Who can legally help with immigration
- Licensed attorneys, in good standing with a state bar.
- DOJ-accredited representatives at recognized nonprofit organizations.
- Document preparation services, which can help you fill in forms you choose, following your instructions, but cannot tell you which forms to file, predict outcomes, or represent you. Advocasí is one of these, and says so on every page.
Five warning signs
- Guarantees. Nobody can guarantee a visa, a green card or a court result.
- "Notario" or "immigration consultant" giving legal advice. In the U.S. a notary only witnesses signatures.
- Pressure to pay cash now, or to sign blank forms.
- Refusing to give you copies of what was filed, or filing under their own address so you never see the mail.
- Promises of a "new law" or a "special program" you can't find on the government's own website.
How to check in ten minutes
- Attorney: search the state bar's public lookup by name.
- Accredited representative: search the DOJ roster.
- Document preparer: they should state plainly, in writing, that they are not a law firm and do not give legal advice, with prices listed before you pay.
- Any of the three: a physical address you can visit and a receipt for every payment.
If you were scammed
Report it to your state attorney general's consumer protection office and to the Federal Trade Commission. Reporting does not affect your immigration case, and many states have programs to help victims of notario fraud. A legal aid organization from this directory can tell you what options exist.
Common questions
- Is a document preparation service a scam?
- Not by itself. It is legitimate when it says clearly what it is and isn't, shows prices up front, follows your instructions, and never advises you on which path to take. It becomes a scam the moment it promises results or gives legal advice.