Notario Fraud: Why You Should Only Work with a Licensed Immigration Attorney

Notario fraud is one of the most damaging and persistent problems facing immigrant communities in South Los Angeles and across the United States. Every year, thousands of immigrants lose money, lose their immigration cases, and lose their chance at legal status because they trusted someone who presented themselves as an immigration professional but had no legal authority to help them.

In Latin America, a notario publico (public notary) is a highly trained legal professional, often the equivalent of a licensed attorney. This makes the word 'notario' trustworthy in the countries many of our clients come from. But in the United States, a notary public is simply someone who can witness signatures on documents. A US notary has no special legal training and no authority to give legal advice or prepare immigration applications.

Unscrupulous individuals in immigrant communities take advantage of this cultural confusion. They call themselves 'notarios,' 'immigration consultants,' 'immigration specialists,' or 'document preparers,' charge high fees, and promise results they cannot legally or competently deliver. Some even set up offices that look like law firms, with formal-looking diplomas and certificates on the wall that are meaningless.

The damage notarios cause goes far beyond wasted money, although that is serious too. A notario may file an incorrect form, miss a critical deadline, file an application the client does not qualify for, or, worst of all, file an application that triggers a USCIS investigation into the client's immigration history and leads to a Notice to Appear and removal proceedings. We have seen all of these situations at Gracie Johnson Law.

In some cases, the damage is irreversible. If a notario files an asylum application without your knowledge or on incorrect grounds, and the application is denied, you may be permanently barred from filing a real asylum case. If they submit fraudulent documents on your behalf, you face a finding of fraud that can bar you from most future immigration benefits.

The warning signs of notario fraud: they guarantee results or promise a green card quickly; they do not have a California State Bar number (you can verify at calbar.ca.gov); they use titles like 'immigration consultant,' 'notario,' or 'specialist'; they ask you to sign blank forms; they charge unusually low fees or unusually high fees for simple services; they do not give you copies of documents they file on your behalf.

If you have already been a victim of notario fraud, do not give up. In some cases, the damage can be partially repaired, for example, by filing a motion to reopen, demonstrating that you received ineffective assistance from a non-attorney. This is a complex legal argument that requires a real attorney to pursue.

At Gracie Johnson Law, every case is handled directly by Attorney Gracie Johnson, a member of the California State Bar (Bar #276536) and the American Immigration Lawyers Association. You speak with the attorney, not a paralegal or document preparer. Before you trust anyone with your immigration case, verify they are licensed at calbar.ca.gov. And if you have questions or concerns about immigration help you have received, call us at (310) 554-4630 for a confidential evaluation.