You
are an immigration assistance service provider if you provide any type of
service for a fee that relates to customers’ immigration status. This
includes filling out immigration forms.
Immigration assistance
service providers must follow New York City Law and Rules. Note: The law and
rules do not apply to nonprofit groups charging no fees or nominal fees,
lawyers, or government agencies.
Under the law, you must:
Give customers contracts and separate receipts that itemize all services
and fees
Maintain a bond, irrevocable letter of credit, or contract of indemnity
Post the following four signs where customers will see them, in both
English and any other language in which you provide
services: 1. Non-Attorney Disclosure
Sign 2. Fee Schedule & Cancellation
Policy Sign 3. Consumer Complaint
Sign 4. Surety Disclosure Sign
State in all business advertisements that you are not lawyers and cannot
give legal advice
Sign each immigration form you prepare for a customer
You may not:
Give customers legal advice, including telling them which
immigration forms to fileor coaching them for immigration
interviews
Tell customers you have special influence with immigration authorities
Keep customers’ original documents, like birth certificates
These tips are only summaries of requirements. You must read the
law and rules carefully to get more detailed information about what you must
and may not do. See RESOURCES section for the law and rules.
DCA inspects businesses to make sure they comply with
requirements.
In one
complete guide, learn what an immigration assistance service provider can and
cannot do; read about Executive Order 41 which protects people seeking City
services; review an immigration assistance service model contract; and learn
the differences between a Notario Público and a Notary Public. Download the
guide
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