Consumer Guide
Registered migration agents are skilled people who
must meet professional standards, follow the Code
of Conduct and maintain up-to-date knowledge of
migration law and procedure.
Your agent must be registered with the Office of the Migration
Agents Registration Authority (Office of the MARA), which ensures
that only suitable persons are registered to provide immigration assistance.
To check if a person is registered, visit the website
www.mara.gov.au
Migration Agents and the Code of Conduct
The Code of Conduct ensures that your registered migration agent will:
- be honest with you about your chances of securing a visa;
-
keep you informed about the progress of your application and
any changes that may affect it;
-
be contactable during business hours and tell
you if they change their contact details;
- act within the law, your best interests and protect your privacy;
-
declare any interest they have that may affect your application
and not act for you if there is a conflict;
-
provide you with a written
statement — before starting work — of the services
to be provided, the estimated fees and other costs;
-
charge a reasonable fee and, if you
pay in advance, keep this in a separate bank account;
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provide you with an invoice listing the actual
services completed and the amount payable;
-
provide timely and correct advice and
tell you in writing about the result of your
application as soon as possible.
Complaints
Making a complaint to the Office of the MARA will not affect your visa application.
Office of the MARA.
Under Australian law, the Office of the MARA:
-
assesses and decides applications for
registration as a migration agent;
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approves continuing professional
development activities for agents;
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monitors the conduct of registered migration agents;
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and investigates complaints against registered
migration agents and will discipline them when appropriate.
The Office of the MARA, however, cannot help you with your
application/sponsorship or order a refund of your
fees from your registered migration agent.
More information to help you can be found at
www.mara.gov.au:
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Code of Conduct
-
Your rights - tips on using a registered migration agent
-
Average agent fees
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investigates complaints against registered
migration agents and will discipline them when appropriate.
Contact Details
Office of the MARA www.mara.gov.au or 1300 226 272
Check if a person is registered at www.mara.gov.au and click on