Short answer: In Punjab, any person or firm giving visa consultancy for study abroad, processing visa applications or running a travel agency must hold a licence under the Punjab Travel Professionals' Regulation Act. Before you pay or hand over documents to an immigration consultant in Jalandhar, ask for the licence number and check it on the list of registered travel agents published by the Jalandhar district administration (jalandhar.nic.in). Win Your Visa is Punjab Government licensed (Licence No. 908) and counsels Jalandhar students at our Ludhiana and Jagraon offices.

Last checked: 23 October 2026, on India Code, the Jalandhar district website and the Ministry of External Affairs website.

What Punjab law says about immigration consultants

The Punjab Travel Professionals' Regulation Act, 2012 (Punjab Act 2 of 2013, amended in 2014) says no person shall work as a "travel agent" without a licence. Its definition of travel agent covers:

  • visa consultancy or guidance for education, tourism or medical treatment abroad
  • processing passport or visa applications
  • selling air tickets and arranging travel abroad
  • advertising and holding seminars that promote going abroad
  • acting as a tout or sub-agent for any of these

A licence is issued only after police verification and is valid for five years. Working without a licence can lead to imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh, and courts can order compensation for victims. In practice, district lists also cover IELTS coaching institutes, consultancies, ticketing agents and general sales agents.

How to check a consultant in Jalandhar

  1. Ask for the licence number and the name of the licensed firm. A licensed firm can print its licence number on its advertisements.
  2. Match it with the official list. The Jalandhar district website publishes a "List of Registered Travel Agents in Jalandhar District"; the latest list on the site is dated 19 March 2026.
  3. Check the cancelled and revoked lists on the same page. Jalandhar has published lists of licences cancelled for non-renewal and licences revoked by order of the District Magistrate.
  4. Check the branch. Make sure the office you visit is the one named in the licence.
  5. Keep everything in writing: the services agreed, receipts for every payment and copies of every document you sign.

Since January 2026, Jalandhar's district administration has also asked licensed agents to submit monthly self-declarations and business reports at the DC office, so an active licence holder should be able to show it is up to date.

Red flags to walk away from

  • A visa "guarantee" or a "100% visa" promise. Only the embassy or immigration authority decides.
  • No licence number, or a number that is not on the district list.
  • Pressure to use fake bank statements, fake experience letters or fake admission letters. Forged documents can lead to refusal and a ban, and are a criminal offence.
  • Offers of work visas through a "study" route or entry through another country without a valid visa.
  • Payments asked in cash with no receipt.

Study visa or work visa: know which rules apply

Recruitment for jobs abroad is governed by the Emigration Act, 1983, and only Recruiting Agents registered with the Ministry of External Affairs can recruit workers for overseas jobs. The Punjab Act covers study, visit and travel services. If someone offers you a job abroad, check the agent on the MEA eMigrate list of registered Recruiting Agents. For Punjab, the Protector of Emigrants office is in Sector 34-A, Chandigarh.

Before you leave for studies

The Ministry of External Affairs advises Indian students going abroad to register on the MADAD portal and to check that the foreign university or college is accredited and recognised.

Why Jalandhar students come to Win Your Visa

  • Punjab Government licence No. 908, which you can quote and verify.
  • Study visa guidance for 22 countries, MBBS abroad, visitor visas, and IELTS and PTE coaching.
  • Every figure we give is checked on the official embassy or immigration website of the country.

We do not have an office in Jalandhar. Students from Jalandhar visit our Ludhiana branch in Model Town Extension or our head office in Jagraon, or start with a phone call.

FAQs

How do I know if an immigration consultant in Jalandhar is licensed?

Ask for the licence number and check it on the "List of Registered Travel Agents" on jalandhar.nic.in. Also check the lists of cancelled and revoked licences on the same page.

Does an IELTS coaching centre need a licence in Punjab?

The Act names coaching institutes of IELTS in its title, and district licence lists include IELTS coaching institutes. Ask the centre for its licence number.

What is the punishment for working without a licence?

Under section 13 of the Punjab Act, imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh, with double the penalty for repeat offences.

Where can I complain about a fraud travel agent in Jalandhar?

Complaints go to the Deputy Commissioner's office or the police. Keep receipts, messages and copies of documents as evidence.

Can a consultant guarantee my visa?

No. Visa decisions are made only by the embassy or immigration authority of the country. A guarantee is a warning sign.

Official sources

Talk to a licensed consultant

Win Your Visa (M/s Win Your English and Consultancy) is a Punjab Government licensed consultancy, Licence No. 908. Visit our head office in Jagraon (Raikot Road, above Bank of Baroda) or our Ludhiana branch (SCO 13, Block-A, Model Town Extension), or call +91 76578 91191. See all our study destinations or contact us for directions.