10 questions to ask before hiring an immigration agent in Punjab

Quick answer. Before hiring an immigration or study-visa agent in Punjab, ask for their licence number under the Punjab Travel Professionals Regulation Act and check it on the official register; ask exactly what the fee covers and the refund policy in writing; ask who does your file and how you will get updates; and walk away from anyone who "guarantees" a visa, wants the full fee in cash upfront, or asks to keep your original passport. No genuine agent can guarantee a government visa decision.

The 10 questions

1) What is your licence number under the Punjab Travel Professionals Regulation Act? 2) Which district register are you listed on? 3) Are you also MEA-registered (needed for overseas jobs)? 4) Exactly what does your fee cover, and what is extra? 5) What is your written refund policy if the visa is refused? 6) Who personally handles my file and how do I reach them? 7) How will you give me updates in writing? 8) Which institutions or countries do you actually work with? 9) Will I keep my original documents at all times? 10) Can you show past clients or reviews I can verify?

Red flags to walk away from

A "100% guaranteed visa"; a demand for the full fee in cash upfront; keeping your original passport or certificates; no licence number or a licence you can't find on the register; promises of a job abroad without MEA registration; and refusal to put anything in writing. Any one of these is a reason to stop.

Verify before you pay

Search the agent by name or licence number on this site, confirm the licence status is valid on the linked government register, get every promise and the fee in writing, and never pay the full amount in cash before work begins. A short check now can save your family lakhs.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most important question to ask an immigration agent?

Ask for their licence number under the Punjab Travel Professionals Regulation Act and verify it on the official district register yourself. A valid, current licence is the baseline; without it, nothing else the agent says can be trusted.

Is it normal for an agent to keep my passport?

No. A genuine agent never needs to keep your original passport or certificates, and never needs the full fee in cash before work starts. Keep your originals and get everything in writing.

Sources

Browse agents: Jalandhar register · Ludhiana register · Mohali (SAS Nagar) register

Find licensed help: Immigration & visa consultants · Search the register

Reviewed against official government sources; figures that change (fees, fund thresholds) are dated and linked — always verify at the source. — Recepta Editorial.

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Last updated: 2026-07-18