Persian-speaking Registered Migration Agent in Melbourne
VisaShape gives Persian speakers visa and migration advice in Farsi from Melbourne. Hasti Lesani, a Registered Migration Agent, consults in Persian or English with clients in Melbourne, elsewhere in Australia and overseas, including Iran. Below, we explain what a registered agent is, how to check one and how to prepare Persian documents.
How do consultations in Persian work?
You can explain your situation to Hasti in Persian or English, whichever is easier. Consultations are in person in Melbourne or by video call, and documents are shared securely online. The Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA), which regulates migration agents, confirms you can use an agent based in Australia while living overseas.
- An assessment of the visa options that may suit your goals
- A written Letter of Advice summarising your options, if you ask for one
What is a Registered Migration Agent?
A Registered Migration Agent (RMA) is registered with OMARA, part of the Department of Home Affairs. Registration is not the same as holding an Australian legal practising certificate. Registered agents must meet knowledge and character standards, follow a Code of Conduct and keep up to date with migration law. An education agent who is not registered and holds no legal practising certificate must not give you immigration assistance. OMARA says a registered agent can:
- explain your visa options and recommend the best one
- prepare and lodge your visa application
- contact Home Affairs to discuss your case
- represent you before a review tribunal, such as the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART), which is a tribunal, not a court
How can you check that an agent is registered?
Search OMARA's Register of Migration Agents before you pay anyone or send documents. You can search by name, business name, location or Migration Agents Registration Number (MARN), and it includes agents working outside Australia. OMARA advises checking even if someone recommended the agent to you.
- Check that the name and MARN match the details you were given
- Look through OMARA's published disciplinary decisions
- Be wary of anyone who promises you a visa or faster processing; Home Affairs warns this may be a scam
- Report unlawful immigration assistance through Border Watch
Is the Consumer Guide available in Persian?
Yes. OMARA's Consumer Guide explains what a Registered Migration Agent does, the rules agents must follow and how to complain. OMARA publishes it in Farsi, and your agent must give it to you. VisaShape does so before you engage us, and the Persian edition is on our Persian About page. Under the Code of Conduct, your agent must:
- be honest about your chances of getting a visa
- give you a written statement of the services and estimated costs before starting work
- keep money you pay in advance in a separate bank account
How should documents in Persian be translated?
Home Affairs requires every non-English document to be translated into English, and you provide the original with the translation. Translators in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). Translators outside Australia, including in Iran, do not have to be accredited, but visa pages such as the Student visa (subclass 500) page say each translation must show the translator's full name, address, telephone number, and qualifications and experience in the language, in English.
- Read the 'Gather your documents' section of your own visa's page first
- Scan originals and translations in colour, clearly enough to read
- For an ART review, any evidence not in English must be translated by an accredited translator
Which visa pathways can VisaShape help with?
Each of these pathways has its own page, linked below.
- Student visa (subclass 500), with the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) as a possible next step after study
- Skilled Independent (subclass 189), Skilled Nominated (subclass 190) and Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491) visas
- Partner visas: 820/801 if you apply in Australia, 309/100 if you apply from overseas, and the Prospective Marriage visa (subclass 300)
- Employer-sponsored visas: Skills in Demand (subclass 482), Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) and Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) (subclass 494)
- National Innovation visa (subclass 858), for people with an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in an eligible area
- Visa refusals and cancellations, including review at the ART
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to use a migration agent to apply for a visa?
No. OMARA says you do not have to, although you may need professional help, especially if your case is complex. If you use a migration agent, check the Register first. Either way, you remain responsible for the accuracy of your application.
Can I work with VisaShape if I live in Iran?
Yes. OMARA confirms you can work with an agent in Australia by email, phone and video call, and our consultations run online. Home Affairs sometimes issues notices affecting applicants in Iran or Iranian passport holders, such as changes to English test availability or travel restrictions, so check the current position before booking a test or travel.
Can I use a translation done in Iran?
Yes, if it meets the rules on your visa's page. Translators outside Australia, including official translation offices in Iran, do not need NAATI accreditation, but each translation must show the translator's details in English. Evidence for the ART needs an accredited translator.
Can a Registered Migration Agent represent me in court?
VisaShape does not represent clients in court. Court proceedings, such as judicial review, are a separate step from ART review, and OMARA describes an agent's role as visa advice, applications and representation before a review tribunal. If your case may need to go to court, we tell you early and refer you for independent legal advice.
Can I speak Persian with Home Affairs or the ART?
Yes, through an interpreter. Home Affairs provides TIS National on 131 450 for non-English speakers. For an ART hearing, tell the Tribunal beforehand and it will arrange and pay for a qualified interpreter; a relative or friend cannot interpret for you. To reach the ART through TIS from overseas, call +61 3 9268 8332.
Ready to take the next step?
Complete our free visa assessment form or book a consultation with Hasti Lesani, Registered Migration Agent, MARN 2518905.
Related services
Student visa (500)
Help with the Student visa (subclass 500): the Genuine Student requirement, your CoE, OSHC, English and financial evidence.
Partner visas (820, 309, 300)
Partner and Prospective Marriage visas (820/801, 309/100, 300): who can sponsor, de facto rules and relationship evidence.
Skilled migration (189/190/491)
Skills assessment, SkillSelect EOI, points test and state nomination for the 189, 190 and 491 visas, plus the 191 pathway.
Employer sponsored (482/186/494)
Sponsorship, nomination and visa applications for the Skills in Demand 482, ENS 186 and regional 494, plus labour agreements and DAMA.
Business & talent visas (858)
The National Innovation visa (858) EOI and invitation process, and what the BIIP closure means for existing 188 and 888 pathways.
Visa refusals and appeals
Help after a visa refusal or cancellation, including applications for review at the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART).
Sources
Visa rules, fees and processing times change. Always check the current information on the Department of Home Affairs website.
This page provides general information only. It is not immigration advice for your individual circumstances, and no visa outcome can ever be promised. This is the practice of Hasti Lesani, Registered Migration Agent, MARN 2518905.
Last reviewed 17 September 2026