Two More of the Top Biggest Immigration Mistakes

During my career as an immigration attorney I have found these additional mistakes also among the top ones to be the most common concerning immigration law.

Many times these immigration mistakes have resulted in terribly sad consequences, including, loss of time and money. These mistakes have resulted in deportation, bars from reentering the United States, or simply prolonging a solution that could have been resolved quickly. Sadly, families are hurt and separated unnecessarily.

You must be extremely cautious with unforeseeable immigration setbacks that only a licensed attorney can anticipate. My desire is that this information will give you a greater understanding of the complexities of the immigration law process and avoid costly immigration mistakes.

Mistake #1: Do Not File Improper Forms or Incorrectly Complete Forms that May Seem Simple

Do not make the mistake of filing a wrong form or incorrectly completing a form that may seem simple. This is a common mistake that happens all too often. Immigrants may obtain forms from friends or even from the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services – USCIS – and believe they can easily fill them out by answering simple questions. But, incorrect completion of forms can have serious consequences.

There is also an abundance of information online from immigration government agencies and other resources, yet these agencies do not assume any responsibility with regard to educating immigrants on proper filing of forms, nor will they be held liable for incorrect or outdated information.

Many clients have been waiting years for their cases to be approved, only to find out that their case was denied due to improper filing of forms, and failing to provide appropriate evidence when requested by the U.S. government. As a result, they wasted many years and thousands of dollars that could have been avoided with proper legal guidance.

Immigration law is complex as have been cited as “a maze of hyper-technical statutes and regulations that engender waste, delay, and confusion for the Government and petitioners alike”. You will save time and money when working with an experienced qualified attorney that will help you properly complete and file forms correctly.

Mistake #2: Relying on “Notarios” or Immigration Immigration Consultant Halifax Advice

Many individuals mistakenly believed that “Notarios” (which is a bilingual Spanish term used for “Notary Publics” in the United States), were actually attorneys, as they are called in Mexico, and that “Immigration Consultants” were attorneys as well.

However, fact is, these “Notarios” or Immigration Consultants have often not only targeted the Latino community, but have fraudulently represented themselves across all ethnic groups including British, Russian and Canadians. These fraudulent consultants take advantage of often vulnerable and fearful immigrants.

These consultants and “notaries”, repeatedly make promises to clients that are not possible, they misinform immigrants, file papers that are incorrect and incomplete, and often with fraudulent information, while taking large sums of money from clients, and leaving them unaware of what applications were filed. Typically, these cases end up with removal proceedings in immigration court.

Awareness of these practices have heightened over recent years and several organizations have attempted provide protection to innocent victims. The government is also cracking down on these violators and many have been jailed and fined in large numbers but there is still much work to do in stopping this type of illicit activity.

So keep in mind, a “consultant” or “notary” is limited to their services and cannot give legal advice, may not guarantee outcomes, cannot say that they have special influences, and may not advertise himself or herself as “notario”, “licenciado” or “abogado”, implying that they are an attorney.

Immigration Consultants or “Notarios” are not licensed attorneys as permitted by law to practice immigration in the United States and cannot represent a client in court.

If you believe you are (or have been) a victim of this offense, you have rights and remedies and can file a complaint or bring action against these practices by filing suit with the City Attorney, Attorney General, or District Attorney to bring any action against such notary or consultant to recover for damages. Avoid this mistake by ensuring that you are dealing with a qualified immigration attorney.