A woman has admitted giving illegal immigration advice to Pacific Islanders. Photo/File
A woman has admitted giving illegal immigration advice to Pacific Islanders. Photo/File
An Auckland woman has admitted illegally providing immigration advice in the Pacific Island community.
Maria 'Ilaisaane Valu-Pome'e pleaded guilty to 14 charges laid by the Immigration Advisers Authority when she appeared in the Waitakere District Court yesterday.
Immigration Advisers Authority registrar Catherine Albiston said Valu-Pome'e, who previously held a practisingcertificate with the New Zealand Law Society, continued to provide immigration advice after it expired.
"People giving New Zealand immigration advice must be licensed by the Immigration Advisers Authority or be exempt. We have no tolerance for those who act outside the law," Albiston said.
"This case serves a further reminder to people in our Pacific communities to check that their immigration adviser is licensed or exempt."
Valu-Pome'e pleaded guilty to three charges of providing immigration advice without a licence or exempt status while knowing she was required to be licensed; three charges of advertising herself as legally able to provide immigration advice; and four charges of receiving fees for providing immigration advice.
She also pleaded guilty to two charges of dishonestly using a document, one charge of using a forged document, and a representative charge for multiple instances of using forged documents under the Crimes Act 1961.
"The Immigration Advisers Authority was set up to promote the interests of people receiving New Zealand immigration advice and looks into all complaints," Albiston said.
