(a) A person shall not provide immigration assistance in this state without holding a license issued pursuant to this chapter as an immigration assistance provider.

(b) Any person desiring to be licensed as an immigration assistance provider shall file an application for such license with the Secretary of State. All original and subsequent applications filed with the Secretary of State shall be upon such form and in such detail as the Secretary of State shall prescribe, setting forth the following:

(1) The name and address of the applicant or the name under which he or she intends to conduct business and, if the applicant is a partnership or limited liability company, the name and residence address of each member thereof and the name under which the partnership or limited liability company business is to be conducted and, if the applicant is a corporation, the name and address of each of its principal officers;

(2) The place or places, including the city with the street and street number, if any, where the business is to be conducted; and

(3) Such other information as the Secretary of State shall require.

(c) Notwithstanding any provision of Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50 to the contrary, all applications, including supporting documents and other personal information submitted by applicants and licensees as part of an application filed with the Secretary of State, shall be confidential. The Secretary of State shall deem as public records the following information and shall make such information reasonably available for inspection by the general public: a licensee's name, license number and status, business name, business address, business telephone number, type of license held, and term of license; the fact that a licensee has or has not received a disciplinary sanction; and such other information pertaining to the license of a licensee as the Secretary of State may determine by rule.

(d) No person shall be granted a license as an immigration assistance provider unless such person:

(1) Is 18 years of age or older;

(2) Is a United States citizen or holds a valid legal immigration status pursuant to federal law;

(3) Provides a criminal background report and, within the five-year period preceding the date of the application, has no criminal convictions, other than traffic violations;

(4) Completes and submits an application;

(5) Provides proof of a $5,000.00 performance bond issued in a form acceptable to the Secretary of State by a bonding company licensed to conduct bonding business in the State of Georgia; and

(6) If an applicant intends to provide services which shall require him or her to control the legal funds of a client seeking immigration assistance, provides a financial statement for the current fiscal year.

(e) The Secretary of State shall establish an appropriate procedure for the acceptance and review of applications submitted pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section.

(f) All immigration assistance providers holding licenses in good standing shall be eligible for the renewal of such license pursuant to procedures established by the Secretary of State. In the event a licensee fails to renew his or her license, such license shall be automatically revoked.