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Notario fraudIn Mexico and most of Latin America, a notario público is a lawyer with special legal training and authority. In the United States, a notary public only witnesses signatures and is not allowed to give immigration advice or represent you. Notario fraud happens when someone uses that difference to sell immigration services they are not licensed to provide.Scam protectionImmigration scams target people moving to the USA, Canada or Mexico with fake job offers, look-alike government websites, guaranteed-visa promises, fake lottery wins and calls from fake officials. The warning signs repeat: a guarantee, pressure to pay fast, and payment to a person instead of a government. USCIS and IRCC both say they never ask for fees by phone or through a private money transfer, and Mexico's INM tells people to pay only the official fees set by law.Temporary vs permanent residencyTemporary residency lets you live in a country for a set period and a specific purpose, such as work, study, or retirement income, while permanent residency lets you stay indefinitely with broad rights to work and live anywhere in the country. In the US permanent residency is the green card, in Canada it is PR status, and in Mexico it is residente permanente. Most people start with temporary status and later move to permanent residence, and permanent residence is usually the step before citizenship.Verify a lawyer or consultantBefore you pay anyone for immigration help, check their license on an official public register; it takes a few minutes and costs nothing. In the USA, look up attorneys in their state bar's directory and accredited representatives on the Justice Department roster. In Canada, use the law society directory for lawyers or the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) public register for consultants. In Mexico, check the lawyer's cédula profesional in the Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP) registry.
General information, not legal advice. NorthAmericans.com is independent and not affiliated with any government.