Despite what current events might infer, immigration is nothing new. People have been exploring the world for hundreds, if not thousands, of years and establishing homes in new territory long before the Mayflower landed in the New World. Unfortunately, with border controls and strict immigration laws, moving abroad is no longer as simple as hopping on a boat and hoping for the best. There are a lot of legalities and paperwork involved in migrating to America, the United Kingdom, and anywhere else in the world. The last thing you want is trouble with the immigration laws, so much sure you avoid these common mistakes.
Submitting documents in native language without certified English
Most people assume that the US Immigration Offices (USCIS) already has records of birth certificates, marriage licence, and other necessary documents. They do, but since they receive hundreds of these documents every day, so they won’t take the time to translate them for you. Other applicants try to translate their own documents, which more often than not leads to a rejected application. You need to have these documents translated and certified by a professional translator if you want to avoid lost time and excess stress. All translations must be word-for-word, which includes your name.
Ignore immigration interviews
The thought of having to go to court for a hearing might seem terrifying, but it’s an integral part of the application process. If you’re nervous about what to expect in the interviews and hearings, reach out to a lawyer who will give you some helpful immigration resources, and talk you through each step of the process. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that your case will be approved even if you don’t show up for an interview; it won’t. However, don’t assume you’ll be rejected no matter what you do.
Send paperwork to wrong office
To avoid any unnecessary delays to your application, make sure you read all your documents carefully and send them to the correct USCIS office. You might be lucky enough to have someone forward it to the correct office, but it’s more likely that the documents will ben returned to you, and you’ll have to send them all over again.
Not paying the fees
There is a fee for filing the forms and it must be included when you send off your paperwork. USCIS will not process applications that are received without the right fee. If you are unable to pay this fee, then you must request a waiver. Some applicants have assumed in the past that the USCIS will understand their inability to pay their fees and submit their applications without the fee or a fee waiver request; they won’t.
Getting caught in a scam
No one likes going through the immigration paperwork by themselves, so when they receive an email promising to help, it’s very tempting to accept. Unfortunately, these are very likely to be a scam, which will cost you and the system large amounts of money. It’s best to just get on with it yourself.
