I completed my Bachelor of Laws from Auckland University of Technology (AUT), and Professionals from the Institute of Professional Legal Studies (IPLS). I also hold a Masters from The University of Auckland Law Faculty, a Graduate Diploma in Business from AUT, and a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology.

I have worked as an Immigration Officer with Immigration New Zealand (INZ) for 4 years from April 2011 to March 2015. Thereafter, since March 2015, I have worked as a New Zealand immigration expert for 2 Auckland law firms. My work has included assisting clients on a full range of immigration services, and holding weekly immigration clinics. I continue to work as a Consultant Lawyer for Law.NZ Lawyers / Convey Law where you can read some of my clients' reviews (https://g.page/r/Cbpx8T1fs_fdEB0/review). I am also a skilled migrant and a former international student myself.

Furthermore, my legal experience includes successful applications up to the High Court level; as well as successful applications with other tribunals and courts (including complaints to the Office of the Ombudsman and the Human Rights Commission).

Whether it is:

• investment and/or entrepreneur visa applications;
• skilled migrant category, or family category visa applications;
  
• residence from work, or refugee and protection category visa applications;
  
• an exception to the immigration instructions;
  
• special direction from immigration minister, or appeal with Immigration & Protection Tribunal;
  
• work visa, visitor visa, working holiday visa, student visa or limited visa;
  

I have done it all, for over a decade now, and done it well.

The clients I have helped over the years include those who, after being inadequately or incompetently represented by Licensed Immigration Advisers, had either received a Potentially Prejudicial Information Letter (PPI Letter) or been declined. In those situations, I have helped clients obtain visas in the following categories:

• Investor Category Residence Visa  (now Active Investor Plus Visa Category)
• Entrepreneur Residence Category
  
• Skilled Migrant Category Residence Visa (SMC Visa)
  
• Religious Worker Work Visa and Religious Worker Residence Visa
  
• Section 61 requests for clients unlawful in New Zealand
  

We will not make a self-entitled claim to be the best immigration lawyer, because we cannot stop the continuous improvement that is required to provide our clients with the best quality service that they deserve. We strive to provide the best service; on an ongoing basis and in perpetuity. We provide you with an excellent service, and the best possible results, so that you may consider our services to be amongst the best.

Furthermore, the best immigration lawyer, or the best immigration adviser, based on what metrics? Who came up with such metrics, and who (if anyone) monitors these and reaches the conclusion? You should be thinking, if not asking, these questions.

We know that there are a lot of very talented lawyers out there; including immigration lawyers. We can recommend Alastair McClymont (https://www.amlaw.co.nz) for example.

I stumbled upon it and found out that I enjoyed it and was really good at it.

It was also frustrating to see, whilst working at Immigration New Zealand (INZ), how on a daily basis:

• a lot of Licensed Immigration Advisers lacked the very basic knowledge in regards to immigration matters. For example, what form to fill, how much fee to pay or the filing requirements for any particular visa category (information that one is either ought to know or be able to find out, before they start representing a client - information which is readily available and some clients can find out themself);
  
• the Immigration Contact Centre (ICC) priority queue was used by Licensed Immigration Advisers to bypass the wait time, ahead of the clients, and get all the necessary information (and then charge clients for a mere form filling exercise); 
• a lot of the information to the Licensed Immigration Advisers was provided by INZ (and if INZ cannot be wrong in providing such information, then what is the role of an immigration adviser anyway);
  
• clients for a lot of Licensed Immigration Advisers are often under the false impression that they are being represented by a lawyer. The false impression that the clients have, that a Licensed Immigration Adviser is an Immigration Lawyer, is not surprising since some of them are bold enough to mention it on their website or refer to themselves as legal practitioners or practitioners of law in their marketing articles (although it is not only misleading but also unlawful);
  
• essentially, I learned within first few weeks of working at INZ, how insufficient a 6 month certificate through a Polytechnic (now a 12 month course through a Polytechnic), which is the required qualification to become a Licensed Immigration Adviser, is; and
  
• I continued to notice the stark contrast between the services provided by competent lawyers, and numerous Licensed Immigration Advisors (not only while at INZ, but also ever since I have started working at the law firms; coming across cases which have been compromised by the LIAs).
  

I went to law school, instead of taking a short-cut course to become a Licensed Immigration Adviser, specifically to learn the skill-set and knowledge and provide the quality of service that the clients deserve when they are paying for representation.

Yes, there are many differences between a Licensed Immigration Advisers and a New Zealand qualified lawyer.

No, a Licensed Immigration Adviser is not an Immigration Lawyer, a Legal Practitioner or a Practitioner of Law (it is misleading and unlawful for a Licensed Immigration Adviser to pass themselves off as a lawyer). The Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006 (LCA) defines a lawyer as someone who holds a current practising certificate as a barrister or as a barrister and solicitor.

Offences under the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act:

• "[t]he LCA contains a number of offences aimed at ensuring that members of the public are not misled about who is and is not a practising lawyer ... offences in ss 22 and 23 make it an offence for a person to hold themselves out as a lawyer (or law practitioner, legal practitioner, barrister, solicitor, barrister and solicitor, attorney-at-law, or counsel) if it would be an offence for a person to provide legal services under that descriptor, or to use or allow to be used words, letters, or symbols that are intended or likely to cause a person to wrongly think that they are a lawyer, or hold any relevant admission, enrolment, or practising certificate" (https://www.lawsociety.org.nz/for-the-public/misleading-descriptions-by-advocates-and-non-lawyers/).

1. Until 2016 Licensed Immigration Advisers only had to complete a 6 month distance education certificate course through a polytechnic. Licensed Immigration Advisers now complete a 12 month distance education diploma course through a polytechnic but they can start engaging clients half way through this diploma (https://www.iaa.govt.nz/become-a-licensed-adviser/qualify/ - https://www.toiohomai.ac.nz/study/course/graduate-diploma-new-zealand-immigration-advice). By contrast, one needs to complete a 4 year law degree (which covers a wide range of laws and skill sets; many of which become relevant and need to be brought together to make clear, concise and compelling arguments in favour of a client). Following a law degree one needs to complete a semester long professionals course, and have at least 3 years of supervised legal experience as an employed lawyer before they can make an application to practice as a lawyer on their own.
2.  The instructors of the distance education course, that the Licensed Immigration Advisers complete, are not required to be legally qualified themselves (it can be another licensed immigration adviser who completed a 6 month certificate course themselves). By contrast, lecturers and professors at the law schools are senior lawyers and leading authorities in the papers that they teach (they hold their students and the qualification to a high standard).
3. Even the simple immigration matters can involve employment law, family law or other areas of law (such as taxation or property). A Licensed Immigration Adviser will likely not have any knowledge or skill-set in these matters. For example, most work visa applications and all skilled migrant residence or work to residence applications involve a job offer or employment agreement (one needs to be more qualified than Immigration Officers, and not less, to be able to deal with any potential employment law concerns). Similarly one may need to refer to employment law if an employer is not fully supportive of a visa application and simultaneously negotiate with the employer (I have dealt with such matters and delivered results in helping clients not only get their visa but also keep their employment). Investment and business category applications may involve employment as well as taxation and property law concerns. Principles of natural justice and criminal law may come into play in matters involving a medical waiver or a character waiver. Family category applications may involve family law concerns. The differences between a licensed immigration adviser and a lawyer further exacerbate when it comes to special direction requests with the minister of immigration, or appeals with the Immigration and Protection Tribunal which may involve more than one area of law, other than immigration law, including human rights laws and public law.
   
4. Lawyers are required to maintain their knowledge and skill-set, and keep it up to date, through mandatory continuing professional development courses.
   
5. Hence, the qualifications, experience and the respective standards make a Licensed Immigration Adviser and a Lawyer incomparable. That is why you will not find a lawyer trying to pass themselves off as a Licensed Immigration Adviser where the opposite is often the case despite it being illegal.
   

Yes, you can absolutely make a visa application yourself. You may want to get your completed application and documentation checked by an immigration lawyer before submitting it. You should definitely get your application checked by an immigration lawyer where continuity of employment and/or ability to remain lawfully in the country may be at stake; or the application fee may be high enough for you not wanting to pay it twice, or the processing time may be too long for you to not want to wait a second time around especially where it may put a job at risk.

Making a visa application yourself is not necessarily complex but it can be (it depends on a lot of factors).

However, we will not trust an immigration adviser who for example makes a blanket statement that:

• immigration matters are complex;
  
• a high proportion of visa applications are declined; or
  
• their success rate is 3 different high percentages (within 4 short sentences)

because clearly they are either incompetent (to find one of the most straight forward areas of law "complex"); or they are being untruthful and misleading clients (with such broad statements, scare mongering techniques and baseless claims - without providing any reference point as to INZ declining a high proportion of visa applications or even for their own success rate).

Not necessarily.

• However, it is usually best to put the best case forward at first instance (that is where knowledge, experience and skill set matters - as well as the ability to remain objective which can be difficult in a personal matter with emotions being triggered).
• Your time may be too precious to spend it learning immigration instructions (and legal research, reasoning and writing skills where necessary). Or, the risk or stress may be too great to try and do it by yourself (losing application fee and time; by having to resubmit an application).
• You may simply not be comfortable doing it yourself, but do not doubt yourself just because someone has scare mongered you.
• Unfortunately, profiling, unconscious bias and arbitrariness takes place at INZ, like anywhere else, and not everyone gets the same results representing themselves.
  

If you decide to pay to be represented we recommend and hope that you choose a lawyer with relevant experience.

We will:

• not scare monger you into hiring us;
• not give you false hope or set false expectations out of self-interest;
  
• either give you confidence in making an application - or save you time, money, wasted effort and emotional and mental stress - where you are willing to spend time and effort yourself we can review your application or your situation on a time spent basis;
  
• tell you that no one can guarantee you the outcome of a difficult application if they are being honest;
  
• if there is a low chance, but the matter ought to be tested nonetheless, we may be able to offer you services on a no win no fee basis;
• we will leave the job of selling New Zealand to the New Zealand government (we only promise you to provide excellent legal services for New Zealand immigration matters, you need to be convinced that New Zealand is the right choice for you - if you seek our opinion then we will give it to you based on your circumstances and not our self-interest), and
  
• at any rate our services will be much better and a safer bet than a licensed immigration adviser.
  

We know you have options we hope you choose us as your Immigration Lawyer. We will not take your trust in us for granted.

We are working on an automated quotation system; that the clients can self-register on, and obtain a free no obligation quote themselves for all immigration matters.

In the meantime, fees below are indicative (for matters which do not include medical waiver, character waiver, exception to immigration instructions, or a similar issue which will additional attendances). No Win No Fee matters are charged at twice the usual fee mentioned below.

• Free Initial Meeting or Phone Call (to get the necessary information, no advice is given).
• Review of application, or immigration clinic, $250 per hour (plus GST). We will provide you with the information you need and not waste time selling our services. If you choose to engage us, we may take this amount out of the set fee (fixed fee).
  
• Immigration and Protection Tribunal Appeals - IPT Appeals (from $6,000 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Special Direction Requests with the Minister of Immigration (from $4,000 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Section 61 requests (s 61 requests) for overstayers (from $2,500 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Reconsideration Requests (from $2,500 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Medical Waiver Requests (additional $1500 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Character Waiver Requests (additional $1500 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Potentially Prejudicial Information Letter Responses - PPI Responses (from $2000 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Skilled Migrant  Residence Visa (from $6000 plus GST and disbursements - plus from $1000 for a partner and from $500 per child - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Residence from work (from $4000 plus GST and disbursements - plus from $1000 for a partner and from $500 per child - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Accredited Employer - Employer Accreditation (from $500 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Accredited Employer Job Check Application (from $1500 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Accredited Employer Work Visa (from $1500 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Employer Accreditation + Job Check Application + Work Visa (from $3000 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Job Check Application + Work Visa (from $2500 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Work Visa (from $2000 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Partnership based residence visa (from $4000 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Dependent Child Residence Visa (from $2500 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Parent Retirement Category (from $4000 plus GST and disbursements - plus from $1000 for a partner - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Student Visa (from $1500 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Working Holiday Visa (from $1000 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Visitor Visa - single applicant (from $1000 plus GST and disbursements - from $500 for each co-applicant - or on an hourly basis).
  
• Variation of Conditions (from $1000 plus GST and disbursements - or on an hourly basis).
  

We provide a full range of immigration services, including but not limited to:

• Appeals to the High Court or Immigration and Protection Tribunal (IPT)
• Legal opinions covering immigration concerns for sentencing matters at the District Court or High Court
  
• Special direction requests with the Associate Minister of Immigration / Minister of Immigration
  
• Medical Waiver
  
• Character Waiver
  
• Section 61 (s 61) requests for clients unlawful in New Zealand (overstayers)
  
• Responding to potentially prejudicial information letter (PPI letter)
  
• Assessment of your eligibility for any New Zealand visa
  
• Active Investor Plus Category (AIPC)
  
• Entrepreneur Work Visa Category (EWVC)
  
• Employees of Relocating Businesses Category (ERBC)
  
• Global Impact Visa Categories (GIVC)
  
• Entrepreneur Residence Visa Category (ERVC)
  
• Partnership Category
  
• Parent Retirement Category
  
• Dependent Child Category
  
• Skilled Migrant Category (SMC)
  
• Residence from Work Category (RWC)
  
• Refugee and Protection Category (RPC)
  
• Applications for visas for diplomatic, consular, and official staff, and their dependants
  
• Accredited Employer (Employer Accreditation)
  
• Accredited Employer (Job Search Application)
  
• Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)
  
• Student and Trainee Work Visa
  
• Work visa for partners of New Zealand citizens or residence class visa holders
  
• Work visa for partners of work visa holders
  
• Work visas for partners of holders of student visas
  
• Foreign crew of fishing vessels work visas
  
• Religious Worker work visas
  
• Work to Residence work visas (including religious worker residence visa)
  
• Specific Purpose or Event work visas
  
• Migrant Exploitation Protection work visa (MEPV)
  
• Republic of Korea Special Work Visas
  
• Primary Sector Trainees Work Visas
  
• Indonesia Special Work Visas
  
• Vietnam Special Work Visas
  
• Philippines Special Work Visas
  
• China Skilled Workers Visas
  
• China Special Work Visas
  
• Thai chefs
  
• Interpreters from Japan Work Visas
  
• Special work visas for refugee or protection status claimants
  
• Domestic staff of seconded senior executives
  
• Domestic staff of diplomatic, consular and official staff
  
• Personnel working in New Zealand as part of a programme of a Contracting Party to the Antarctic Treaty
  
• Working holiday visas (WHV)
  
• Business visitor visa
  
• Applicants wanting to obtain professional registration in New Zealand visitor visa
  
• Owners and crew of super yachts visitor visa
  
• German law students and graduates visitor visa
  
• Parent and Grandparent multiple entry visitor visa
  
• Visiting academics visitor visa
  
• Group visitor visa
  
• Partners and dependent children of student or work visa holders visitor visa
  
• Dependent children of New Zealand citizens or residence class visa holders visitor visa
  
• Children entering New Zealand for adoption visitor visa
  
• Children adopted overseas before their New Zealand citizenship is confirmed visitor visa
  
• Culturally arranged marriage visa visitor visa
• Entry to New Zealand for the purpose of medical treatment or consultation visitor visa
• Persons associated with a Contracting Party to the Antarctic Treaty and other Antarctic travellers visitor visa
• Visiting Media Programme (VMP) visitor visa
  
• Conference delegates visitor visa
  
• Crew members joining vessels or aircraft visitor visa
  
• Visitors arriving by yacht or private aircraft visitor visa
  
• Sports people, support staff, match and tournament officials and media and broadcasting personnel associated with sports events, tours or tournaments visitor visa
  
• Guardians accompanying students to New Zealand visitor visa
  
• Work visa holders dismissed during a trial period visitor visa
  
• Temporary Retirement Category visitor visa
  
• Approved arts or music festival visitor visa
  
• Short-term live entertainment acts visitor visa
  
• International Tour Escorts visitor visa
  
• Visitor visas
  
• Student visas
  

• New Zealand does not have a capital gains tax (except for property speculation), land tax, wealth tax or inheritance tax. If you are an investor, with a capital gains view, New Zealand is a great option for you.
  
• If you are a business owner you may find starting and operating a business more straightforward and/or rewarding than some other places in the world.
  
• You may be a highly paid professional who may also be able to benefit from the above 2 points.
  
• You may have close family or friends here.
  
• You may want to enjoy the outdoors; out and about every chance you get.
  
• New Zealand may be a better option for you on a comparative scale.
  

Whichever group you may fall under we promise you to provide excellent legal services for New Zealand immigration matters and an honest opinion.

Note: If you are an international student you should consider all your options whilst considering New Zealand. Spend time and do research on a variety of things, with a long term view, before spending your or your family's savings. Think hard about the country, region, institute, course and papers your are interested in. Then consider the employment market, pay rates, living expenses (such as rent, groceries, fuel and utilities), net savings, chances of gaining permanent residence and the time it may take, property market and your chances of ownership, government attitudes and your long term goals. Be careful of the student consultants or immigration advisers overselling things.

No, we are not a recruitment agency. You should contact employers directly, or through job search websites or recruitment agencies.

We may be able to offer this based on the facts of the case and your circumstances.