When planning to migrate to the United States, bear in mind that you may come across loads of fake immigration lawyers looking to get as much as possible off you. If they succeed, not only do you lose money, you also risk breaking immigration laws and other penalties that hurt your chances of getting an American visa in the long run. These scam officers have many deceptive tools, of which the most potent is fear. Con artists capitalize on the current airtight security in the States, and this works especially with British immigrants looking to move to America. Another enabling factor for illegitimate immigration lawyers is the unwillingness for applicants to do their research and learn more about American Visas, Green Cards, and ultimately, get familiar with how the immigration process works. This factor will be discussed later in this piece. A simple Google search for “US visa for UK”, for example, will bring up tons of lawyers’ pages, all advertising their services (one such example is www.solutionsinlaw.co.uk). If that sounds like you, then it’s a great thing you are on this page, because here, we will share tips and guidelines to finding an ideal US Immigration lawyer to help process your case.
Do not fall for lawyers at immigration offices
Whenever you visit immigration offices and USCIS, an ever-present part of the hallways at these places is the low-budget attorneys. They hang around immigration offices preying on unsuspecting applicants. The first thing you should consider when they approach you is the number of people who are looking to immigrate to America; with that much volume of work, no serious/good US immigration lawyers for Ireland would have the time to scout for clients in that manner.
Only hire a real Lawyer
Information about immigrating to America is freely available, even on the internet and are not hidden from anyone. That means that people offer to help you with your visa process, but they are only out to get your money. They pose with different titles, such as “Petition Preparer,” “Notario,” or a “Visa Consultant.” Be wary of anyone who is not a genuine lawyer, offering you their services. It never ends well.
In the course of your visa application and immigration procedure, you will come across many tips, and unlike the one you are reading right now; most others will advise you to play the system. Steer clear from immigration lawyers who advise you to take unethical measures to obtain your American visa. Do not briber any officer or falsify the information you use for your application, as you are bound to get in trouble. For legal advice and guidance on matters concerning immigration, you should look out for one of the following two types of immigration service providers:
Accredited non-lawyers:
Accredited non-lawyers are non-profit bodies licensed to render USA immigration services. However, the members of these organizations are not always lawyers; non-lawyers in such organizations must be on the Department of Justice’s list of accredited representatives. You can find this list here.
Licensed Attorneys in Good standing:
Alternatively, if you must work with lawyers, they must be authorized to render these services in at least one American state. However, note that not all lawyers can provide immigration services. The US Department of Justice keeps a list of attorneys you should steer clear from. Before working with an immigration officer, it is in your best interest to confirm that he or she does is not on this list.
Do your homework
The internet does not only help quack lawyers find information about the American visa application; you can also use it to your advantage during your immigration process. All genuine lawyers have their info online. Before you hire an immigration officer, do your diligent research on the lawyer helping you out. First of all, only hire lawyers who are members of a state bar association, as this is mandatory for a smooth immigration process. The good thing is that you can look up this information online quickly.
When in doubt, a quick Google search will suffice. Is he/she a member of the AILA (American Immigration Lawyers’ Association? The best immigration attorneys are part of these organizations. For the best outcomes, only work with lawyers with rave reviews or even those who have publications and know what they are doing. This and the previous tip are all about the same set of people, and with that, comes the final tip that can save you a lot.
Unrealistic Promises are… not real
Finally, do not listen to unrealistic promises. Desperate lawyers go out of their way to break their code of ethics by promising their clients success. You hear them make claims like “none of my clients have seen their applications rejected. You are in safe hands.” Now, when you hear these claims, you must realize that not even an immigration judge can guarantee you an American visa. The ultimate decision is up to them, USCIS, and the Department of Homeland Defense.
Conclusion
There are many tricks fake immigration lawyers employ to get money from you and give you back nothing in return. Every year, we see more and more tricks these quacks use on their victims; hence, one blog post cannot list all the various social engineering tricks you will face. However, knowing that their primary aim is to get as much money as they can get for you, one would think it’s easy to avoid falling for them. However, tons of applicants either get scammed or rejected every year, so you cannot be too careful. If you follow these simple tricks on this post, you will be better placed than more than 90% of the American visa applicants. You can refer to companies such as immigrationlawyertorontofirm.ca for all your US visa needs.
