By Kieran C. O’Sullivan, Immigration Counselor

IPC Banquet

I want to remind readers that our annual fundraiser is coming up on Saturday Oct. 13th. This is the 25th Anniversary Banquet and Celebration. There will be music by Kevin Doherty and friends, and Irish dancing by Brady Academy of Irish Dance. Fr. Dan Finn, one of the founders of the IPC 25 years ago, who has worked for decades helping immigrants will be our guest of honor. Tickets are now available. Call or email us for more details.

Diversity Visa lottery

The State Department has released details of the application period for this year’s Diversity Visa (DV) 2014 lottery. Online registration for the DV-2014 Program will begin on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), and conclude on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time.

The Department of State has issued warnings on a number of websites advertising the DV program. They state there have been instances of fraudulent websites offering help at a fee to the public to apply to the Diversity Visa Program. Some companies posing as the US Government have sought money in order to "complete" applications. It should be noted that applicants selected in the Diversity Visa random drawing are notified by the Department of State, Kentucky Consular Center, to proceed to the next steps in visa processing. No other organization or office is authorized by the Department of State to notify Diversity Visa program applicants. Come to our legal clinic on Oct. 2nd if you have any questions on the DV.

Finding an attorney

Aidan, an Irish man now residing in the Carolinas called me recently after he married a US citizen. Because he resides so far outside our jurisdiction, I referred him to an attorney for the immigration process as he is now going to file for legal permanent residency. Local attorneys in Boston were able to give me some names for him in his state.

People need to be careful when hiring a professional in any field of work. We encourage readers to get references from people and immigrant support organizations on attorneys they are considering hiring for an immigration application or petition.

If you are hiring an attorney to do an immigration related case, hire an attorney specializing in immigration law. The same can be said if you are facing a criminal charge: you would be advised to find an attorney specializing in criminal law.

Find out if the attorney you are about to hire is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). The Irish Apostolate USA has Irish immigrant support centers in different cities across the USA. A list of our centers can be viewed at www.ipcboston.org

US Citizenship and “green card” interviews

We remind people who are filing applications for US citizenship and applying for status after marriage to US citizens to have our attorneys review them paperwork ahead of time at our monthly clinic. We also prepare people for their interviews at our clinics.

October legal clinic

Dan Harrington and Chris Lavery are among leading experts in the field of immigration, naturalization and removal law. Immigrants can have free one to one consultations with them at our legal clinics. Our next legal clinic at the Banshee, 934 Dorchester Ave, Dorchester, will be on Oct. 2nd. It begins at 630 pm.

Email me your immigration query or a topic you would like us to cover today: Kieran@ipcboston.org

 Disclaimer: Please note that the information contained in it is provided to inform generally, and is not intended as a substitute for individual advice. Immigration law is subject to frequent changes and individual circumstances can affect the application of certain legal provisions. For individual legal advice, please contact the Irish Pastoral Centre directly regarding upcoming legal clinics or consultation with an immigration attorney.