Applying for a US Green Card or Student Visa? Here Are Some Common Immigration Scams to Avoid
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) cautions individuals applying for different immigration benefits such as green cards or entering the Diversity Visa lottery to avoid common immigration scams.
Here are some ways to avoid being scammed:
- Avoid scam websites: USCIS cautions that websites claiming to be affiliated with USCIS ask for payment to download forms they say are USCIS forms. USCIS says they never ask anyone to pay a fee to download a form. You should also make sure the website you use to download forms is affiliated with uscis.gov and that it ends with .gov.
- Winning the Visa Lottery: USCIS does not manage the Diversity Visa program (Green Card Lottery). The program is run by the Department of State. Additionally, neither the USCIS nor the Department of State will send you an email informing you that you have been selected, or to ask for payment regarding the Diversity Visa program.
- Payment by phone or email: USCIS says it will never ask anyone to transfer money to an individual. USCIS also does not accept MoneyGram, PayPal, Western Union, or gift cards for payment of immigration fees. The agency also does not ask for money over the phone or email. Only some immigration fees are payable online, at https://myaccount.uscis.dhs.gov. Most other immigration fees are accepted by mailing a check or money order written to ‘Department of Homeland Security’.
- Job Offers: USCIS advises people to be cautious if they receive job offers from overseas or by email, saying scammers send fake job offers to victims abroad and then request payment for the fake employment process to start. USCIS states that even if you have a valid job offer in the US, you are not allowed to work in the US unless you have a green card, a work permit, or a work-related visa.
- Students: Those seeking to move to the US to study are advised to make sure they apply through an accredited college on university in the US and have a valid Form I-20 in order to be granted an F-1 student visa.
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Comments (6)
Dear Kenyans in the US
Can you please tell me, bila matusi au prejudice, what is so alluring about living in the US that some people even lie to immigration just to be there? I visited recently and seriously didn't prefer the US to Kenya. Did I miss something? Please enlighten me.
Hehehe sometimes i don't get it too especially if you don't have papers playing cat & mouse with authorities doing very odd jobs
You visited for a very short time and I am sure you were in a cave throughout your visit. How else can you come to these United States and fail to notice the order, the structure and the predictability that makes life far much easier in the US compared to Kenya? Government truly works, no bribery, there’s efficiency at all levels. There is enough work for anybody who wants to work and the list goes on and on. Surely, you must have visited and stayed under a bridge throughout your stay here
You missed sooo much that I wonder where and whether you indeed visited. What does one who 'visits' go to? They only go to one place or hop to different places to visit spots. Have you seen a jungu who visited Kenya describe it? That makes the difference between visiting and living.
Low unemployment, excellent roads, no bribing the police when I am driving a rugged car, no lining up for hrs in the bank just to withdraw a big amt, reasonable pay for reasonable work, washer dryer dishwasher already installed when I rent an apartment and am not rich, don't need to know sbody to get a good job just hard work. Believe me I will come back home when I retire so that I don't be employed there.East or west home is the best but not under the above conditions of living. I can list more if u need me to.
Low unemployment, excellent roads, no bribing the police when I am driving a rugged car, no lining up for hrs in the bank just to withdraw a big amt, reasonable pay for reasonable work, washer dryer dishwasher already installed when I rent an apartment and am not rich, don't need to know sbody to get a good job just hard work. Believe me I will come back home when I retire so that I don't be employed there.East or west home is the best but not under the above conditions of living. I can list more if u need me to.