Who can work as an immigration lawyer in New Zealand?

Any lawyer holding a current New Zealand practising certificate can give immigration advice; they are exempt from immigration adviser licensing under the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007. In practice, immigration law is a specialist field and most firms here have a dedicated immigration team.

How do I verify that someone really is an immigration lawyer?

Search their name on the New Zealand Law Society's register of lawyers. Every lawyer listed in this directory has been checked against that register, with admission dates recorded. Beware of adviser businesses that market themselves as 'immigration law' firms: if the people handling your case hold IAA licences rather than practising certificates, they are advisers, not lawyers.

Should I use an immigration lawyer or a licensed immigration adviser?

Both can prepare visa applications and represent you to Immigration New Zealand and the Immigration and Protection Tribunal. You need a lawyer if your matter could go to court, such as judicial review, or if it crosses into other areas of law. For straightforward applications, either works; compare experience with your visa type first.

How much do immigration lawyers charge in New Zealand?

There is no standard rate. Most firms quote a fixed fee for defined work or an hourly rate for open-ended matters, and Immigration New Zealand's government fees are always additional. Ask for a written engagement letter with the fee basis before any work starts.

Immigration lawyers in New Zealand

Lawyer

32 New Zealand law firms practise immigration law, with 51 named immigration lawyers verified against the New Zealand Law Society register. We only include lawyers who practise immigration law exclusively. A firm may work across other areas of law, but an individual lawyer whose profile spreads across several practice areas is not listed — and a sole-practitioner firm must practise immigration law only. Lawyers with a current practising certificate are exempt from immigration adviser licensing, so they never appear on the IAA register — this page is the lawyer side of the directory, alongside the 1,700 licensed immigration advisers. Firms are ordered by verified immigration team size; inclusion and order cannot be bought.

Immigration lawyers by city

All verified immigration law firms

Lane NeaveChristchurch · Auckland
8 immigration lawyers · see the Christchurch list
Pitt & Moore LawyersNelson
5 immigration lawyers · see the Nelson list
D&S Law (Dalley Sundar)Auckland
3 immigration lawyers · see the Auckland list
McVeagh FlemingAuckland
3 immigration lawyers · see the Auckland list
Duncan CotterillChristchurch
2 immigration lawyers · see the Christchurch list
Fisher Foley Barristers and SolicitorsAuckland
2 immigration lawyers · see the Auckland list
Laurent Law Barristers & SolicitorsAuckland
2 immigration lawyers · see the Auckland list
McSweeney Immigration LawAuckland
2 immigration lawyers · see the Auckland list
Pier LawChristchurch
2 immigration lawyers · see the Christchurch list
Saunders & CoChristchurch
2 immigration lawyers · see the Christchurch list
Access NZ Immigration LawTauranga
1 immigration lawyer · see the Tauranga list
Corcoran FrenchChristchurch
1 immigration lawyer · see the Christchurch list
D R Legal (Dilki Rajapakse)Auckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Hennessy Immigration LawNelson
1 immigration lawyer · see the Nelson list
Idesi LegalAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Immigration Solutions (Markham Lee)Christchurch
1 immigration lawyer · see the Christchurch list
James McLeodAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Luscombe LegalNapier-Hastings
1 immigration lawyer · see the Napier-Hastings list
MC LegalChristchurch
1 immigration lawyer · see the Christchurch list
MyLawChristchurch · Auckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Christchurch list
New Zealand Immigration LawAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Pacific LegalAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Petris Law OfficeWellington
1 immigration lawyer · see the Wellington list
Righteous LawAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Ryken and AssociatesAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Sapling LawyersHamilton
1 immigration lawyer · see the Hamilton list
Sharma LawHamilton
1 immigration lawyer · see the Hamilton list
Stay LegalTauranga
1 immigration lawyer · see the Tauranga list
The Immigration Law FirmChristchurch
1 immigration lawyer · see the Christchurch list
Your Lawyer (Deep Gill)New Plymouth
1 immigration lawyer · see the New Plymouth list
Queen City LawAuckland
Immigration law is an advertised practice area.
Vallant Hooker & PartnersAuckland
Immigration law is an advertised practice area.

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Frequently asked questions

Who can work as an immigration lawyer in New Zealand?: Any lawyer holding a current New Zealand practising certificate can give immigration advice; they are exempt from immigration adviser licensing under the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007. In practice, immigration law is a specialist field and most firms here have a dedicated immigration team.
How do I verify that someone really is an immigration lawyer?: Search their name on the New Zealand Law Society's register of lawyers. Every lawyer listed in this directory has been checked against that register, with admission dates recorded. Beware of adviser businesses that market themselves as 'immigration law' firms: if the people handling your case hold IAA licences rather than practising certificates, they are advisers, not lawyers.
Should I use an immigration lawyer or a licensed immigration adviser?: Both can prepare visa applications and represent you to Immigration New Zealand and the Immigration and Protection Tribunal. You need a lawyer if your matter could go to court, such as judicial review, or if it crosses into other areas of law. For straightforward applications, either works; compare experience with your visa type first.
How much do immigration lawyers charge in New Zealand?: There is no standard rate. Most firms quote a fixed fee for defined work or an hourly rate for open-ended matters, and Immigration New Zealand's government fees are always additional. Ask for a written engagement letter with the fee basis before any work starts.

How firms are verified and ordered: methodology. Prefer a licensed adviser? Browse every adviser on the register A to Z.