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.

Can an immigration lawyer in another city act for me?

Yes, and it is common. Immigration matters are filed and corresponded online, hearings at the Immigration and Protection Tribunal are usually on the papers, and most firms act nationally. Several cities have no immigration lawyer based there at all, so choose on experience with your type of matter first and location second.

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

77 New Zealand law firms practise immigration law, with 90 named immigration lawyers verified against the New Zealand Law Society register. Every lawyer carries a group badge and fact pills — published tribunal appeal record and practice breadth — so dedicated immigration specialists and multi-practice firms sit in one directory with the differences visible; how groups work. 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 1,690 licensed immigration advisers. Firms are ordered by verified immigration team size; inclusion and order cannot be bought.

This list is not exhaustive. Unlike the adviser directory, which covers everyone on the IAA register, there is no register of lawyers doing immigration work. This list is researched from public sources, so a lawyer may be missing simply because their immigration practice is not identifiable from those sources. Absence here says nothing about a lawyer. Know one who should be listed? Tell us.

Immigration lawyers by city

All verified immigration law firms

Law is practised through firms, so firms are ranked first — by verified immigration team size, then alphabetically. Every named lawyer is listed individually below.

Lane NeaveChristchurch · Auckland
9 immigration lawyers · see the Christchurch list
Pitt & Moore LawyersNelson
4 immigration lawyers · see the Nelson list
AW LawMulti-practice firmAuckland
3 immigration lawyers · see the Auckland list
D&S Law (Dalley Sundar)Auckland
3 immigration lawyers · see the Auckland list
Laurent Law Barristers & SolicitorsAuckland
3 immigration lawyers · see the Auckland list
ABMM Legal (Auld Brewer Mazengarb & McEwen)Multi-practice firmNew Plymouth
2 immigration lawyers · see the New Plymouth list
Duncan CotterillChristchurch
2 immigration lawyers · see the Christchurch list
Fisher Foley Barristers and SolicitorsAuckland
2 immigration lawyers · see the Auckland list
McSweeney Immigration LawAuckland
2 immigration lawyers · see the Auckland list
McVeagh FlemingAuckland
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
Amani LawAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Amelia Schaaf, BarristerMulti-practice firmAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Berman & BurtonMulti-practice firmAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Bridge LawMulti-practice firmHamilton
1 immigration lawyer · see the Hamilton list
Corcoran FrenchChristchurch
1 immigration lawyer · see the Christchurch list
D R Legal (Dilki Rajapakse)Auckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Edison Tam LawyersMulti-practice firmAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
FL LegalMulti-practice firmAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Goldman LegalMulti-practice firmQueenstown
1 immigration lawyer · see the Queenstown list
Henderson Reeves LawyersMulti-practice firmWhangarei · Auckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Whangarei list
Hennessy Immigration LawNelson
1 immigration lawyer · see the Nelson list
Hinerake Ratcliffe, BarristerAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Idesi LegalAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Immigration Solutions (Markham Lee)Christchurch
1 immigration lawyer · see the Christchurch list
Integritas Law FirmMulti-practice firmAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Ioana Uca, BarristerAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Jag Lal LawyersMulti-practice firmAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
James McLeodAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
JB Morrison LawyersMulti-practice firmWellington
1 immigration lawyer · see the Wellington list
Keil & AssociatesMulti-practice firmAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Kerry Gore, BarristerAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Landmark Chambers (Deborah Manning)Multi-practice firmAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Langley Twigg LawMulti-practice firmNapier-Hastings
1 immigration lawyer · see the Napier-Hastings list
Linwood LawChristchurch
1 immigration lawyer · see the Christchurch list
Luscombe LegalNapier-Hastings
1 immigration lawyer · see the Napier-Hastings list
Mansouri Law OfficeMulti-practice firmAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Marshall Bird & CurtisMulti-practice firmAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Matt Robson, BarristerAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
MC LegalChristchurch
1 immigration lawyer · see the Christchurch list
Nalesoni Tupou, BarristerMulti-practice firmAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
New Zealand Immigration LawAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Ormiston LegalMulti-practice firmAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Pacific LegalAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Pathvia Legal ServicesMulti-practice firmChristchurch
1 immigration lawyer · see the Christchurch list
Pawson LawMulti-practice firmTauranga
1 immigration lawyer · see the Tauranga list
Petris Law OfficeWellington
1 immigration lawyer · see the Wellington list
Preston Russell LawMulti-practice firmInvercargill
1 immigration lawyer · see the Invercargill list
Righteous LawAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Royds LegalMulti-practice firmNelson
1 immigration lawyer · see the Nelson list
Ryken and AssociatesAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Sapling LawyersHamilton
1 immigration lawyer · see the Hamilton list
Senthil & MukushaMulti-practice firmAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Shabani LawAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Sharma LawHamilton
1 immigration lawyer · see the Hamilton list
Shean Singh Barristers & SolicitorsMulti-practice firmAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Stay LegalTauranga
1 immigration lawyer · see the Tauranga list
The HylansMulti-practice firmAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
The MigrationistAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Timog LawAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
visalaw.nz (Somang You)Auckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Viveras LawMulti-practice firmAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Western LegalMulti-practice firmAuckland
1 immigration lawyer · see the Auckland list
Your Lawyer (Deep Gill)New Plymouth
1 immigration lawyer · see the New Plymouth list
AWS LegalMulti-practice firmInvercargill · Queenstown
Immigration law is an advertised practice area.
Brook LawMulti-practice firmHamilton
Immigration law is an advertised practice area.
Copeland AshcroftMulti-practice firmTauranga · Auckland · Christchurch · Napier-Hastings · Queenstown · Dunedin · Invercargill
Immigration law is an advertised practice area.
Dentons New ZealandMulti-practice firmAuckland · Wellington
Immigration law is an advertised practice area.
Govett QuilliamMulti-practice firmNew Plymouth
Immigration law is an advertised practice area.
Harris Tate LawyersMulti-practice firmTauranga
Immigration law is an advertised practice area.
McMillan&CoMulti-practice firmDunedin
Immigration law is an advertised practice area.
Queen City LawAuckland
Immigration law is an advertised practice area.
Tompkins WakeMulti-practice firmHamilton · Auckland · Tauranga
Immigration law is an advertised practice area.
Tuitala LawMulti-practice firmWellington · Hamilton
Immigration law is an advertised practice area.
Vallant Hooker & PartnersAuckland
Immigration law is an advertised practice area.

All verified immigration lawyers, A to Z

The same directory by person — every named lawyer verified on the NZ Law Society register, with their firm.

Aaron Martin New Zealand Immigration Law
Adele Mitchell Corcoran French
Alastair McClymont Righteous Law
Alexander Timog Timog Law
Aman Jaggi Sapling Lawyers
Amani Bashay Amani Law
Amelia Schaaf Amelia Schaaf, Barrister
Ana Martins Fisher Foley Barristers and Solicitors
Anet Tarabova Henderson Reeves Lawyers
Angela MacKenzie Preston Russell Law
Angelita Tapayan AW Law
Arran Hunt Lane Neave
Brett Conn Langley Twigg Law
Cam Derby Saunders & Co
Carole Curtis Marshall Bird & Curtis
Chris Royds Royds Legal
Christina Keil Keil & Associates
Darsan Singh Shean Singh Barristers & Solicitors
David Fisher Fisher Foley Barristers and Solicitors
David Ryken Ryken and Associates
Davoud Mansouri-Rad Mansouri Law Office
Deborah Manning Landmark Chambers (Deborah Manning)
Deep Gill Your Lawyer (Deep Gill)
Dilki Rajapakse D R Legal (Dilki Rajapakse)
Eleanor Dyche Pawson Law
Elliot Goldman Goldman Legal
Elly Fleming Pitt & Moore Lawyers
Fershen Llanes FL Legal
Hannah-Jean McCarthy Pitt & Moore Lawyers
Heather Collins Pitt & Moore Lawyers
Heval Hylan The Hylans
Hinerake Ratcliffe Hinerake Ratcliffe, Barrister
Inderjeet Anand Western Legal
Ioana Uca Ioana Uca, Barrister
Jack Tam Edison Tam Lawyers
Jag Lal Jag Lal Lawyers
James McLeod James McLeod
James Turner Laurent Law Barristers & Solicitors
Jen Bensley Saunders & Co
Jerome Williamson Linwood Law
John Steven Petris Petris Law Office
Josh Templeton Lane Neave
Kamil Lakshman Idesi Legal
Kayleigh Duncan ABMM Legal (Auld Brewer Mazengarb & McEwen)
Ken Huang Lane Neave
Kera Wang McSweeney Immigration Law
Kerry Gore Kerry Gore, Barrister
Lauren Qiu Stay Legal
Lavinia Askin Pitt & Moore Lawyers
Lethan Heugh Pier Law
Lloyd Vivera Viveras Law
Mahafrin Variava McVeagh Fleming
Mark Luscombe Luscombe Legal
Mark Williams Lane Neave
Markham George Lee Immigration Solutions (Markham Lee)
Matt Robson Matt Robson, Barrister
Meena Datt Berman & Burton
Merlaina Donald JB Morrison Lawyers
Michael Witt McVeagh Fleming
Michelle Chen MC Legal
Mohammad Shabani Shabani Law
Nalesoni Tupou Nalesoni Tupou, Barrister
Ned Burke Access NZ Immigration Law
Nicky Robertson Duncan Cotterill
Nicola Tiffen Duncan Cotterill
Nicole Mitchell Lane Neave
Philip McCarthy ABMM Legal (Auld Brewer Mazengarb & McEwen)
Pooja Sundar D&S Law (Dalley Sundar)
Pratibha Raj Ormiston Legal
Rachael Mason Lane Neave
Rahul Sharma Sharma Law
Ramya Sathiyanathan The Migrationist
Reuben Bull D&S Law (Dalley Sundar)
Richard Pidgeon Integritas Law Firm
Richard Small Pacific Legal
Rory Hennessy Hennessy Immigration Law
Saghher Bataa AW Law
Sahar Shamia Laurent Law Barristers & Solicitors
Sarah Caulton Lane Neave
Sarah Kirkwood Lane Neave
Shaam Bhardwaj Bridge Law
Simon Laurent Laurent Law Barristers & Solicitors
Somang You visalaw.nz (Somang You)
Stewart Dalley D&S Law (Dalley Sundar)
Tim McSweeney McSweeney Immigration Law
Tonderai Mukusha Senthil & Mukusha
Vanessa Cha Pier Law
Varsha Ravi AW Law
Vienna Tse Pathvia Legal Services
Winnie Chen Lane Neave

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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.
Can an immigration lawyer in another city act for me?: Yes, and it is common. Immigration matters are filed and corresponded online, hearings at the Immigration and Protection Tribunal are usually on the papers, and most firms act nationally. Several cities have no immigration lawyer based there at all, so choose on experience with your type of matter first and location second.
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.