Immigration to the United States can be an immensely stressful and difficult process for individuals. There can be strict rules, procedures and many complex forms to fill out. To make things worse, some unsavory individuals and businesses may even try to take advantage of people looking for immigration assistance by scamming them out of money. For this reason, it can be helpful for individuals who are considering immigrating to the United States to review information on how to avoid immigration scams.
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- Use a properly qualified, referenced and reputable immigration attorney to assist you. If you need help to apply for immigration, be prepared to visit an attorney who specializes in immigration law. Avoid going to a notario, notario public or public notary for immigration assistance in the United States.There is often a common misconception between what a notario means in Latin America and what a public notary means in the United States. In Latin America, a notario may be a highly skilled attorney with specialized credentials. In the United States however, a public notary is often an individual who witnesses signatures on important documents and/or administers oaths.This is an important distinction to make since a notario in Latin America may be qualified enough to work on immigration issues, but a public notary in America is often not nearly qualified enough to provide legal help on immigration issues.
- Question any adviser who adds a charge for the forms themselves. Never pay for government forms relating to immigration. Some immigration scammers may try to sell government forms in an attempt to take advantage of individuals looking for immigration assistance. Forms are always free to obtain from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at www.uscis.gov/forms and should never be purchased. Advice on filling out the forms is another matter.
- Do not trust any individual or business who encourages omitting important information or filling out forms with false information. Never lie or omit important information when filling out government immigration forms. If an immigration officer discovers false information or important information omitted on immigration forms, they may immediately deny an application. This may lead to extended periods of delay, increased fees and, in extreme cases, potential deportation from the country.
- Be wary of any individual or business guaranteeing a favorable outcome. Immigration issues are often complex matters that typically require a great deal of investigation, time and patience. If an individual or business guarantees a favorable outcome upfront and offers expedited processing, this should be considered a definite red flag. Often, any individual or business who guarantees favorable results on immigration issues and/or alleges they can expedite the process is only trying to scam people out of money.
- Consider getting a free consultation from an experienced immigration attorney. While not all attorneys may be perfect, attorneys are governed by their local state bar associations and this governance serves, in a small way, to protect consumers against scams, fraud, and other nefarious behavior. An experienced immigration attorney can be an invaluable aid in helping individuals gather and fill out all of the necessary forms, fight against deportation, obtain work visas and more. In addition, many attorneys offer free consultations to discuss the initial details of the case and present viable options.