Are you getting the right help on immigration matters?
Many people offer advice with immigration services. Unfortunately, not everyone is authorized to do so. While many of these unlicensed professionals have good intentions, many others just want to rip you off. This is against the law and can be considered an immigration services scam.
If you are looking for help in filing an application or petition with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), be sure to look in the right place and make sure that the people who will help you are authorized. Going to the wrong place can cause:
- Delayed your application or request
- Costs of unnecessary expenses
- Possibly facing deportation proceedings
Remember:Be well informed when it comes to immigration assistance because the wrong help can hurt you.
USCIS wants to crack down on immigration service scams by providing applicants, legal service providers and authorized organizations with the knowledge and tools they need to uncover and protect themselves from dishonest practices.
To achieve this goal, USCIS launched the Unauthorized Practice of Immigration Law (UPIL) Initiative. As part of this strategy, they are collaborating with various government agencies to identify resources that can help prevent immigration scams.
WHO IS AUTHORIZED TO HELP IMMIGRANTS WITH THEIR LEGAL MATTERS?
Only a licensed attorney or accredited representative is authorized and qualified to assist you with your immigration case or green card application. Unlike consultants, immigration attorneys have received several years of extensive education and training before being authorized to represent their clients. Ask the immigration attorney if you have a valid license.
In addition, you can also find out if the immigration attorney has been disbarred or dis barred before the Immigration Court, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) or the Immigration and Naturalization Service (USCIS).
Accredited representatives must work for a recognized organization and must be authorized by BIA. Only those recognized organizations on this list are allowed to collaborate on immigration matters.
It is against the law for notaries public to provide immigration advice. Even the filling out of forms or applications for green cards are tasks that only a licensed immigration attorney or accredited representative should do. Foreign attorneys without a U.S. license are not authorized by law to provide immigration services.