Reapply for a licence

Refresher training

Held a licence within the last 12 months?

If the applicant has held a licence within the 12 months before the date they lodge their licence application they will be able to reapply for a licence without completing refresher training.

Held a licence more than 12 months ago?

If the applicant has held a licence more than 12 months before the date they lodge their licence application, they must have completed an approved refresher course within the 12 months before the date they lodge their licence application.

Approved refresher courses are:

• Te Pūkenga | Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology’s Refresher Course for New Zealand Immigration Advice (Level 7)
• Te Pūkenga | Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology’s Graduate Diploma in New Zealand Immigration Advice
• Courses 1 – 4 of Te Pūkenga | Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology’s Graduate Diploma in New Zealand Immigration Advice

Please note that if you were previously licensed through the TTMRA and it is more than 12 months since you held a licence, you are not required to complete refresher training. You will need to complete a paper initial TTMRA application form. Please contact the Authority to request this.

Reapply for a licence(external link)

Reapply application

If you were eligible for a fast-track renewal application and you let your licence expire rather than renewing it, your reapply application will be similar to a fast-track renewal application.

To complete this online application form you will need to provide:

• refresher course completed (only if more than 12 months since last licensed)
• personal and contact details
• a copy of your signed supervision agreement and completed Form 101A: Supervision Arrangement Application below for upload (provisional licence applicants with a new supervisor only)
• response to a fitness for licensing questionnaire
• passport quality photograph for upload
• certified copy of personal identification for upload
• a declaration
• Visa or Mastercard for payment of application fee NZ$909.78 (ordinarily resident in NZ) or NZ$791.11 (not ordinarily resident in NZ).

If you were required to be inspected and you let your licence expire rather than renewing it, your reapply application will be similar to an inspection renewal application.

To complete this online application form you will need to provide:

• refresher course completed (only if more than 12 months since last licensed)
• personal and contact details
• a copy of your signed supervision agreement for upload (provisional licence applicants only)
• completed Form 301A: Supervision Arrangement Application – Renewal below (provisional licence applicants only)
• response to a fitness for licensing questionnaire
• a response to other matters relating to competency if applicable  
• bank statements for your client account for the last three months and the related client account ledger for upload, if you previously took money in advance
• the client file as requested by the Authority for upload
• certified copy of personal identification for upload
• passport quality photograph for upload
• a declaration
• Visa or Mastercard for payment of application fee NZ$909.78 (ordinarily resident in NZ) or NZ$791.11 (not ordinarily resident in NZ).

Qualification details

Applicants must have completed an approved refresher course if they are reapplying for a provisional, limited or full licence and it is more than 12 months since they previously held that licence.

Applicants will be required to indicate:

• if they have completed an approved refresher course and the courses completed
• the date they completed an approved refresher course.

Licence details

Applicants will be required to indicate whether they are reapplying for a provisional, limited or full licence.

Licence limits

Applicants reapplying for a limited licence are shown the immigration matters or areas they were previously providing advice on before their limited licence expired or was surrendered. 

Supervisor details

Applicants reapplying for a provisional licence are required to provide details about their proposed supervisor.  

See the Supervision Toolkit for more information.

Supervision agreement

Applicants reapplying for a provisional licence are required to provide a signed supervision agreement to the Authority.

See the Supervision Toolkit for more information.

Supervision arrangement application

Applicants reapplying for a provisional licence must complete Form 101A: Supervision Arrangement Application form to have their proposed supervisor and supervision arrangements approved by the Registrar.

See Licensing Toolkit – Initial licence application process for more information.

Applicants may also be asked for their past supervision records for inspection and to complete Form 301A: Supervision Arrangement Application (renewal).

See Licensing Toolkit – Inspections renewal process for more information.

Other matters relating to competency

Advisers reapplying for a provisional, limited or full licence who were requested to provide evidence of a change in business practice at their last renewal will be required to: 

• explain how they have changed their business practice
• provide evidence that shows how these changes have been implemented.

Fitness for licensing questionnaire

See Licensing Toolkit – Fitness for licensing for more information.

Identification

The passport quality photograph must meet the following criteria:

• Be taken within the last 6 months
• A face, head and shoulders shot
• Looking directly at the camera
• Not wearing a hat, sunglasses or any other accessories that obscures the face
• Passport-sized 3:4 – width to height ratio
• In full colour, on a plain light background

This photograph will appear on the adviser’s wallet card and on the register of Licensed Immigration Advisers. We may refuse photographs which are not of adequate quality or are not composed in a way that is suitable for that purpose.

For paper-based application: the photograph must be verified as a true likeness of you by a person who has known you for at least 12 months and is not related to you, or part of your family group, or living at the same address as you.

Client funds

Applicants who previously took money in advance may be asked to provide bank statements for their client for the last three months and the related client account ledger.

Bank statements and the client account ledger must be in consecutive date order with no gaps for the three month period covered

The client account ledger may take the form of an accounting system, an electronic ledger or a hard copy ledger.

It is helpful for a client account ledger to include:

• the date of the transaction
• the type of the transaction
• the amount of the transaction
• the client name
• the purpose of the transaction
• the related invoice number. 

Client file

Applicants may be required to upload a client file requested by the Authority.

A client file is a file that records the adviser’s work on behalf of a client in relation to a particular immigration matter. It should trace the adviser’s work on the client’s behalf, from the first contact with the client through to the resolution of the immigration matter. It should reflect an end-to-end process. The client file should be a copy of the information and documentation the adviser has kept.

The Registrar would expect to see the following on a complete client file:

• Documented evidence of assessment of the client’s immigration eligibility.
• The written agreement entered into with the client and any supporting information.
• A copy of the internal complaints procedure provided to the client.
• Invoices for services.
• All correspondence with the client, INZ and/or third parties. This includes all emails, letters and file notes of verbal communication.
• The signed application form tendered to INZ and cover letter that accompanied the application

OR

if the client file relates to a request for special directions, a refugee/protection claim or an appeal, a complete copy of the request lodged or claim or appeal filed.

• Exact copies of all supporting documentation provided in support of the immigration matter.
• Evidence of the decision (e.g. letter, visa label).

The file should be in English. If there is any documentation or correspondence in another language, the adviser must provide translated copies. 

Declaration and payment

By ticking the declaration checkboxes, the applicant is declaring that:

• they meet the standards set out in the Immigration Advisers Competency Standards; and
• the information they have provided in the application form, its attachments and accompanying supporting documents is complete, correct and up to date in every detail to the best  of their knowledge; and
• any representations they have made in the application form, its attachments and accompanying supporting documents are true and correct to the best  of their knowledge; and
• they are not aware of any other matter relevant to the assessment of their competency that they should bring to the attention of the Registrar of Immigration Advisers; and
• they understand that, unless they are licensed or exempt, they may not provide New Zealand Immigration advice; and
• they understand that if the Registrar of Immigration Advisers determines that they are eligible for a licence, they will not be granted a licence until they have paid the prescribed amount of immigration adviser’s levy (if any) and met any other applicable conditions; and
• they understand that they must give written notice to the Registrar of Immigration Advisers of any relevant change  to the information provided with their application for a licence, or that results in them becoming prohibited from licensing under section 15 of the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007, or has any effect on the matters specified in sections 16 and 17 of the Act relating to their fitness for licensing, and that notice of any change of circumstances must be provided to the Registrar within 10 working days after the change; and
• they understand that it is an offence under the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007 to supply false or misleading information with the application, and they believe the statements in the declaration are true in every particular; and
• they have read and understand their obligations under the Licensed Immigration Advisers Code of Conduct.

Fee and levy

The applicant must pay the licence application fee when reapplying for a licence.  The immigration adviser’s levy is payable only if the application is successful.  

The Authority only accepts payments in New Zealand dollars. An Adviser can pay their fee online by Visa or Mastercard.                                                                                                                               

For advisers who are ordinarily resident in New Zealand the licence application fee is NZ$909.78 and the immigration adviser’s levy is NZ$1129.55.

A person is ordinarily resident in New Zealand if they have spent more than 183 days in New Zealand in the immediately preceding 12 months and is not unlawfully in New Zealand.

For advisers who are not ordinarily resident in New Zealand the licence renewal fee is NZ$791.11 and the immigration adviser’s levy is NZ$982.22.

Applicants completing an online application will immediately be able to download an invoice and receipt.

Assessment of licence applications

Applications submitted online are then allocated to a Technical Advisor.

If required the Technical Advisor undertakes a fitness assessment (see Licensing Toolkit – Fitness for licensing for more information). The Technical Advisor makes a recommendation to the Registrar who will decide if an applicant is fit to hold a licence.

Once an applicant has been declared fit to hold a licence, the Technical Advisor will assess each application against the Immigration Advisers Competency Standards.

Read the competency standards in full.

The Technical Advisor will contact the applicant if they require further information. They may also interview an applicant to obtain further information or clarification during the assessment process.

Once the Technical Advisor has finished assessing the application, they will make a recommendation to the Registrar. The Registrar will decide whether the application meets licensing requirements and if the applicant should be granted or refused a licence.

Grant of licence

The Registrar will approve an application if they are satisfied that the applicant:

• is not prohibited from licensing
• is fit to be licensed as an immigration adviser
• meets the minimum standards of competence
• has properly completed an application in accordance with the Act.

If the application is approved, the Authority will inform the applicant and will request the immigration adviser’s levy from the applicant.

The levy may be paid online by logging in, and must be paid within 20 working days. Applicants will immediately be able to download an invoice and receipt.

Pay levy(external link)

Once the levy has been paid a licence will be granted and the register will be updated with the applicant’s details. A licence pack containing a wallet card and licence certificate will be sent to the applicant once a licence is granted.

All licences are valid for 12 months from the date the Registrar grants it.

If a licence application is refused, the applicant will be informed by letter. The applicant has a right to appeal the refusal of a licence to the New Zealand District Court.