Who can legally give immigration advice?
Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, ss 6, 11
The Immigration Advisers Licensing Act was introduced to protect migrants and refugees who get immigration advice, so that they can be confident they’re getting good-quality advice and professional services. Anyone who gives people immigration advice has to have a licence issued by the Immigration Advisers Authority, a government agency. But a qualified lawyer or a Community Law Centre or Citizens Advice Bureau doesn’t need a licence.
A person also doesn’t need to have an immigration adviser’s licence if they’re giving you advice informally as a member of your family or a friend. The licence scheme is aimed at people who give immigration advice as a business, for a fee, or who do it regularly even if not for a fee.
Note: The Immigration Advisers Authority warns that you should stay away from anyone offering immigration advice who refuses to put their name on your visa application, or who asks you to sign a blank visa application form telling you they’ll fill it out later, or who claims to have personal contacts at Immigration New Zealand.