{"id":306,"date":"2021-11-03T22:15:34","date_gmt":"2021-11-03T16:45:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cosmosimmigration.com\/blog\/?p=306"},"modified":"2026-10-28T15:30:32","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T10:00:32","slug":"6-crucial-questions-to-be-asked-before-hiring-an-immigration-lawyer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cosmosimmigration.com\/blog\/6-crucial-questions-to-be-asked-before-hiring-an-immigration-lawyer\/","title":{"rendered":"Questions to ask an immigration consultant before you hire one: a checklist for UAE residents"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last reviewed 28 October 2026 against IRCC, College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, OMARA, Immigration Advisers Authority (New Zealand) and GOV.UK pages.<\/em><\/p>\n

Before you pay anyone in the UAE for help with a Canadian, Australian, New Zealand or UK visa, ask six things: are you on the official register, who will work on my file, will I get a written agreement before I pay, what does your fee cover, what are my real chances, and how do I stop or complain. IRCC says to be careful of anyone who won’t answer your questions, and that it may return or refuse an application made through an unauthorized paid representative, in Canada or abroad.<\/p>\n

You do not have to hire anyone. IRCC publishes every form and guide free, and says using a representative does not draw special attention to your application or mean it will be approved. If you do pay for help, these are the questions the regulators point you to.<\/p>\n

At a glance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Question to ask<\/th>\nWhat the official sources say (checked 28 October 2026)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Are you on the register?<\/td>\nCanada: law society, Chambre des notaires du Qu\u00e9bec or College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) member in good standing. Australia: OMARA Register. New Zealand: Immigration Advisers Authority. UK: Immigration Advice Authority or an approved professional body.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Who handles my file?<\/td>\nA CICC agreement must name the people likely to help. Your Canadian representative signs form IMM 5476.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Written agreement first?<\/td>\nRequired in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. UK advisers must send a letter on the work and fee straight after you hire them.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What does the fee cover?<\/td>\nAsk what is extra. IRCC fees are the same worldwide and paid to the Receiver General for Canada.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What are my chances?<\/td>\nAustralian agents must be honest about them. IRCC says no one can promise you a job or a visa to Canada.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What if it goes wrong?<\/td>\nComplain to the CICC or law society, OMARA, the IAA, or through GOV.UK.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Question 1: Are you on the official register, and under which name?<\/h2>\n

Registration sits with an individual, so ask for the full name and registration number of the person who will advise you and check it yourself on the regulator’s site, not on a certificate on the wall.<\/p>\n

Canada.<\/strong> IRCC accepts three kinds of paid representative: members in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society, notaries who are members in good standing of the Chambre des notaires du Qu\u00e9bec, and citizenship or immigration consultants who are members in good standing of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants. The College’s Public Register<\/a> lists Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) and Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs).<\/p>\n

The College says you can use it to see whether someone is in good standing and whether they have been subject to disciplinary action. Law society members are checked with their law society; IRCC links to each from its page on checking whether a representative is authorized<\/a>. Any payment or other compensation makes someone a paid representative.<\/p>\n

Australia.<\/strong> Every registered migration agent has a Migration Agents Registration Number (MARN). You can search the OMARA Register of Migration Agents<\/a> by name, MARN, business name or location. OMARA’s guide says that if a person does not appear in the results, they are not registered with OMARA. Since 22 March 2021, people admitted to practise law in Australia can give immigration help without being registered agents, so they do not appear on this Register and are checked with their state or territory professional body instead.<\/p>\n

New Zealand.<\/strong> The Immigration Advisers Authority<\/a> (IAA) says anyone who gives you advice about New Zealand immigration must be authorised by it, unless they are exempt, and that giving advice without that authorisation is a criminal offence. People outside New Zealand may advise on student visas without that authorisation, but anyone offshore advising on other visa types, including work and residence, must be authorised. That covers advisers in the UAE.<\/p>\n

United Kingdom.<\/strong> GOV.UK says all immigration advisers must be registered with the Immigration Advice Authority (the UK body, formerly the OISC) or be a member of an approved professional body. Use the IAA Adviser Finder<\/a>, and ask which of the three levels the adviser holds: only level 3 can appear for you at an immigration tribunal.<\/p>\n

Our longer guide covers both checks in more detail: how to verify an immigration consultant on the CICC and MARA registers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Question 2: Who will actually work on my file?<\/h2>\n

Ask who gives the advice, who prepares the forms, and whose name goes on the government paperwork. The rules let you check the answer:<\/p>\n