It goes without saying that getting the right help can make the immigration process immensely easier. What some people may not know, however, is that obtaining the wrong help can actively hurt your case. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there practicing immigration law without actually being lawyers. The USCIS is doing their best to combat lawyer scams by providing the best information possible to people. They have recently published the following online resources to try to answer all questions:
- A list of the top 10 best things to know both before filing, and after filing. These will help make the actual filing process as smooth as possible.
- A list of common immigration lawyer scams. It’s true that if things seem too good to be true, they usually are. It’s always a good idea to run a potential lawyer through this checklist.
- Information on how to report immigration scams, organized by state. Each state may have its own rules when it comes to immigration scams, so this list will help you make sure the right people get the information.
- Tips on how to find the right legal help. With something as serious as immigration, you really can’t afford to put your future in incapable hands.
- How to become an authorized legal immigration services provider. If you’re an attorney, becoming authorized through the USCIS will undoubtedly give your customers peace of mind.
- Educational tools for printing and sharing. If you have anyone else that could benefit from information on immigration, they have easy to use tools to help you get the information to those that need it.
Using this information in conjunction with a good immigration lawyer gives you the best chance at having a smooth immigration experience. Please see USCIS.gov for these and more articles.