An Indian migration agent in Australia has been barred for five years after authorities found she submitted false information in visa applications and breached multiple professional rules. Vaneet Kaur Chadha, who worked with Sydney-based Royal Migration & Education Consultants, had her registration cancelled last month following an investigation by the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority.
Probe Followed Review of Visa Applications
The regulator said it opened its investigation after reviewing visa applications Chadha had submitted to the Department of Home Affairs, where officials identified a number of concerns. OMARA later ruled that Chadha was not a person of integrity and was otherwise not a fit and proper person to provide immigration assistance.
In its findings, the authority said Chadha had failed to act in accordance with the law by not declaring the immigration assistance she provided to clients. It also found that she gave false and misleading information and made statements in visa applications that she knew were inaccurate.
FCRF Returns With CDPO, Its Premier Data Protection Certification for Privacy Professionals
Findings Cite Misleading Conduct and Poor Oversight
The authority further concluded that Chadha 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 to evade a requirement of migration law.
Videos and Consultancy Statements Remained Online
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 says that with years of legal experience in migration matters, and being a migrant herself, she understands how overwhelming the migration journey could be.
In another video, she warns applicants against submitting fake documents, saying they should stay truthful and avoid future complications because 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.
