Dated: 2024-04-30 04:24:10
Recently a lot of frauds have taken place in immigration. How do I avoid them?Many of us are not familiar with the Visa application and the process related to it.
Understanding the technical aspects of the law is a cumbersome task for a common
man. Below are some tips so as to help one avoid a immigration scam.
1. Never pay for downloading Immigration forms : - The immigration department or
their websites don’t charge for downloading the immigration form. It is available
free of cost at their respective form page. If some agency asks you for money, it
is to be considered as a scam, and they are rather after extracting money from
you than to help you.
2. Read all form instructions carefully and fill in all required fields : - Always, before
signing any kind of documents, read all the instructions, so that you know what
you are signing. A signature is a legal authorization of a person or a business. In
case a form is signed without all relevant information or wrong information, then
the application has a good probability to be rejected on the grounds of willful
misrepresentation.
Also after everything is done, it is suggested that you personally review the form
and all the contents there in before sending it to the concerned authority.
3. Do not Sign on blank forms: - Signing a blank form can invite a lot of trouble
along with it. The agency in there can give the form to any scam artist or
fraudulent business, in which they can fill any irrelevant detail, in the end causing
trouble to you in your case.
4. Filing fees are accepted via money order, certified check or credit card : - The
filing fess is to be paid via money orders, credit cards or certified checks. In case
some agency asks you to provide cash to them for filling form, it is suggested
that you be aware of the agency, as there is probability that they can scam you.
5. Keep copies of all documentation, including forms filed with the USCIS : - keep a
photocopy of all the documents you have submitted to the agency you have
used. A agency can forge the document and in case some dispute arises, then
you can show the concerned authority these documents.
6. Obtain a receipt for any payment made to an immigration attorney or accredited
representative : - Obtaining a copy of payment made to the agency can help you
and the police or the concerned authority, in case of a scam, track down the
people who were responsible for the scam. Never hand over all of your important
immigration documents to someone without retaining copies for yourself.
7. If you are working with an immigration lawyer, check the bar association of your
state to make sure the attorney is eligible to practice law there : - If you are
working with someone, who claims to be a immigration lawyer, then you can
double check about the records of the person in the state bar association.
Alternatively, if you are working with a non-attorney, make sure the individual you
are working with is recognized by the respective Board.
8. If the agency does not have “.gov” in their domain name, it is also a sign that, the
agency is fraudulent.
9. Get a second opinion : - Consider seeking a second opinion if you have any
doubts about a professional who may be handling your case.
10. Refusing from showing you, your details filled in the form or what they are
submitting : - Any immigration service which is a reputed one will maintain
transparency and clarity in the work. Online immigration fraud thrives on the fact
that many customers don’t fully understand what is going on with their case and
they don’t bother to find out.
11. Notaries or Notary Publics are not attorneys and cannot give legal advice.