# Common immigration help mistakes to avoid

Common mistakes people make when they look for immigration legal help: trusting a notario, paying before they check the DOJ register, signing blank forms and believing a promise of a visa.

Updated 2026-10-20. Also on the [web page](https://immigrationhelp.fyi/guides/common-immigration-help-mistakes).

Trusting a notario is a serious mistake. In the United States a notario or immigration consultant is not a lawyer and cannot represent you. Fraud operators use the title notario to look like lawyers. This site never lists notarios or unlicensed consultants. Only a licensed lawyer, or a DOJ-accredited representative working for a DOJ-recognized organization, may give you immigration legal advice. Use the immigration fraud warning checklist on this site. It asks five questions to help you spot common warning signs.

Paying before you check the DOJ register is another common mistake. Every listing on this site names the register its facts come from. You can check the DOJ EOIR Recognition and Accreditation roster on justice.gov for free. The roster is a PDF that lists recognized organizations and accredited representatives by state and city. If a person is not on the roster and is not a licensed lawyer, they cannot represent you. Do not pay before you check.

Signing a blank form is a trap. Never sign a form you have not read or had translated for you. Honest providers give you a written contract and a receipt for every payment. Never pay for blank government forms, which are free.

Believing a promise of a visa is a mistake. No one can guarantee a visa or a case win. A guarantee is a classic fraud sign, and so is a claim of a secret government connection. Stop before you pay or sign.

Paying cash without a receipt leaves you with no proof. A request for cash only is a warning sign. Get a written receipt for every payment. Keep copies of every form you sign. Keep your original documents and give copies only.

Trusting an organization name without checking the person is risky. A recognized organization gives legal services through attorneys or accredited representatives. A listing on this site does not prove that each staff member may give legal advice. The person who handles your case must be a licensed lawyer or a DOJ-accredited representative. Check the person, not only the organization. A licensed lawyer appears on a state bar register. An accredited representative appears on the DOJ EOIR roster.

Waiting to look for help can make things harder. Start to look for a provider as soon as you know you need one. Ask each provider early about any dates that apply to your case.

Giving up after one call is another mistake. A provider may not have space, or may take only some case types. Call two or three providers before you decide that none can help. Ask each one which cases it takes and when it can see you.

This guide is not legal advice. For advice about your own case, ask a qualified professional: a licensed lawyer or a DOJ-accredited representative.

## Sources

- [US DOJ EOIR Recognition & Accreditation roster](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/recognized-organizations-and-accredited-representatives-roster-state-and-city)
- [US DOJ EOIR List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/list-pro-bono-legal-service-providers)

## Questions

### I paid someone who said they could help. What do I do now?

Report suspected fraud to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov, to your state attorney general and to USCIS through its fraud-reporting page. Then find an authorized provider on the DOJ roster.

### Should I fill in immigration forms myself?

This site cannot answer that for your case. Ask a licensed lawyer or a DOJ-accredited representative at a DOJ-recognized organization before you file anything.

### Is a notario the same as a lawyer?

No. In the United States a notario or immigration consultant is not a lawyer and cannot represent you. Only a licensed lawyer or a DOJ-accredited representative working for a DOJ-recognized organization may give immigration legal advice.

### When should I check a provider?

Check the provider on the DOJ register before you pay, before you sign anything and before you share personal information.

> **Not legal advice.** ImmigrationHelp is a directory, not a law firm. Nothing on this site is legal advice, and using it does not create an attorney-client relationship. A listing is not a recommendation. Every provider listed is authorized by the US Department of Justice as shown in the source named on each listing; confirm details with the provider before you share information or pay. Beware of immigration fraud: a 'notario' or immigration consultant is not a lawyer and cannot represent you. To report a mistake, write to hello@immigrationhelp.fyi.