A south Auckland immigration agent who has been waiting for a year to get a licence to practice is furious at the delay and says it is causing her family financial hardship.

Agents now have to get a licence from the Immigration Advisers Authority, a process that is meant to take just 40 working days.

However, Alunga Tangilanu's home-based business has been locked up for a year - and so is her family income.

"I suffered a lot mentally, spiritually and physically, it's an ordeal to me. We struggle a lot. We suffer financially," says Tangilanu.

She applied for her licence last June, sending in the fee of nearly $2,000 along with the 54-page application. The problem is, she is still waiting.

ONE News asked the Immigration Advisors Authority what is taking so long.

Registrar of Immigration Advisers at the agency, Barry Smedts, says the agency's primary role is to protect consumers.

"We're all about providing protection to migrants. Mrs Tangilanu's case is under investigation and I'm not prepared to discuss that."

Smedts says the authority is still waiting for information to arrive from overseas. Advertisement "We've done 86% of our applications in 40 working days and 96% of our applications in 50 working days," he says.

But ONE News understands that, as well as Tangilanu's case, another two people have been waiting for an excessive amount of time.

The authority, which has a small staff, has approved 450 applications in two years.

Smedts says the agency has to do thorough investigations to get the right outcome.

(Source TVNZ)