How to become an immigration forms specialist

An Immigration Specialist must have a Bachelor’s degree, relevant work experience of 2 to 4 years, and complete the USCIS basic training program. You must also possess analytical, organization, and communication skills. An Immigration Specialist earns a median salary of about $62,674.

There are 3 different groups of individuals who can help: lawyers, accredited representatives and Immigration Forms Specialists.

The Florida notary and the practice of law

A Florida notary may also give oaths, make certificates of oaths and perform marriages. Notary publics cannot give legal advice; nor can they prepare immigration forms while holding themselves out as knowledgeable in immigration law and practice.

IMPORTANT: The government updates immigration forms regularly, so always visit USCIS.gov to make sure you’re using the latest version of a form. Keep in mind that while immigration forms are available for free, you’ll often have to pay a processing fee.

Paralegals can prepare your paperwork, but cannot go to court or immigration interviews with you. They also can‘t go to an immigration office to discuss your case with officers and supervisors like lawyers can. Notaries and consultants cannot represent you either in court or at the immigration office.

Duties of an Immigration Paralegal

Immigration paralegals usually work for government agencies, or for firms that focus on immigration law. An immigration paralegal works with immigration attorneys in the process of helping clients through the citizenship process or in deportation proceedings.

And paralegals and other attorney personnel is no longer able to call the customer service line to obtain information on a client’s case. In short, the government is giving the cold shoulder to immigrants, immigration attorneys and United States citizens with immigrant family members.

USCIS Contact Center

The toll-free phone number for the USCIS Contact Center is 1-800-375-5283 (TTY for the deaf, hard of hearing, or person with a speech disability: 1-800-767-1833).

Dial 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) and ask your question in English or Spanish. The system will answer your question and can send you links to forms and information by email or text.

Paralegals help immigration lawyers expedite cases by completing and submitting all forms and documents in a timely manner; communicating with the appropriate government agencies; communicating with clients throughout the process; and preparing for litigation, if necessary.

Most immigration officers must hold a bachelor’s degree at minimum, though previous governmental experience can sometimes be substituted. More advanced roles often require at least one year of graduate studies.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, paralegals make an average of $50,940 a year. The position’s pay can vary dramatically. The lowest 10% of paralegals earn less than $31,400, and the highest 10% earn more than $82,050. They may also earn a bonus every year, depending on their employer.

Highly organized (this is on 99% of the lists you’ll find) Good communication skills (another popular “trait or characteristic” associated with paralegals) Excellent research and writing skills. Ability to multitask.