Unlicensed Immigration Advisor Found Guilty in New Zealand Visa Scheme

Unlicensed Immigration Advisor Found Guilty in New Zealand Visa Scheme

An Auckland court has found Paola Walker-Rodriguez guilty on eleven of twelve charges related to providing unlicensed immigration advice and collecting fees. Families paid thousands of dollars for “Study and Work in New Zealand” packages, only to discover that many student visa applications were never submitted. In some cases, school fees were also not passed on to the educational institutions, leaving families tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket.

The verdict, delivered on September 15, 2026, followed complaints made by Chilean citizens living in New Zealand between March 2023 and May 2025. These complaints, reported to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, detailed services sold by Walker-Rodriguez, who was associated with AIS.Walker and Walker Travel Education. The Immigration Advisers Authority highlighted the significant financial losses and disruption caused to these families.

Packages Bundled Advice, Visa Support, and Study Arrangements

The services offered by Walker-Rodriguez were marketed as comprehensive “Study and Work in New Zealand” packages. These were not just about filling out visa forms. They promised personalized advice, help with visa applications, and support for students planning to live and study in the country. This approach tied immigration assistance directly to educational arrangements, creating a package deal for prospective students and their families.

A core part of what families believed they were purchasing was the proper handling of their visa applications. They arrived in New Zealand under the impression that their visa processes were actively being managed. However, many later discovered that their student visa applications had not actually been lodged with Immigration New Zealand. This gap between the promised service and the unsubmitted application became apparent only after their arrival.

Beyond visa support, some families also paid Walker-Rodriguez fees for their schooling or courses. These funds were intended to be forwarded to the schools and institutes where the students were meant to enroll. However, some of these educational providers reported not receiving the payments. This failure affected both the immigration and the educational components of the packages, leading to financial losses and complications for the families involved.

The case involved four families who purchased these packages. The government ministry received a total of five complaints from Chilean citizens during the period of March 2023 to May 2025. These figures represent different aspects of the situation: the number of families who bought the packages and the total number of complaints lodged over more than two years.

Charges Focused on Unlicensed Advice and Improper Fees

The court’s findings against Walker-Rodriguez were based on the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007. The charges included providing immigration advice without the required license or exemption, claiming to be an immigration advisor without proper authorization, and accepting payment for such advice. These charges addressed both the nature of the advice given and the way the services were sold.

In New Zealand, anyone providing immigration advice must be licensed or exempt, according to the Immigration Advisers Authority. The charges brought against Walker-Rodriguez covered not only the act of giving advice but also “holding out” as an advisor, meaning presenting oneself as qualified to offer such services. The court found her guilty on eleven of the twelve charges, indicating a significant number of offenses under the relevant legislation.

The core issue in the complaints was the discrepancy between what the packages advertised and what was actually delivered. Families paid for assistance with visas and education, but many visa applications were not submitted, and some school fees were not passed on. The resulting financial losses were substantial, not only for the money paid but also for the disruption to their plans for studying in New Zealand.

Authority Investigated Complaints Leading to Prosecution

The Immigration Advisers Authority stated that it investigated the complaints received, and this investigation was the basis for the prosecution. The Authority published the outcome of the enforcement action on September 21, 2026, with an update on September 25, 2026. The conviction reinforces the legal requirement that only licensed or exempt individuals can offer immigration advice in New Zealand. The complaints that initiated this legal process came from Chilean citizens who were residing in the country between March 2023 and May 2025.

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