 In Australia, anyone who gives migration advice must be registered with the Office of the Migration Agents, Registration Authority or the Office of the MARA. It's against the law for anyone who is not registered to give immigration advice or provide assistance in submitting a visa application. There are more than 5,000 registered migration agents to choose from. You can find one on the Office of the MARA's website www.mara.gov.au By law, a registered agent must adhere to the standards in the Migration Agent's Code of Conduct. They must be realistic with you about your chances of getting a visa and they must provide you with an agreement of services and fees before they start work or take money from you. This agreement should give you a breakdown of the costs involved plus the agent's professional fees. You can see the average range of fees on the Office of the MARA's website. Your registered migration agent should keep you informed about the progress of your visa application and must let you know in writing about the outcome as soon as possible. They must also provide you with an invoice for the work they have done. Remember, if you get migration advice from someone who is not a registered migration agent, the Office of the MARA cannot assist you if there's a problem. If issues do arise between you and your registered migration agent, try to resolve them yourself first. If this doesn't work, you can make a complaint through our website at www.mara.gov.au or by calling us on 1300 226 272.