Advice From an Immigration Lawyer in Canada On How to Avoid Visa Scams
If you are applying for immigration to Canada, you need to pay attention to avoid being scammed. Visa scams, both in person and online, take advantage of uninformed individuals who wish to live and work in Canada. Always look for a qualified immigration lawyer in Canada that can give you advice and help you with your immigration application.
A recent advisory from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) warns of some fake visa and immigration lotteries being offered online by individuals making promises of guaranteed visas, work permits, jobs, and scholarships in Canada.
These scams aren’t just found online, though. A criminal ring scamming victims out of thousands of dollars by offering fake Canadian visas and travel documents was reported by the Toronto Star in India in 2009. According to the article, Indian police cracked down on a fake Canadian visa operation that may have scammed people out of more than $650,000. Scammers approached victims outside of the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi and offered visas out of a fake travel and tourism company office in Punjab. Victims of the scam were charged up to $21,000 for these fake documents that would not grant them entry to Canada.
To avoid visa scams, it’s important to understand how the Canadian immigration process works. Always refer to official Canadian immigration sources. Familiarize yourself with the IRCC website and consult a qualified immigration lawyers in Canada for assistance.
Although the guarantee of a Canadian visa sounds appealing, people who say they can guarantee a visa for you are not providing you accurate information. There are no guarantees in the Canadian immigration process. The Canadian immigration process may be rigorous, but there are steps you can take to ensure you are on the right track with your application in order to increase the chances of a positive outcome. Canada has many legitimate and easy-to-access resources to help you with the immigration process.
By doing your research, staying informed, and contacting a qualified immigration lawyer in Canada, you can avoid being a victim of costly scams.
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Arghavan Gerami
Arghavan Gerami is the Founder and Senior Counsel at Gerami Law Professional Corporation ('PC'), a full-service immigration law firm in Ottawa, Ontario. Since 2011, Ms. Gerami has focused her practice on immigration and refugee litigation. Prior to that, Ms. Gerami worked at the Ministry of Attorney General and the Department of Justice and had the privilege of serving the Honourable Mr. Justice M. Evans at the Federal Court of Appeal on immigration and administrative law appeals. Ms. Gerami contributes to the Immigration Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association, the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Ms. Gerami has also published numerous journal articles and presented at various immigration and refugee law conferences and events across Canada.