Australian Migration Advisory

brisbane office


View Larger Map
127 Creek Street,
Brisbane, Qld, 4000.
Telephone:+61 (0)7 3010 9375
FAX:+61 (0)7 3010 9001
E-mail: visas@ausmad.com
Opening Hours: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm



sunshine coast office

Inbox House
Level 2, 14-20 Aerodrome Road
Maroochydore, QLD, 4558
Telephone:+61 (0)7 5452 9878 (in Australia)
FAX:+61 (0)7 3010 9001
E-mail: visas@ausmad.com
Opening Hours: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)




1. Why use an Australian Registered Migration Agent?

Australian Registered Migration Agents are bound by the Code of Conduct as published by the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA). As such, any agent found to be breaching the Code of Conduct (i.e. acting in a fraudulent manner, or providing advice without a proper knowledge of immigration law etc.) can be held accountable by the OMARA and have their registration suspended or cancelled. Migration agents, whose main source of income arises from the provision of migration advice, take breaches very seriously and as such strive to act in the best interests of their clients.

On the other hand, unregistered “agents” in Australia and overseas (including Education Agents that represent themselves as having a knowledge of migration law) are not bound by the Code of Conduct and are not held accountable for their actions by the OMARA. In past, overseas “agents” in particular have been found in breach of acceptable practice, however, as they are outside the jurisdiction of OMARA or the Australian legal system they have little concern about the consequences of providing inappropriate advice and representation.

In addition to the above, all registered agents must undergo a series of Continuing Professional Development courses each year, in order to update their knowledge of immigration law. As such, if you are relying on a professional for the provision of migration advice, please use an Australian registered professional. In order to check the registration of a professional please use the search function at: https://www.mara.gov.au/

2. Do lawyers need to be registered with the OMARA in order to provide migration advice?

Yes, due to the complexity of immigration law, all lawyers and agents providing immigration advice in Australia must be registered. This means that they are also bound by the Code of Conduct, and must undergo an annual series of Continuing Professional Development courses.

3. How can I find out how long a registered professional has been practising?

Australian Registered Agents are provided with a seven digit registration number. The first two digits represent the initial year in which the agent was registered. Therefore an agent with the registration number 0323773 was first registered in 2003.

4. What are your fees?

Please ask our office for an itemised quote.

5. How long does it take for you to prepare the application?

For applications which are urgent, we provide a priority processing service. Please note however, that additional fees may be incurred. Having said this, the time taken to prepare a visa application will rely on the type of visa and how quickly you respond to your agents instructions. Please contact us at visas@ausmad.com for further information regarding application preparation times.

6. How long does it take for a visa application to be processed?

The Department of Immigration publishes their standard visa processing times at http://www.immi.gov.au/about/charters/client-services-charter/standards/2.1.htm. However, these timeframes can differ according to the complexity of your situation, the office at which the application was lodged and the completeness of your application. Agents of the Australian Migration Advisory are well versed in providing decision ready applications to the Department of Immigration, generally resulting in decreased processing times.