Check an immigration adviser's licence
Search any name or licence number against all 2,948 advisers ever registered with the Immigration Advisers Authority — including expired, surrendered and cancelled licences. Refreshed monthly from the official register (currently July 2026).
Authoritative source: IAA public register. If this site and the register ever disagree, the register wins.
What the licence statuses mean
- Current — authorised to give New Zealand immigration advice under the IAA code of conduct.
- Expired — the licence was not renewed; advice is no longer permitted without an exemption.
- Surrendered — the adviser gave the licence up voluntarily.
- Cancelled / Suspended — the Authority removed or paused the licence.
- Refused — a licence application was declined.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I check if an immigration adviser is licensed in New Zealand?
- Search their name or licence number above. Every result shows the licence status straight from the Immigration Advisers Authority register: Current means they can legally give immigration advice; Expired, Surrendered, Cancelled or Refused means they cannot, unless they are exempt (for example, a practising New Zealand lawyer).
- What if the person is not in these results?
- If someone offering immigration advice does not appear on the register at all, they are either exempt (New Zealand lawyers are the main exempt group, and are not listed on the IAA register) or they are not authorised. Ask which lawyer or licence number they operate under, and verify it before paying anything.
- What does a licenced immigration adviser licence number look like?
- A nine-digit number, for example 200800013. The first four digits are the year the licence was first issued. You can search by the number directly.
- Is using an unlicensed immigration adviser illegal?
- Providing New Zealand immigration advice without a licence or exemption is an offence under the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, and Immigration New Zealand can refuse applications prepared by unlicensed advisers. Complaints about unlicensed advice go to the Immigration Advisers Authority.
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