Ten Things to Watch Out for in an Online Forum

Hardly a week goes by where I don’t hear a client mention that they heard something on a blog/chatroom and want to do what this other person recommended. Years ago when I first started hearing clients talk about these chatrooms I took a look for myself at the type of information out there, and occasionally now I’ll go back and look around at what people are saying in these forums. Every time I look I can’t help but cringe at all the inaccurate advice people are giving each other. While I can certainly understand that many individuals are seeking clear and unbiased information on immigration questions (and that often people want to know if they are getting the best advice from their immigration attorneys), I can’t stress enough how careful readers should be of taking advice from others on the Internet. Below is a list of ten of the more common inaccuracies/misinformation (which I've paraphrased) I have seen on blogs and in chatrooms. (Trust me, this is not an all-inclusive list).

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I love you. You’re perfect. Now, we need a visa.

When I became an immigration attorney, something happened that I wasn’t quite expecting. I found myself curious about the immigration aspects of strangers’ lives. From the famous actress on the Oscars’ red carpet who is speaking with that lovely accent to the athlete from Eastern Europe joining the NBA to the random bike messenger with a brogue, I wanted to know the path that led them to the US. It was more than that, too. When Justin Bieber was arrested (multiple times) my first thought was, “How will this affect his immigration status?” When George Clooney became engaged to a British woman, my mind immediately went to what kind of a visa would she get (and then shortly thereafter to, “Guess my chances are gone”).

Needless to say, I love all things pop culture, and that includes reality television. So, when Joseph sent me a link to TLC’s 90 Day Fiance, I was immediately intrigued.

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