How to Verify a Migration Agent in Australia (2026)

Using a registered migration agent is not just a recommendation — it is your legal protection. Registered agents must:

• - Hold a Graduate Diploma in Australian Migration Law and Practice
• - Pass character and background checks
• - Maintain professional indemnity insurance
• - Follow the OMARA Code of Conduct
• - Complete annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

If something goes wrong with a registered agent, you can lodge a formal complaint with OMARA, which has the power to investigate, sanction, suspend, or deregister agents. With an unregistered operator, you have no regulatory recourse — and they may face criminal charges, but that does not get your money back.

Method 1: Use Our Free MARA Check Tool

The fastest way to verify an agent is our MARA verification tool. Enter the agent's name or MARN (Migration Agent Registration Number) and get an instant result showing their registration status, expiry date, and any conditions.

Method 2: Check the Official OMARA Register

1. Go to portal.mara.gov.au
2. Click "Search the Register of Migration Agents"
3. Enter the agent's name, MARN, or business name
4. Review their registration details

What to look for: - Status: Current — the agent is actively registered and authorised to practise - Registration expiry date — must be in the future - Conditions — some agents have conditions on their registration (e.g., supervision requirements) - Status: Suspended or Cancelled — do not use this agent - Not found — the person may never have been registered

A MARN (Migration Agent Registration Number) is a unique 7-digit identifier assigned to each registered agent. Every registered agent is legally required to display their MARN on:

• - Their website
• - Business cards and letterheads
• - Advertising materials
• - Client agreements and invoices

If an agent cannot or will not provide their MARN when asked, this is a significant red flag. A legitimate agent will have no hesitation sharing their registration number — it is a mark of professional credibility.

You can search our migration agent directory by MARN to find any registered agent's profile instantly.

Be cautious if a person offering immigration advice:

• - Refuses to provide their MARN or registration certificate
• - Calls themselves a "migration consultant" or "visa advisor" instead of a registered migration agent
• - Only accepts cash payments with no receipts or invoices
• - Guarantees visa approval — no legitimate agent can guarantee outcomes
• - Pressures you to sign immediately without giving you time to consider
• - Operates only through social media with no business address or website
• - Charges unusually low fees — legitimate agents have overhead costs including insurance and CPD

Unregistered operators are unfortunately common in some communities. They often target people with limited English or those unfamiliar with Australian regulatory systems.

If you discover the person providing you immigration advice is not registered:

1. Stop engaging with them immediately — do not provide further payments or personal documents
2. Report them to OMARA — phone 1300 226 272 or visit the OMARA complaints page
3. Report to police — providing immigration assistance without registration is a criminal offence under the Migration Act 1958, carrying penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment
4. Seek legitimate advice — find a registered agent near you through our directory
5. Get legal advice — if you have already paid money or signed contracts, consult a lawyer about recovering your funds

If an unregistered person has already lodged documents on your behalf, inform the Department of Home Affairs immediately.

Both registered migration agents and Australian immigration lawyers can legally provide immigration assistance. The difference is in their regulation:

• - Migration agents are regulated by OMARA under the Department of Home Affairs
• - Immigration lawyers are regulated by their state's Legal Services Commissioner

Australian lawyers who provide immigration advice are exempt from MARA registration because they are already regulated under state legal profession legislation. You can verify a lawyer's credentials through their state Law Society.

For a detailed comparison, read our guide on migration agents vs immigration lawyers.

Every agent listed in the Migration Agent Directory has been verified against the official MARA register. We display each agent's:

• - Registration status (current, with last verification date)
• - MARN number
• - Registration expiry date
• - Business details and location

When you find an agent through our directory, you can be confident they are legitimately registered. We sync with MARA data regularly to ensure accuracy.

Browse all 5,122+ verified agents or use our MARA check tool to verify a specific agent.