Immigration Law Is All About Family

Beware the signs of immigration fraud

On Behalf of | Apr 2, 2018 | Immigration Law

When you decided to come to Colorado to build a new life in the United States for yourself and your family, you likely encountered various challenges as you navigated the immigration process. It is crucial that you fully understand all regulations that apply to your situation to avoid major delays or problems as you bring your immigration plans to fruition.

While there are many support networks in place to help you overcome immigration obstacles, there are also a lot of entities whose motives are less than pure when it comes to supposedly helping people in your situation avoid complications regarding their legal statuses. In fact, immigration fraud is a major concern in Colorado and most other states.

How to recognize possible fraud

You may not think it is a big deal if a person helping you with your visa application (or some other process meant to lead to your entrance into the U.S.) makes a mistake; however, such situations can not only delay your arrival, if you are already in the U.S., it may place you at risk for immediate deportation.

The following warning signs may help you avoid major trouble:

  • If a person or business advertises a guarantee for you to obtain a visa or green card, it is best to avoid this at all costs. There is no way to guarantee an outcome for a visa or green card application.
  • The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) never charges fees to download or print application forms. If you are visiting a website that is charging you to print a visa or green car application, it is not an official government site.
  • There are generally fees involved with the application process; however, if someone tells you he or she can expedite your process or otherwise assure your success if you pay an added fee, you may want to double check the offer. These claims often precede immigration fraud.
  • The U.S. government often holds visa lotteries; however, there is no way to guarantee that you will receive a winning ticket. If anyone tells you that he or she can secure your lottery success or improve your chances of winning, that person is trying to deceive you.

Emigrating from your country of origin to the United States can be stressful and frightening. The last thing you need is to fall victim to immigration fraud while trying to build a new life in the U.S.

What to do if you experience fraud

You can get in touch with the federal and state officials if you believe someone has committed fraud against you. Some situations are extremely complicated, which is why it also helps to speak with people who are well-versed in U.S. immigration law when trying to resolve a problem situation.