A quick question - Is this legal?

[WheresMyLawyer 0]

I'm wondering if this is legal, as if it is not I will cease communication with them.  About two weeks ago I spoke to an immigration lawyer who said he could find me a join-sponsor for a "small fee" as I'm having trouble finding one for my marriage in California.

 

I'm bringing a girl in from abroad, I am a U.S. citizen but broke my back not too long ago and am in the process of figuring out if I qualify for SSDI etc. so thought in the mean time I'd get married but I have a very small family, I'm left to a couple of aunts I haven't spoken to in 30+ years so suddenly showing up asking "hey will you sponsor this random girl in for me?" may not be looked upon favorably.

 

So as I heard the immigration lawyer tell me this, I felt a rush of relief but the more I think about it I am worrying if it's legit / legal etc.  If it's a standard practice then great, if it's sketchy I'm back to square one unfortunately.  Thanks for looking!

[EmilyW 1,512]

This sounds scammy.  The joint sponsor is supposed to ensure that the immigrant will not become a public burden.  If they ask 'how do you know this sponsor', and you reply 'Well, my lawyer found a sponsor who I don't know, and I paid them $500 to be a joint sponsor', that won't look good, IMO, and won't create the sense of comfort needed to assure them that WE (taxpayers) won't end up having to pay for her.

 

I think it's worth you making sure that you have the financial capability to support her.  Take your time figuring out your income, expenses, future earnings etc.  And then sponsor her with confidence.

Edited 16 hours ago by EmilyW

[Dashinka 24,717]

I agree with @EmilyW, this sounds very much like a scam.  You have time, establish and stabilize your financial situation, work with your friends and close acquaintances and see where things end up.

 

Good Luck!  

[OldUser 7,243]

More importantly, is lawyer searchable on https://www.ailalawyer.com/?

 

If not, maybe they're not an immigration lawyer? This offer would break my trust in this person. I wouldn't file a case with them. 

Edited 11 hours ago by OldUser

[Boiler 45,907]

Perhaps the Lawyer is charging a small fee, a joint Sponsor would want a large fee.

[wildbug100420 155]

8 hours ago, WheresMyLawyer said:

I'm wondering if this is legal, as if it is not I will cease communication with them.  About two weeks ago I spoke to an immigration lawyer who said he could find me a join-sponsor for a "small fee" as I'm having trouble finding one for my marriage in California.

 

I'm bringing a girl in from abroad, I am a U.S. citizen but broke my back not too long ago and am in the process of figuring out if I qualify for SSDI etc. so thought in the mean time I'd get married but I have a very small family, I'm left to a couple of aunts I haven't spoken to in 30+ years so suddenly showing up asking "hey will you sponsor this random girl in for me?" may not be looked upon favorably.

 

So as I heard the immigration lawyer tell me this, I felt a rush of relief but the more I think about it I am worrying if it's legit / legal etc.  If it's a standard practice then great, if it's sketchy I'm back to square one unfortunately.  Thanks for looking!

The fact that an attorney is offering it sounds like a scam. That's not their job to locate a joint sponsor 

[SalishSea 18,072]

Absolutely not legal or legit.   If you can’t afford to sponsor an immigrant and have no eligible joint sponsor, you can’t buy one.   Fix your financial situation with a better paying job or 2nd job.

[Gabriel5454 19]

As far as I am aware (I am not a lawyer) the law does not specify that any prior relationship exist between you (the petitioner) and the joint sponsor, nor does it prohibit providing incentives to someone to sign the contract.  I'm happy to be proven wrong on this point with specific evidence to the contrary.  However as others have pointed out correctly, if you are considering SSDI it may be very important to consider your financial situation realistically and whether you will be able to support someone financially, who may need time to adjust or not be able (or willing) to work.

[OldUser 7,243]

19 minutes ago, Gabriel5454 said:

As far as I am aware (I am not a lawyer) the law does not specify that any prior relationship exist between you (the petitioner) and the joint sponsor, nor does it prohibit providing incentives to someone to sign the contract.  I'm happy to be proven wrong on this point with specific evidence to the contrary.  However as others have pointed out correctly, if you are considering SSDI it may be very important to consider your financial situation realistically and whether you will be able to support someone financially, who may need time to adjust or not be able (or willing) to work.

Your point about petitioner not needing to have relationship with sponsor is valid. However, would you sign paperwork for a random person? I wouldn't. If somebody wants to charge for it, there's just high possibility they're charging several people and committing fraud.

 

See related, not exactly same, but you get an idea:

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-migrant-sponsorship-program-paused-cuba-haiti-nicaragua-venezuela/

 

I wouldn't want to pay $500 and discover the" joint sponsor" sponsored 100 other people and doesn't really qualify based on income.

 

 

 

Edited 5 hours ago by OldUser

[Gabriel5454 19]

4 minutes ago, OldUser said:

Your point about petitioner not needing to have relationship with sponsor is valid. However, would you sign paperwork for a random person? I wouldn't. If somebody wants to charge for it, there's just high possibility they're charging several people and committing fraud.

 

See related, not exactly same, but you get an idea:

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-migrant-sponsorship-program-paused-cuba-haiti-nicaragua-venezuela/

 

 

 

 

It would only be fraud if the person sponsoring multiple immigrants lied about it on the forms, no?  One person can sponsor multiple (unrelated) immigrants, but as I recall the forms ask have you ever sponsored another immigrant before, in which case you must answer yes and give their information.  

 

I dwell on this point because I am surprised people rush to the conclusion that this practice is illegal or immoral in some way.  The I-864 is essentially a way for the US government to protect itself from financial liability by making the petitioner (and joint sponsor) responsible in case the immigrant becomes financially dependent on the government.  If someone wants to sign such a form and take this responsibility, who is to say it is wrong?

[Ontarkie 14,375]

Run from that lawyer, we have seen more than enough news reports of lawyers and scams they are pulling. Having you pay for someone to sign the I-864 is just not going to end well. 

 

I know you are trying to figure out SSDI? By the time the visa interview comes around you may have it already, but the issue is will it be enough to sponsor on your own?

 

Do you have any close friends who you can ask?

[OldUser 7,243]

34 minutes ago, Gabriel5454 said:

It would only be fraud if the person sponsoring multiple immigrants lied about it on the forms, no?  One person can sponsor multiple (unrelated) immigrants, but as I recall the forms ask have you ever sponsored another immigrant before, in which case you must answer yes and give their information.  

 

I dwell on this point because I am surprised people rush to the conclusion that this practice is illegal or immoral in some way.  The I-864 is essentially a way for the US government to protect itself from financial liability by making the petitioner (and joint sponsor) responsible in case the immigrant becomes financially dependent on the government.  If someone wants to sign such a form and take this responsibility, who is to say it is wrong?

Sponsorship as a service is what smells fishy in all of this. USCIS didn't build a marketplace for petitioners to shop for sponsors. The government doesn't need fradulent sponsors who are unable to pay back or aren't there if and when they're required by government to fulfill their obligations. 

 

I do not say what OP is describing 100% fraud or illegal. But it has all potentials to trigger fraud investigation by USCIS. If I was OP, I wouldn't want to be answering to immigration official how I knew / found the sponsor. Just imagine that: "I don't know him officer. I just paid $500 to get him sign I-864". I want to see officer's facial expression at that point. There's going to be large chunk of USCIS fraud unit involved in investigating this, especially under new administration. 

 

 

[Boiler 45,907]

With the potential liability $50k would be more like it

[WheresMyLawyer 0]

2 hours ago, SalishSea said:

...Fix your financial situation with a better paying job or 2nd job.

 

Kinda hard to do with a broken back.  My previous job was a good paying job, making shy of 70k a year as an aerospace welder.  But then the accident happened, snap went the back and now I can barely walk (even with walking aids) or even lay flat without a plethora of pain throughout my back.

 

I'm working on SSDI now as they do not believe I will be able to return to work thanks to the extensive damage.  And they tell me currently the wait times can be extremely long due to the ongoing emergency.  At times I can't even feel my legs.  They tell me it's all been "stabilized" but the coming and going of the feelings in my legs every time I sneeze or slightly adjust myself scare me.  But I'm digressing, I apologize.

 

I feel you all have raised some valid concerns and points on the matter and feel I will be looking elsewhere.  I don't want to spend 10-15k only to have it all crumble because the lawyer did something to set off USCIS suspicions.  I'd rather wait then.

 

Thank you all. 

 

[Boiler 45,907]

Joint Sponsor is the solution