Our team includes highly experienced migration agents and lawyers.
We note there are more than 4500 registered migration agents in Australia. Whilst every registered agent has undertaken a course of study and regular continuing professional development studies, the experience and expertise of these agents is quite varied.
If your matter is complicated, or of you are seeking review of a decision at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), you might choose a registered migration agent.
If you are seeking judicial review of a decision in the Federal Circuit Court (FCC), then you should use a lawyer, however, self-represented applications are permitted. Of course, it will be to your advantage to choose a lawyer with significant migration law experience.
You should note there are strict time lines in which applications for review must be made. If an adverse decision has been made against you, that decision should be advised in writing, and your review rights and time lines will be set out in the notification.
We make these observations;
- Migration agents are registered with the MARA. You can search for a migration agent using the MARA website; https://www.mara.gov.au/
- Only those who are registered as migration agents can give immigration advice and assistance, however the following persons can give immigration assistance as long as they do not charge a fee:
- Parliamentarians and their staff
- Members of diplomatic missions, consular posts or international organisations
- Lawyers can give immigration legal assistance without being registered in some circumstances.
- You might see “free” information on webchats. There is no quality assurance on the information provided, and there is no way you can be compensated if you act on that sort of free advice to your disadvantage.
- On the other hand, registered migration agents are required, as part of the registration procedures, to hold adequate insurance against claims.
- If you try to DIY your case, you risk failure. The statistics show the rate of failure for self-represented parties is higher than that of professionally represented parties.
- The question you need to ask is “How important is my visa to me and my family?”
- If it is very important, then the fair and reasonable charges for a migration agent of migration lawyer must be the best course for you.
- Lawyers have a saying, “A person who represents themselves has a fool for a client”, we don’t mean to say you are a fool, but consider your options carefully.
