你何時可以從移民代理拿回款項

Paying a migration agent often happens in stages, but problems usually appear when the work stops, the relationship breaks down or the service delivered is much less than expected. In those situations, the main questions are usually about unused fees, where the money was held and what practical steps come next.

This guide explains the general process for getting money back from a registered migration agent or an Australian legal practitioner. It covers the client account rules in the Migration Agents Code of Conduct 2021, the Australian Consumer Law guarantees and a practical order for dealing with the issue.

先看書面協議和發票#

The first document to check is the written agreement. Under the Migration Agents Code of Conduct 2021, a registered migration agent must give a written agreement before starting work, and it must set out the services, fees and other important terms, see s42. The fee structure must also be explained clearly, see s46.

接下來的文件是發票和收據。根據 s49，代理必須提供說明服務及收費的發票，以及已付款項的收據。這些文件通常會顯示該費用是固定階段費、按時計費，還是為尚未完成的工作預先支付的款項。

這很重要，因為退款通常取決於付款是為了什麼。已完成的工作，與為未來尚未完成工作而持有的款項，處理方式不同。

如果在收款前沒有書面協議，這也很重要。Code 規定代理人在協議成立前不得要求或收取付款，見 s51。consumer guide 也必須先提供，見 s38。VisaBid 有副本，見 consumer guide.

未使用的費用和客戶帳戶中的款項，不等於已賺取的費用#

A common source of confusion is the difference between money that has been earned and money that is still being held. Section 50 of the Code deals with client accounts. In general terms, money received in advance for future professional services should be dealt with through a client account until it is properly payable.

客戶帳戶不是代理的一般業務帳戶。它的存在是為了把客戶資金與業務本身的資金分開。如果款項是預付作為未來工作的款項，而該工作沒有完成，問題通常在於其中部分或全部款項是否仍屬於未賺取收入。

The Code also requires proper records around fees and handling of money. When looking at a possible refund, useful documents include the costs agreement, trust or client account records if any were provided, invoices showing work claimed, emails about stages completed and any receipt describing the purpose of the payment.

Some fees may be non-refundable in practice because they relate to work already completed. For example, an initial consultation fee or a completed eligibility assessment may be charged as a separate service. But describing a fee as "non-refundable" in a contract does not automatically end the issue if the money was for services not supplied, or if the term conflicts with consumer law.

即使合約寫著 "no refunds"，Australian Consumer Law 仍可能適用#

Australian Consumer Law 包含服務的消費者保證。這些保證不能透過標準條款聲稱不退款而被排除、限制或規避。

For services, the main guarantees usually discussed are that services will be provided with due care and skill, be fit for any disclosed purpose in some situations, and be supplied within a reasonable time if no time is fixed. Migration assistance is a professional service, so the exact remedy depends on the facts, but contract wording does not remove those basic protections.

這表示 "no refund" 條款不一定就是事情的終點。如果服務根本沒有提供、只提供了一部分，或提供時沒有盡到應有的謹慎與技能，消費者法可能影響款項是否可以追回。

The same point applies to broad waiver clauses. A business cannot avoid the consumer guarantees just by putting stronger wording in the agreement. In practice, the dispute often becomes a question of evidence: what was promised, what was paid for, what work was actually done and whether the standard of service matched the legal guarantees.

這並不表示每個令人失望的結果都會產生退款權。Code 也規定代理人不得保證結果，見 s26。單憑簽證被拒，並不能證明服務有缺陷，而核准也從來不是保證的。

Department 收費、第三方成本和代理人費用的處理方式不同#

把案件中的不同類型款項分開看會有幫助。一部分可能是代理的專業費用。另一部分可能是部門收費，還有一部分可能是第三方費用，例如翻譯、體檢、技能評估或無犯罪紀錄查核。

該部門收費通常受該部門自己的規則管轄，而不是代理人的退款政策。本指南不列出這些收費，因為它們會變動並按指數調整。相關金額通常會顯示在簽證頁面或該部門目前的費用資訊中。

Third-party costs also depend on who was paid and for what. If an assessment body, translator or doctor has already provided the service, that part may already be spent. If the money was collected in advance but the service was never ordered, the question is usually whether the money was still being held on the client’s behalf.

Professional fees are the part most often disputed with the agent. A straightforward one-off service may cost a few hundred dollars, while a full visa matter can be several thousand dollars or more, especially if there are multiple applicants or complex documents. The agreement and invoices should show what stages those fees covered.

實際可行的步驟順序#

第一個實際步驟是收集文件。通常包括書面協議、consumer guide、發票、收據、銀行轉帳紀錄、電子郵件、任何信託帳戶或客戶帳戶參考資料，以及據稱已完成工作的清單。

The second step is to ask for a clear ledger in writing. The request usually asks for the amount paid, the date paid, whether the money went into a client account under s50, what work the agent says has been completed, what amount has been transferred as earned fees and what amount remains unspent or unearned.

第三步是在關係結束時要求取回檔案和文件。根據 Code 的 s54，在有限例外情況下，文件必須在收到書面要求後 14 天內歸還。代理也必須保存紀錄七年，見 s56。

第四步是以書面方式簡要列出爭議，並附上日期。通常以時間線方式最有效：協議簽署、已付款金額、承諾的工作、已完成的工作、未完成的工作、要求退款。目的是把問題固定在文件上，而不是爭論上。

第五步是確認該人有權提供移民協助（immigration assistance）。註冊移民代理可透過 MARN（移民代理註冊號碼）資料查核，澳洲法律執業者則應可透過其法律執業資料識別。VisaBid 有一個工具在 我們的營運者檢查工具. 根據 Migration Act 1958，在澳洲提供移民協助（immigration assistance）而未註冊屬於犯罪，除非該人是 Australian legal practitioner，見 s280；而對未註冊協助收費也屬於犯罪，見 s281。

如果該人是 registered migration agent（註冊移民代理），而問題涉及專業操守，可以透過適當的投訴管道提出投訴。VisaBid 在以下位置說明流程 我們的投訴指南. 如果問題主要是消費付款爭議，則視州或領地以及爭議金額而定，小額索償或一般消費者投訴途徑也可能相關。

退款爭議期間不要做什麼#

不要停止保存紀錄。保存截圖、收據、電子郵件往來和平台訊息，並按日期順序保留副本。如果有電話通話，通話後立刻做個簡短筆記，有助於讓時間線保持清楚。

在試圖挽救簽證事項時，不要提交虛假或經篡改的文件。虛假文件可能依據 Migration Act 帶來嚴重後果，包括 s234 和 s245AR，而公共利益標準 4020 也可能影響之後的申請。

Do not assume Form 956 changes the refund position. Form 956 records who is appointed to deal with the Department in relation to a matter, see s312A of the Migration Act. It is important for representation, but it does not by itself decide whether fees were earned or whether consumer guarantees were met.

If a fresh quote is needed after the relationship ends, the safest practical step is usually to compare services, stages and fee structures side by side. VisaBid lets applicants describe the matter and receive itemised quotes from registered migration agents and Australian legal practitioners at 我們的案件表格.

常見問題#

如果我付款後，我的移民代理什麼都沒做，我可以退款嗎？#

Money paid for future work is often the first place to look. The written agreement, invoices and any client account handling under s50 help show whether the money was still unearned. A refund question usually turns on what work was promised, what was completed and how the payment was described.

合約寫明不退款，是否表示我不能拿回款項？#

Not always. The Australian Consumer Law guarantees for services cannot be contracted out of, so a blanket "no refund" term does not automatically decide the issue. The real question is usually whether the service was supplied at all, partly supplied, or supplied with due care and skill.

我怎麼知道我的錢是否本來就應該存入客戶帳戶？#

Section 50 of the Migration Agents Code of Conduct 2021 deals with client accounts. In general terms, money paid in advance for future professional services should be handled as client money until it becomes properly payable. The agreement, receipt wording and any trust or client account records can help show how the money was treated.

如果向我收費的人不是註冊移民代理，怎麼辦？#

That can raise a separate issue from the refund itself. Under the Migration Act 1958, giving immigration assistance in Australia while unregistered is an offence unless the person is an Australian legal practitioner, see s280, and charging for that assistance is also an offence under s281. The first practical step is usually to verify the operator’s status and keep all payment records.

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關於本指南。 這是關於某項程序在澳洲如何運作的一般資訊。這不是 immigration assistance，也不是針對你情況的建議。根據 section 280 of the Migration Act 1958 只有註冊移民代理或澳洲法律執業者可以提供這項服務。政府收費會按指數調整，而且大多數會在 1 July 變更，所以請自行查核任何金額於 immi.homeaffairs.gov.au, 並在以下位置查核任何代理 OMARA（移民代理註冊管理局）名冊.