Bring your passport, details of your current visa and any bridging visa, every letter from the Department or a review body, your past visa applications and refusals, and the dates that matter. Add family details and your work and study history. This is what helps at a first meeting; it is not a lodgement document list.
What this page is, and what it is not
A first meeting is for the agent to understand your situation and tell you honestly whether a pathway exists. It is not the point where you assemble a visa application.
The documents an application needs depend on the visa, and they are set by the Migration Regulations 1994 and the Department of Home Affairs for that visa. We do not list them here. For the requirements of a particular visa, use the Department's page for that visa or the relevant guide on this site, for example the skilled independent 189, employer nomination 186 or onshore partner visa pages.
Everything below is practical experience about what makes a first meeting useful. It is not a legal requirement, and a missing item should never stop you booking.
What should I bring to a first meeting?
Bring what you have. Photos on your phone are fine at this stage.
Identity
- Your passport (the photo page), and any other passport you have held
- Any other names you have used, and your date and place of birth as they appear on your documents
Your visa and immigration status now
- Your visa grant notice, or any record showing your current visa, its end date and its conditions
- Any bridging visa and its conditions
- Your ImmiAccount details, if you have one (you do not need to share your password with anyone at a first meeting; ask the agent how access works before you give any)
- The date you last entered Australia, if you are here
Past applications and refusals
- Every visa you have applied for in Australia or elsewhere, including ones that were refused, withdrawn or cancelled
- The refusal notice, if a visa application was refused. Where a refusal can be reviewed, the Migration Act 1958 requires the notice to state that, who can apply, where, and the time allowed (section 66(2)(d), Compilation No. 172, 8 October 2026). That rule does not cover some character-based refusals, which have their own notice rules (section 66(5)), so read any letter closely
- The cancellation notice, if a visa was cancelled. Cancellations are dealt with under different provisions that this page does not cover, so bring the notice and let the agent explain what it says about your options
- Anything you have told the Department about your circumstances, even informally
Letters and deadlines
- Any letter from the Department, a state or territory government, a skills assessing authority or a tribunal. If it asks you to do something by a date, tell the agent first. See what a section 56 request is
- A short list of dates: when your visa ends, when any letter arrived, and any date that letter gives you
Family
- Names, dates of birth, nationalities and current visa status of your partner and children, whether or not they will be on the application
- Details of any previous relationship, including marriage and separation dates, if they could be relevant
Work and study
- A rough timeline of jobs, with employer, job title, hours and dates
- Qualifications and study history, with provider and dates
- Any skills assessment outcome and English test result, if you have them
Anything that worries you
- Health, character or conduct matters, including any police or court history anywhere. Tell the agent early. These issues are much easier to deal with before an application is lodged than after
What helps by visa group?
| Situation | Useful to bring | Also helpful |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled (points-tested or state nomination) | Resume, qualifications, skills assessment outcome, English test result, any invitation or state correspondence | A rough points estimate and your preferred states. See skills assessment authorities and SkillSelect EOI |
| Employer sponsored | Your job title, duties and employment history; your employer's business name and contact; any contract or position description; any sponsorship or nomination paperwork you were given | Whether your employer has sponsored before, and who in the business will deal with the process. See Skills in Demand 482 |
| Partner | Both partners' passports and visa status; a timeline of the relationship from first meeting; examples of shared life (accommodation, finances, travel, family and friends) | Details of any previous relationships and children. See onshore partner visa |
| Refusal, cancellation or review | The decision letter, the application that was refused, all correspondence, and the date you received the decision | Any reasons you disagree with it. See visa refusal appeals |
If you have been refused or told your visa may be cancelled, say so when you book. Time limits for review can be short. The letter should state yours; if it does not, or it is unclear, ask straight away.
What questions should I ask the agent?
First confirm they are registered, using the steps in how to choose a migration agent. Then consider these:
- Will I get a written service agreement before you start work? The Migration Agents Code of Conduct requires a signed written agreement before an agent gives immigration assistance, except that an agent may give advice at an initial consultation without one (Code of Conduct, sections 42 and 43). At that first consultation the agent must tell you their MARN, and any fee charged must be reasonable (section 43).
- Did you give me the consumer guide? An agent must not give immigration assistance unless you have been given a copy of the consumer guide (section 38).
- What exactly does the fee cover, and what is not included? An agreement must set out fees as an hourly rate or a fixed total, include any disbursements the agent expects (out-of-pocket costs paid on your behalf), and contain a refund policy (sections 46, 47 and 52).
- How will you keep me informed? An agent must tell you in writing when an application is lodged, give you a copy, and promptly report material developments (section 39).
- What happens to my documents and file if I leave or the work finishes? The agreement must explain this (section 42(3)(e)). On a written request, an agent must return your documents within 14 days, and cannot hold them back as security for a fee unless they are a restricted legal practitioner who is eligible to be registered (section 54).
- Do you think my case has a realistic prospect? An agent must not give assistance they reasonably believe would be futile, unless you have been advised that it is and have given a written statement that you still want to proceed, and the agent is also satisfied that going ahead would not breach their other duties to act professionally and ethically and to comply with, and not undermine, the migration law (sections 13, 17, 18 and 33). The rule is in section 19. An honest answer here is a good sign.
- What are the risks and the alternatives? Ask what could go wrong, what happens if the application is refused, and what other visas you might consider.
For the wider question of whether you need an agent at all, see do you need a migration agent?. For the difference between agents and lawyers, see migration agent vs immigration lawyer.
Should I take originals or copies?
Take copies or clear photos to the first meeting. If an agent later needs an original, ask for a receipt and for it to be returned when no longer needed. The Code of Conduct requires agents to keep client documents securely (section 53).
Never bring a document you know is false or altered, and never ask an agent to use one. An agent must not give the Department a document they know is false or misleading unless they disclose that to the Department (section 20). Telling the agent about a problem document early is far better than having it found later.
What if I do not have everything?
Come anyway. A first meeting works from what you know, and the agent can tell you which gaps matter. Do not obtain new documents or make payments to third parties before you have heard the agent's advice, because the right documents depend on the visa that is chosen. The exception is a letter that requires something by a set date: tell the agent about it straight away.
Frequently asked questions
What documents do I need for my first meeting with a migration agent? Your passport, your current visa details, any past applications and refusals, any letters with deadlines, and a short history of your family, work and study. You do not need a full set of supporting documents.
Do I need to pay before the first meeting? Fees for an initial consultation vary between agents and must be reasonable. Our consultation fees are shown on the booking page before you book. An agent may not take other amounts from you for immigration assistance until a written service agreement is in force (Code of Conduct, section 51).
Do I need a signed agreement at the first meeting? Not for the advice given at an initial consultation (Code of Conduct, section 43). Before an agent prepares or lodges anything for you, a written, signed service agreement is required (section 42).
Should I give the agent my ImmiAccount password? Ask how the agent works with your account before you share anything. We do not recommend sharing passwords at a first meeting.
What if my visa expires soon or I have a letter with a deadline? Say so when you book and bring the letter. Deadlines in Department and tribunal letters can be short, and the letter should state yours. If it is unclear, ask straight away.
Can an agent tell me my case is not worth pursuing? Yes. An agent must not give immigration assistance they reasonably believe would be futile. There is a narrow exception where you have been advised it is futile and give a written statement that you still want to go ahead, and the agent is also satisfied that going ahead would not breach their other duties (Code of Conduct, section 19). An honest assessment is part of what a first meeting is for.
Book a first conversation
If you would like us to look at your situation, book an appointment. Bring what you have from the lists above. We will tell you plainly whether a pathway is realistic, and nobody can promise a visa outcome. Government charges for each visa are listed on our fees page; professional fees are set out in your written agreement.
Reviewed by Dr Asad Muhammad Khan, Registered Migration Agent, MARN 2619525. Last reviewed 31 October 2026. Migration Act 1958, section 66 (Compilation No. 172, in force 8 October 2026, C2026C00461) and the Migration (Migration Agents Code of Conduct) Regulations 2021, sections 19, 20, 38, 39, 42, 43, 46, 47, 51-54 (Compilation No. 2, 1 April 2026, F2026C00275) verified against the legislation library copies of those compilations. Figures current as at 31 October 2026; confirm with the Department of Home Affairs before lodgement. The caution about not sharing your ImmiAccount password is practical advice, not a legal requirement. This article is general information, not migration advice for your circumstances, and the law may change.
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