A common statement I hear from people I meet with when discussing their immigration cases with them is that the Internet has a lot of information and they don’t know what is correct and what isn’t. They tell me they’ve read message boards with horror stories, or that they’ve somehow clicked on so many websites that they don’t know what to believe. As with most things, you can’t always believe what you read. I do believe some are legitimate sources of immigration law information, while there are plenty of others that are not. Also, most of the time, each immigration case has its own set of unique facts and circumstances, so when someone is saying they received an approval for their case in X amount of time, or that they have a work permit, and you’re wondering why your case hasn’t been approved, or why you don’t have a work permit, understand that your case may be a completely different type of immigration case form the other person’s.
I thought it would be helpful to provide some good websites where you can find reliable information about U.S. immigration laws and resources. Here are some of them:
USCIS – This site is the website for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. This website is where you will find immigration forms and general information about immigration benefits that can be applied for. Remember, the immigration forms are always free. If you’ve ended up on a website that is asking you to pay for the immigration forms, don’t do it.
Visa Bulletin – You can find the monthly visa bulletin on this website.
U.S. Consulates – You can find a listing of all the U.S. consulates and embassies around the world.
American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) – I am a member of this organization, and although this site is more geared toward immigration lawyers, you can still find helpful immigration information on this site.
U.S. Department of Labor – This page is relevant for those who are looking to hire foreign workers.
U.S. Passports – Find information about applying for, replacing, or changing information on a U.S. passport.
Selective Service Registration – You can find out about registering for the U.S. Selective Service. Generally, males between ages 18 and 25 must register to apply for immigration benefits.
Executive Office for Immigration Review – This is where you can find out information about the immigration courts.
Immigrant Legal Resource Center – This is a non-profit organization where you can find various resources for immigrants, including a guide to living in the U.S. for immigrant youth, a guide to community resources, anti-fraud assistance, and more.