Australia bans Indian migration agent for visa fraud, misleading claims

Australia cancels registration after probe finds misleading applications and breaches; experts say applicants must verify agents before filing visas

An Indian migration agent in Australia has been banned for five years after authorities found she submitted false information in visa applications and breached multiple professional rules, the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) said in an official notice on March 25, 2026.

 

Vaneet Kaur Chadha worked with Sydney-based Royal Migration & Education Consultants and had her registration cancelled last month following an investigation by the OMARA.

 

The regulator said it launched a probe after reviewing visa applications Chadha had submitted to the Department of Home Affairs, where officials identified a number of concerns.

 

What the regulator found

   

In its findings, OMARA said Chadha had “failed to act in accordance with the law” by not declaring the immigration assistance she provided to clients. It also found she gave false and misleading information and made statements in visa applications that she knew were inaccurate.

 

The authority further concluded that she engaged in misleading online advertising, suggested she had a relationship with the Department of Home Affairs when she did not, and failed to properly supervise staff. It also found she allowed someone within her business to provide immigration assistance unlawfully.

 

Investigators said Chadha did not meet professional standards, including failing to “take all reasonable steps to maintain the reputation and integrity of the migration advice profession”. The ruling added that she acted “in a way that was intended to defeat the purpose of migration law and acted in a way that was intended to evade a requirement of migration law”.

 

OMARA ultimately ruled that Chadha was “not a person of integrity or is otherwise not a fit and proper person to give immigration assistance”.

 

Key breaches listed by OMARA

 

The authority found that the agent:

 

• Failed to act in accordance with the law, specifically section 312A of the Act, by failing to declare to the Department the immigration assistance she provided to clients

• Made false and misleading statements in support of applications and to the Department, which she knew to be false or misleading

• Engaged in false or misleading advertising when promoting services online

• Implied the existence of a relationship with the Department

• Failed to provide proper supervision of her staff and facilitated unlawful immigration assistance within her business

• Failed in her duties in relation to work or services performed by persons other than registered migration agents

• Failed to take reasonable steps to maintain the integrity of the migration assistance industry

 

Chadha was first registered as a migration agent in 2016. Videos still available on her former employer’s social media accounts show her promoting migration services in English.

 

In one clip, she said, “With years of legal experience in migration matters, and being a migrant myself, I understand how overwhelming the migration journey could be.”

 

In another, she cautioned applicants against submitting fake documents, saying, “Stay truthful and avoid future complications. Your integrity matters.”

 

The consultancy, also known as Royal International Migration Consultants, states on its website that it has operated since 2007 and assists thousands of people each year with student and other visa applications. The firm itself has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

 

What visa applicants must keep in mind

 

Visa applicants engaging migration agents in Australia must exercise due diligence to protect their applications from practitioners who may submit false information or breach professional rules under the Migration Act 1958 (Cth), Sharanya Tripathi, Advocate, Jotwani Associates told Business Standard.

 

“Legally, applicants bear primary responsibility for the accuracy and truthfulness of all information furnished to the Department of Home Affairs,” said Tripathi.

 

“To mitigate risks, applicants should mandatorily verify an agent's registration status through the OMARA public register using the agent's Migration Agent Registration Number (MARN), confirming active status, disciplinary history, and compliance with mandatory continuing professional development (CPD) and professional indemnity insurance requirements.”

 

She added that applicants should insist on a written client services agreement. “Insisting on a detailed written client services agreement, outlining scope of services, fees, timelines, and disclaimers against success guarantees, which are expressly prohibited under the OMARA Code of Conduct, further ensures transparency and accountability,” said Tripathi.

 

Applicants should also keep track of documents submitted on their behalf. “Additionally, applicants ought to demand full visibility into all documents submitted on their behalf via the ImmiAccount portal, scrutinising for any alterations or unsubstantiated claims that could trigger investigations for misrepresentation,” she said.

 

“Shun agents promising expedited outcomes or employing ‘templates’ for fabricated evidence, as such conduct not only invites civil penalties but also jeopardises the applicant's future visa eligibility under character grounds,” said Tripathi.

 

“In case of red flags, lodge complaints directly with OMARA or the Australian Border Force, enabling regulatory action while preserving one's record. Self-lodgement or engagement solely of OMARA-registered agents, coupled with independent legal advice where feasible, remains the gold standard for compliance with Australia's visa integrity framework as of April 2026,” she added.