Avoid these mistakes when filing immigration forms

Coming to the United States as an immigrant requires you to fill out and file a lot of paperwork. Mistakes are common when filling out the form but can also be costly.

A mistake on your immigration forms may cause the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to delay your application or deny it altogether. The Miami Herald identifies some of the most serious mistakes when filling out immigration paperwork.

Submitting original documents

Do not submit original documents unless the directions ask you to. Send photocopies instead.

Leaving forms partially blank

You must fill out each of the forms completely. Each form must bear your vital information, including your date of birth, your name and your Alien number if you have one.

Binding or stapling documents

You can use paper clips to keep your forms together, but USCIS asks that you do not staple them. Avoid binders or folders as well because the documents must be easy to separate.

Submitting corrected forms

If you make a mistake when filling out your forms, USCIS recommends that you start over with a new form. Corrections make the forms hard to read by scanners.

Using colored ink

Black ink is the only color acceptable for filling out immigration forms. You must fill out your answers in the spaces provided and write legibly so that USCIS employees can clearly read them.

Using outdated forms

To be sure you have the most up-to-date forms, you can download the forms from the USCIS website. If you fill the forms out electronically and then print them out, you can avoid a lot of other issues, such as illegible handwriting.

Immigration forms are very complex, but you have to be careful when filling them out. Otherwise, it could have serious consequences for your wish to immigrate to the United States.