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Rebecca Jo

Don't Be a Victim of Immigration Fraud

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http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:IzRRNTxDQLUJ:cliniclegal.org/sites/default/files/FilingcomplaintsagainstNotariosandImmigrationConsultants_1.pdf+can+immigration+consultants+advertise&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjqcZItrNLFTQpQC6JHKDUamUHcCKndf_qHY8MpRKA9jDaWaOLlyii6G6btedjzjcxOoxTZOmu--hJuHtcte7CEo6sy2_km_KB86DLdN1n_c6mXoM6i5F1e9fy6spWvPji3Zpl0&sig=AHIEtbTnUE0T0w-sskjnRzX3NSONZzaWHw

"The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) is the federal administrative appellate court for immigration law

in the United States, and it authorizes six categories of people who can provide representation for

immigration purposes. Two common categories are attorneys and accredited representatives. Accredited

representatives are non-attorneys who the BIA authorizes to provide immigration legal services.

A non-profit, religious, charitable, social service or similar organization that charges only nominal fees

and that has adequate knowledge, information, and experience in immigration law can apply to the BIA to

receive recognition to provide immigration legal services. In addition, it can apply to the BIA to obtain

accreditation for its staff to provide immigration legal services. Refer to 8 CFR §§292.1, 292.2, 1292.1,

and 1292.2 for the federal authority on who can provide immigration legal representation and how

charitable, nonprofit agencies can gain recognition and accreditation for their staff to provide immigration

legal services.

If you want to verify whether a person (non-attorney) or agency is authorized to provide immigration

legal services, then check the website of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), the

umbrella organization that runs the immigration courts in the United States, for the most current list of

agencies that are authorized to provide immigration legal services as well as the most current list of

people who are accredited by the federal government to provide immigration legal services. The website

can be found at: http://www.usdoj.gov/eoir/statspub/raroster.htm (last visited August 24, 2006)."

Our journey together on this earth has come to an end.

I will see you one day again, my love.

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
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Don't mean to be a stickler, but what you're describing here isn't immigration fraud. It's someone holding themselves out to be qualified to provide a professional service that they aren't really qualified to provide. It's a form of business fraud.

I'm also curious what your motive was in posting this. I haven't really noticed this to be a big problem with VJ members. Did you see a post by someone whose case was wrecked by a consultant?

12/15/2009 - K1 Visa Interview - APPROVED!

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Don't mean to be a stickler, but what you're describing here isn't immigration fraud. It's someone holding themselves out to be qualified to provide a professional service that they aren't really qualified to provide. It's a form of business fraud.

I'm also curious what your motive was in posting this. I haven't really noticed this to be a big problem with VJ members. Did you see a post by someone whose case was wrecked by a consultant?

The title of this thread is from the title of the USCIS page linked in Post #1.

So if USCIS calls unlicensed consultancy immigration fraud, that's good enough for me.

It's a problem on VJ.

And that's all I'm going to say about that.

Our journey together on this earth has come to an end.

I will see you one day again, my love.

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
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The title of this thread is from the title of the USCIS page linked in Post #1.

So if USCIS calls unlicensed consultancy immigration fraud, that's good enough for me.

Fair enough, then I suppose my criticism is better directed at USCIS. Calling this "immigration fraud" is akin to calling a non-attorney who gives legal advice to a client seeking a divorce "marriage fraud", or an unlicensed contractor who performs repairs or construction "real estate fraud". The term "immigration fraud" has a widely accepted meaning that's completely different from the one they used.

It's a problem on VJ.

And that's all I'm going to say about that.

Again, fair enough, but this could be interpreted at being aimed at virtually anyone who has ever answered a question on VJ.

12/15/2009 - K1 Visa Interview - APPROVED!

12/29/2009 - Married in Oakland, CA!

08/18/2010 - AOS Interview - APPROVED!

05/01/2013 - Removal of Conditions - APPROVED!

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
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Free advice from the internet is worth exactly what is paid for it.

Nobody here should be taking any one person's word on anything. When I was going through my process, I didn't even ask any questions - I just read the forum archives, going back hundreds of threads, scanning for anything related to my query. Search helped too.

And if I had the slightest doubt about a piece of advice, I would A ) make sure it squared with the general consensus on the issue, paying careful attention to dissenting opinions, and B ) not hesitate to ask a more authoritative source - like CBP or the Consulate I interviewed at.

That said, no one here is claiming to be a professional, and certainly no one here is trying to charge money for legal advice or professional consultancy. Therefore there is no provision of professional immigration legal services here - just a bunch of people with reasonably relevant experience. And that's perfectly fine.

DON'T PANIC

"It says wonderful things about the two countries [Canada and the US] that neither one feels itself being inundated by each other's immigrants."

-Douglas Coupland

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Again, fair enough, but this could be interpreted at being aimed at virtually anyone who has ever answered a question on VJ.

As long as the answers on this board remain from a DIY perspective, and as long as those answering do not hold themselves out to be professionals, and as long as no one collects a fee, then it does not apply.

That said, no one here is claiming to be a professional, and certainly no one here is trying to charge money for legal advice or professional consultancy. Therefore there is no provision of professional immigration legal services here - just a bunch of people with reasonably relevant experience. And that's perfectly fine.

Yes, as long as your qualifiers apply, then everything is fine.

Fair enough, then I suppose my criticism is better directed at USCIS. Calling this "immigration fraud" is akin to calling a non-attorney who gives legal advice to a client seeking a divorce "marriage fraud", or an unlicensed contractor who performs repairs or construction "real estate fraud". The term "immigration fraud" has a widely accepted meaning that's completely different from the one they used.

Why would you get legal advice from a non-attorney?

Our journey together on this earth has come to an end.

I will see you one day again, my love.

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Vietnam
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Why would you get legal advice from a non-attorney?

A great many attorneys give exceedingly bad advice. You don't need to look any farther than this board to find many cases where attorneys have thoroughly screwed their clients by giving them the wrong advice. Many of those people got better and more accurate advice on this board.

12/15/2009 - K1 Visa Interview - APPROVED!

12/29/2009 - Married in Oakland, CA!

08/18/2010 - AOS Interview - APPROVED!

05/01/2013 - Removal of Conditions - APPROVED!

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A great many attorneys give exceedingly bad advice. You don't need to look any farther than this board to find many cases where attorneys have thoroughly screwed their clients by giving them the wrong advice. Many of those people got better and more accurate advice on this board.

We do read such stories, that is true. I'm certain (as I am sure you are) that some of these stories are about attorneys who are not family immigration specialists. Accepting fee for service in an area one is not trained in, or licensed in, is fraud, attorney or otherwise.

At any rate, my message has nothing to do with the volunteer membership of this board who donate their time and opinions to the community. Not at all.

Edited by Rebecca Jo

Our journey together on this earth has come to an end.

I will see you one day again, my love.

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  • 2 weeks later...
 
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