In plain English
Families paid for study and immigration packages and arrived to find their visa applications had never been lodged. The adviser was found guilty on 11 charges under the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act.
Key points
- Anyone giving New Zealand immigration advice must be licensed or exempt.
- You can check an adviser on the Immigration Advisers Authority register.
- Penalties reach 7 years’ imprisonment and NZD $100,000 fines.
Who’s affected
Anyone paying for immigration advice.
What you should do
Ask to see your adviser’s licence and check the public register.
Official source
Immigration New Zealand, “Why licensed advice matters: unlicensed adviser found guilty”, published 25 September 2026. Read the full announcement. Summary by Destination NZI; INZ content © Crown, licensed under CC BY 3.0 NZ.
