be set out in writing before work starts. “Trust me, pay later” is not compliant. |
| Cash-only or overseas personal account | Legitimate fees are invoiced to the practice with GST where applicable, not paid to a personal or offshore account. |
| Advice to provide false documents | PIC 4020 can bar you for years and can lead to visa cancellation. An agent who suggests it is a danger, not a shortcut. |
| A “free” qualification with no assessment | A qualification issued without a Registered Training Organisation assessing real evidence is a fake RPL, and a fake qualification can put a visa at risk. |
| Won’t put advice in writing | Advice you cannot point back to is advice you cannot rely on — or complain about. |
What a properly run agent actually does
- Verifies your eligibility honestly first, and tells you plainly if no realistic pathway exists.
- Sets out fees and scope in writing, before any work, under a services agreement — with professional fees kept separate from the government’s own charges.
- Gives advice specific to your circumstances, in writing, that you keep.
- Never guarantees an outcome, and never recovers sponsorship costs from a sponsored worker (a breach of both migration and Fair Work law).
- Carries professional indemnity insurance and is bound by the Code of Conduct, with a complaint route if things go wrong.
Questions to ask before you pay
- What is your MARN, and may I verify it on the OMARA register?
- Will you give me a written services agreement with fees before I pay?
- What are the government charges, separately from your professional fees?
- On my facts, what are the realistic prospects — and what happens if it is refused?
- Who personally handles my file, and are they the registered agent?
How to complain
If a registered agent behaves improperly, complain to OMARA, which regulates agents against the Code of Conduct and can caution, suspend or cancel a registration. Keep your written agreement, invoices and correspondence. If your adviser is a lawyer, the complaint goes to the relevant state legal services commissioner. If an unregistered operator has taken your money, that is a matter for the police and consumer-protection authorities. The OMARA consumer guide sets out your rights.
General information only, not migration advice. Registration and regulatory requirements change — confirm current details on the OMARA register and mara.gov.au. Prepared by Keshab Chapagain, registered migration agent (MARN 1576536), WIDEN — Dynamic Consultancy Pty Ltd, Sydney.
Want a straight, verifiable second opinion?
If you are unsure about advice you have been given — or an agent you are about to pay — a paid initial consultation with a registered agent (MARN 1576536) gets you an honest read in writing. Verify us on the OMARA register first; that is the whole point.
Ready now? Skip the form. Pick a time and talk to Keshab directly — your documents on the table, a straight answer, and a written summary afterwards. $220 inc. GST, credited toward your fee if you engage.
Pick a time — no enquiry needed →Questions we get asked first
How do I check if a migration agent is registered in Australia?
Search the public Register of Migration Agents kept by the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) at portal.mara.gov.au. Enter the agent’s name or their MARN (Migration Agents Registration Number). The register shows whether the registration is current, the agent’s full name, and any conditions or history. If a person charging for immigration assistance is not on the register and is not an Australian legal practitioner, walk away — giving immigration assistance for a fee without being registered or a lawyer is an offence.
What is a MARN?
A MARN is a Migration Agents Registration Number — a unique seven-digit number issued to every registered migration agent (for example, MARN 1576536). A genuine agent will display it on their website, emails and fee agreement. You can enter it directly into the OMARA register to confirm the agent behind it is current. A MARN you cannot verify on the register is a red flag.
Is it illegal to give migration advice without being registered?
Yes, where it is done for a fee or other reward. Under the Migration Act, only two groups may lawfully provide immigration assistance in Australia: registered migration agents (on the OMARA register) and Australian legal practitioners holding a current practising certificate. Since March 2021, lawyers no longer also register with OMARA — so verify a lawyer through their state legal admission body instead. Anyone else charging to prepare or lodge your visa — including many overseas “consultants”, education agents and “RPL agents” — is acting outside the law, and using them can put your visa at risk.
What are the warning signs of a dishonest migration agent?
The clearest red flags: a guarantee of a visa or a “100% success rate” (no registered agent can lawfully guarantee an outcome); no verifiable MARN; pressure to pay in cash or to an overseas personal account; no written services agreement setting out fees before work starts; advice to provide false documents or false information; an offer of a “free” qualification with no assessment (a fake RPL); and refusing to put advice in writing. Any one of these is a reason to stop and verify.
Can a migration agent guarantee a visa?
No. A visa is granted by the Department of Home Affairs on the law and evidence for your case, and the Migration Agents Code of Conduct expressly prohibits a registered agent from guaranteeing a favourable outcome. An honest agent will tell you the realistic prospects — including when the answer is that no pathway exists — not promise success.
Do I need a migration agent, or can I lodge the visa myself?
You are entitled to lodge your own visa application, and for a straightforward case with a clear pathway, many people do. A registered agent earns their fee where the case is not simple: choosing the right pathway among several, assembling evidence that answers the exact legal criteria, avoiding a refusal (whose government charge is not refunded), or handling a refusal, sponsorship or family matter. The honest test is whether the risk and complexity justify the fee.
What should a registered migration agent’s fees look like?
Fees are set by each agent and are not fixed by the government, but they must be reasonable and must be disclosed in writing before work starts, under a services agreement. Expect a paid initial consultation, then professional fees quoted per stage; these are separate from the government’s own charges (for example, the 482 visa application charge). Be wary of unusually cheap “all-inclusive” prices, cash-only demands, or any fee that depends on the visa being granted.
What is the difference between a migration agent and an education or “RPL” agent?
A registered migration agent is licensed to give immigration assistance — advising on and lodging visas. An education agent recruits students for colleges, and an “RPL agent” arranges a vocational qualification through a Registered Training Organisation. Neither is licensed to give migration advice unless they are also a registered agent or lawyer. It is common, and lawful, for a qualification (including a genuine RPL) to support a visa — but the visa advice itself must come from a registered agent or lawyer, and the training must come from a registered RTO. Be especially careful of anyone bundling a “guaranteed qualification and visa”.
How do I complain about a migration agent?
Complaints about a registered migration agent’s conduct go to OMARA, which regulates agents against the Code of Conduct and can caution, suspend or cancel registration. Keep your written agreement, invoices and correspondence. If your agent is a lawyer, the complaint goes to the relevant state legal services commissioner instead. If money has been taken by an unregistered operator, that is a matter for the police and consumer protection authorities.
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