How to Verify a Visa Agent Before You Pay (2026)

The One-Sentence Rule

If someone charges money for immigration advice for Canada, the UK, or Australia, they must appear on an official public register — and you can check it for free in five minutes.

No payment should ever happen before that check. Here's exactly how to do it, country by country.

Canada: The CICC Public Register

Anyone paid to advise on Canadian immigration must be licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC).

1. Ask for their full name and licence number (a genuine consultant gives both without hesitation)
2. Search the public register: college-ic.ca → "Find a Consultant"
3. Confirm the status shows "Active" — not suspended, not revoked

If the search returns nothing, or the status is anything other than active: do not pay. There is no grey area. Canadian lawyers who are members of a provincial law society are also authorised.

United Kingdom: The IAA (Formerly OISC)

The UK regulator changed its name in January 2025: the OISC became the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA). If an "agent" still talks only about OISC registration and has never heard of the IAA, that itself is a signal.

1. Ask for the registered organisation's name
2. Check it at gov.uk/iaa using the "Adviser Finder" tool
3. Solicitors regulated by the SRA are also authorised to give immigration advice

Australia: The OMARA Register

Australian migration agents must be registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) and hold a MARN (Migration Agent Registration Number).

1. Ask for the MARN
2. Check it on the register: mara.gov.au
3. Confirm the registration is current — not suspended or cancelled

What About Every Other Country?

France, Germany, Ireland, Portugal and most other destinations have no licensing regime for "consultants" at all. What that means in practice:

• Applications go directly through official portals (France-Visas, Make it in Germany, Irish Immigration Service…)
• For legal advice, use a bar-registered lawyer in that country
• Anyone claiming a "special accreditation" for these countries is citing a credential that does not exist

The Universal Red Flags

• "Guaranteed visa" or "100% success rate" — nobody can guarantee a government decision
• "Special connections" at the embassy
• Full payment demanded upfront, in cash or by untraceable transfer
• Pressure to decide immediately ("this slot expires tonight")
• No verifiable physical address, no registration number
• Communication only via WhatsApp or social media accounts

Real Agent vs. Fake Agent: Quick Comparison

Sign	Legitimate Agent	Fake Agent
Registration number	Gives it immediately, verifiable online	Hesitates, invents one, or refuses
Contract	Detailed written document in your name	Verbal only, or an informal WhatsApp agreement
Payment	In instalments, tied to specific milestones	Full payment demanded upfront
Official forms	You fill in and sign them yourself	They fill in and sign "on your behalf"
If refused	Explains available appeal routes	Disappears or blames the government
Online presence	Website, physical address, verifiable reviews	Recent Facebook/Instagram page only

The Special Case of WhatsApp and Social Media "Agents"

Most migration scams reported by our community start the same way: an unsolicited WhatsApp message, or a Facebook/Instagram ad promising a "fast, guaranteed visa." A few extra markers:

• A legitimate agent never cold-messages you unsolicited. Real consultants wait for you to reach out, usually after a referral or a search of the official register.
• Be wary of WhatsApp "success story" groups showing screenshots of approved visas — these images are easy to fabricate or lift from someone else entirely.
• A professional-looking logo proves nothing. Anyone can build a logo and a Facebook page in an hour; only the official registration number matters.
• If the page is less than 6 months old or has no verifiable reviews, treat that as a red flag on its own.

Four Questions to Ask Before Any Payment

1. "What is your registration number, and on which register can I verify it?"
2. "Can I have a written contract stating the services, fees, and refund terms?"
3. "Who fills in and signs the application forms — you or me?" (official forms legally bind you)
4. "What happens if the application is refused?"

A legitimate professional answers all four in writing, without taking offence.

If You've Already Been Scammed

• Gather every piece of evidence: receipts, screenshots, chat history
• Report to local authorities (in Nigeria: the EFCC; elsewhere: police and consumer protection agencies)
• Report the account to the platforms used
• If a bank payment is recent, contact your bank immediately about recall options

Check Any Message in 30 Seconds

Received a job offer, visa proposal, or agent message that feels too good to be true? Paste it into our free scam checker — an instant AI analysis against known scam patterns, no account required.

And before paying anyone for a "plan", know where you actually stand first: run the free readiness check →