People who want status in Canada are a target for fraud. The protection is simple, and it takes a couple of minutes: know who is allowed to charge you, and check that the person in front of you is one of them.
Who may charge for advice
Canadian law allows only three kinds of professional to charge a fee for advising or representing you on a citizenship or immigration application:
- Lawyers and paralegals in good standing with a provincial or territorial law society.
- Notaries in good standing with the Chambre des notaires du Québec.
- Consultants in good standing with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants.
Anyone else who takes payment for that work is acting unlawfully, and the government will not deal with them.
You don't have to use anyone
The government's forms and guides are free, and you can apply on your own. Using a representative does not get an application special attention or make approval more likely.
Who doesn't need a licence
A person is not acting as a representative if they don't advise you on what to apply for, don't complete your application, and don't deal with the government for you. Translators are the usual example. Genealogical research and record retrieval fall on the same side of the line: finding a baptism record is not advising on an application.
The moment someone starts telling you whether you qualify, or fills in the form for you, for a fee, they need to be licensed.
How to verify
- Ask for the person's full name and licence or membership number. A real representative gives it without hesitation.
- Look them up on their regulator's public register: the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, the law society of their province, or the Chambre des notaires du Québec.
- Check that the name, the number and the status all match, and that the status is active.
- Ask for a written agreement before you pay anything.
The Government of Canada has a page that walks through this: Find out if your representative is authorized.
Warning signs
- A guaranteed result, or a guaranteed date.
- Claims of special access or contacts inside the government.
- A service advertised as free that asks for payment later.
- Pressure to pay quickly, in cash, or without a receipt.
- Being asked to sign blank forms.
- Any suggestion that you leave something out, change a fact or use a document that isn't genuine.
The last one matters most. Misrepresentation on an application is your legal problem, not just theirs.
Where we stand
Maple Lineage is a research company, not a licensed representative. We find and document family lines. We don't advise on eligibility or file applications. That part of the work is done by a licensed representative whose details you can check on the public register, and we encourage you to.
Sources
- Learn about representatives, Government of Canada
- Find out if your representative is authorized, Government of Canada
- Protect yourself from fraud, Government of Canada
- Citizenship Act, section 21.1, Justice Laws Website
This article is general information, not legal advice. Citizenship law turns on the facts of each family line. A licensed representative can advise you on your own situation.