IMMIGRATION: DO AND DON'T

If you are applying for an IMMIGRATION benefit like Citizenship, Naturalization, or Legal Permanent Residency, DO:

1. Hire an attorney.
2. Gather RECORDS like (1) birth certificates, (2) marriage certificates/licenses, (3) divorce decrees/orders, (4) criminal records, (5) passports, visas and I-94s, and (6) any other records your attorney requests.
3. Gather INFORMATION like (1) your employers' names and contact information dating back at least 5 years; (2) your educational records, i.e. names of schools attended, addresses, and periods of attendance; (3) your physical addresses for the last 5 years; (4) your parents' names, dates of birth, and places of birth; and (5) children's names, dates of birth and place of birth.

But, DON'T:

1. Fill out immigration-related forms without the assistance of an attorney
2. Hire a notary public to help you fill out legal documents and immigration applications.
3. Misrepresent information on your immigration applications.
4. Submit incomplete immigration applications to the USCIS.