Papers

TERMS OF SERVICE

Effective Date: May 15, 2025

Welcome to Papers! These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the websites, applications, software, APIs, products, and services (collectively, the "Services") provided by The Papers Company LLC, a Washington limited liability company ("Papers," "we," "us," or "our"). Our slogan is "Moving freely, moving forward."

PLEASE READ THESE TERMS CAREFULLY. BY ACCESSING OR USING OUR SERVICES, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS, INCLUDING THE MANDATORY ARBITRATION PROVISION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER IN SECTION 16. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THESE TERMS, DO NOT ACCESS OR USE OUR SERVICES.

IF YOU ARE A LEGAL PROFESSIONAL OR LAW FIRM USING THE SERVICES ON BEHALF OF A CLIENT, YOU ARE AGREEING TO THESE TERMS ON BEHALF OF YOURSELF AND YOUR CLIENT, AND YOU REPRESENT AND WARRANT THAT YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO BIND YOUR CLIENT TO THESE TERMS. IN SUCH CASES, "YOU" AND "YOUR" WILL REFER TO BOTH YOU AND YOUR CLIENT.

Specific Services may be subject to additional terms and conditions, which are hereby incorporated by reference into these Terms (each an "Addendum"). In the event of a conflict between these General Terms and any Addendum, the terms of the Addendum shall prevail with respect to the specific Service it covers. Current Addenda include:

  • Immigration Papers Addendum
  • My Papers Addendum
  • Papers Checkpoint Addendum

We may revise these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated Terms on our website and/or by sending you an email or in-app notification to the address associated with your account. Your continued use of the Services after the Effective Date of the updated Terms constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

1. ELIGIBILITY AND ACCOUNT REGISTRATION

  • 1.1. Age Requirement: You must be at least 18 years of age to create an account and use our Services. By creating an account and using the Services, you represent and warrant that you meet this age requirement.
  • 1.2. Account Creation: To access certain features of our Services, you may be required to create an account. You can create an account using an email address and password, or through a supported third-party social login service (e.g., Google). If you use a social login, you authorize us to access and use certain account information from that service, and you agree to comply with the terms of service of that third-party provider (e.g., Google Terms of Service).
  • 1.3. Account Information: You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during the registration process and to update such information to keep it accurate, current, and complete. We require your email address (which must be verified) and name.
  • 1.4. Account Responsibility:
    • You are responsible for safeguarding your account password and for all activities that occur under your account. You agree to notify us immediately at [email protected] of any unauthorized use of your account.
    • You may only create an account and use the Services for yourself. You may not register an account or use the Services on behalf of another person or entity, except as explicitly permitted for Legal Professionals using "Immigration Papers" for their clients (see Immigration Papers Addendum) or for managing family members' documents within "My Papers" with their explicit consent (see My Papers Addendum). You may not store data of another individual without their explicit, verifiable consent, for which you are solely responsible.
  • 1.5. Single Account: You agree not to create or maintain more than one account without our express prior permission.
  • 1.6. Account Security: While Papers implements security measures, we cannot guarantee that unauthorized third parties will never be able to defeat our security measures. You acknowledge that you provide your personal information at your own risk.

2. USE OF SERVICES

  • 2.1. License to Use Services: Subject to your compliance with these Terms and any applicable Addenda, Papers grants you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, revocable license to access and use the Services for your personal, non-commercial use, or if you are a Legal Professional, for providing services to your clients in accordance with the Immigration Papers Addendum.
  • 2.2. Prohibited Conduct: You agree not to, and not to attempt to, directly or indirectly:
    • (a) Use the Services for any illegal or unauthorized purpose, or in violation of any applicable local, state, national, or international law or regulation.
    • (b) Reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or otherwise attempt to derive the source code, algorithms, underlying ideas, structure, organization, or other underlying components (such as AI models, model parameters, or model weights) of any software, API, or other technology included in or made available through the Services (except to the extent applicable law does not allow this restriction).
    • (c) Reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, resell, trade, or exploit any portion of the Services, use of the Services, or access to the Services, including the training data of models used by or made available through Papers, without our express prior written consent.
    • (d) Access or use the Services in a manner intended to avoid exceeding usage limits, quotas, or circumvent any fair usage policies.
    • (e) Use, or allow any third-party to use, the Services to, directly or indirectly, develop or improve a similar or competing product or service.
    • (f) Interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the Services or the data contained therein.
    • (g) Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Services or their related systems or networks.
    • (h) Upload, transmit, or distribute any computer viruses, worms, or any software intended to damage or alter a computer system or data.
    • (i) Use the Services to store or transmit infringing, libelous, or otherwise unlawful or tortious material, or to store or transmit material in violation of third-party privacy or intellectual property rights.
    • (j) Use any automated system, including without limitation "robots," "spiders," or "offline readers," to access the Services in a manner that sends more request messages to the Papers servers than a human can reasonably produce in the same period by using a conventional on-line web browser, unless explicitly permitted by Papers (e.g., public APIs, if offered).
  • 2.3. Fair Usage: Some Services, particularly free tiers or features, may be subject to fair usage limits (e.g., document upload size/quantity, AI generation frequency). We reserve the right to implement or modify such limits to ensure equitable access and system stability. Exceeding these limits may result in restricted access or the requirement to upgrade to a paid service.

3. FEES, PAYMENTS, AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

  • 3.1. Paid Services: Certain Services or features may require payment of fees. These fees will be disclosed to you before you incur them.
  • 3.2. Payment Processor: We use third-party payment processors (e.g., Stripe) to bill you for paid Services. The processing of payments will be subject to the terms, conditions, and privacy policies of the payment processor in addition to these Terms. We are not responsible for errors by the payment processor. By choosing to use paid Services, you agree to pay us, through the payment processor, all charges at the prices then in effect for any use of such paid Services in accordance with the applicable payment terms and you authorize us, through the payment processor, to charge your chosen payment provider (your "Payment Method").
  • 3.3. Subscriptions: If you purchase a subscription, it will automatically renew at the end of each subscription period unless you cancel it. You authorize us to charge your Payment Method for the renewal term.
  • 3.4. Promotions: We may offer promotional discounts or codes from time to time. Such promotions will be subject to their own specific terms and conditions.
  • 3.5. Taxes: All fees are exclusive of applicable taxes, levies, or duties imposed by taxing authorities, and you shall be responsible for payment of all such taxes, levies, or duties, excluding only United States (federal or state) taxes based solely on Papers' income.
  • 3.6. No Refunds (General): Except as expressly set forth in an Addendum (e.g., the limited refund policy in the Immigration Papers Addendum) or as required by applicable law, all fees are non-refundable.
  • 3.7. Changes to Fees: We reserve the right to change our fees or billing methods at any time. We will provide you with reasonable prior notice of any changes to existing fees that affect you.

4. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

  • 4.1. Papers' Intellectual Property: The Services, including but not limited to the website, applications, software, APIs, AI models (the models themselves, their architecture, parameters, and weights, but not the user-specific data fed into them or the user-specific outputs generated from such data), visual interfaces, graphics, design, compilation, information, data, computer code (including source code and object code), products, and all other elements of the Services ("Papers Materials") are owned and operated by Papers or our licensors and are protected by copyright, trademark, trade secret, patent, and other intellectual property laws. Papers reserves all rights not expressly granted in these Terms. You agree not to remove, alter, or obscure any copyright, trademark, service mark, or other proprietary rights notices incorporated in or accompanying the Services or Papers Materials.
  • 4.2. User Data and Content:
    • (a) Your Data: As between you and Papers, you retain all ownership rights you have in any information, documents, text, graphics, or other materials you upload, submit, store, send, or receive through the Services ("Your Data").
    • (b) License to Papers: You grant Papers a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable (as necessary to provide the Services, e.g., to our hosting providers) license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify (e.g., to reformat for display), communicate, publish (only if a Service feature explicitly allows you to make content public, which is not the current design), publicly perform, publicly display, and distribute Your Data solely for the limited purposes of operating, providing, maintaining, improving, and developing our Services, and as otherwise permitted by our Privacy Policy. This license continues even if you stop using our Services with respect to aggregated and de-identified data that cannot be used to identify you, and for residual backup copies of Your Data made in the ordinary course of our backup procedures (subject to our data retention and deletion practices).
    • (c) AI-Generated Content: For content specifically generated for you by the AI features within our Services based on Your Data (e.g., draft petition letters in "Immigration Papers") ("AI-Generated Content"), Papers grants you all rights, title, and interest in and to such AI-Generated Content, subject to your compliance with these Terms and any underlying rights in Your Data. You are solely responsible for the review, accuracy, and use of AI-Generated Content. Papers retains no rights to the specific AI-Generated Content created for you, other than the general license in Section 4.2(b) necessary to provide the Service. This does not grant you any rights to the underlying AI models or Papers Materials.
  • 4.3. Feedback: If you provide us with any feedback, suggestions, improvements, or ideas regarding the Services ("Feedback"), you hereby grant Papers a worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, fully paid-up, non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform, and display such Feedback for any purpose, without any obligation or compensation to you.

5. DATA PRIVACY AND SECURITY

  • 5.1. Privacy Policy: Your use of the Services is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which is available separately and is incorporated by reference into these Terms. Please review the Privacy Policy to understand our practices regarding your personal information.
  • 5.2. Data Security: We implement and maintain reasonable administrative, physical, and technical safeguards designed to protect the security, confidentiality, and integrity of Your Data. We guarantee that user data is encrypted both in transit and at rest and securely stored.
  • 5.3. User Control and Deletion: You maintain full control over Your Data. You can delete Your Data at any time through your account settings or by submitting a request to us. When you delete Your Data, it will be immediately and permanently deleted from our active systems and all replications, subject to our backup policies. Backups are automatically handled, and user data deletion will propagate to backups in due course according to our standard backup rotation and deletion schedules.
  • 5.4. No External Sharing or Marketing Use: We will never share Your Data externally with third parties for their own purposes (unless required by law or with your explicit consent for specific integrations you authorize) or use Your Data for marketing purposes unrelated to the direct provision of the Services to you.
  • 5.5. Anonymized/Aggregated Data: We may collect and analyze general usage metrics and anonymized or aggregated data derived from your use of the Services (e.g., user counts, amount of data processed, system performance statistics) for the purposes of operating, maintaining, improving, and developing our Services, and for security and operational management. This data will not contain any personally identifiable information attributable to you.

6. THIRD-PARTY SERVICES AND CONTENT

  • 6.1. Third-Party Integrations: The Services may integrate with or allow you to access third-party websites, applications, content, or services (e.g., Google Scholar, Google Sign-In, payment processors). Your use of such third-party services is subject to their respective terms and privacy policies. You are responsible for reviewing and complying with any third-party terms. Papers is not responsible or liable for the content, products, or services of third parties, or for any transactions you may enter into with them.
  • 6.2. Google Scholar: For "Immigration Papers," a courtesy service allows importing your publications from Google Scholar. Your use of this feature must be responsible and in accordance with Google's Terms of Service. Papers is not responsible for the availability or accuracy of information from Google Scholar.
  • 6.3. Links to Third-Party Sites: The Services, particularly "Papers Checkpoint," may contain links to third-party websites or resources (e.g., government agency websites). These links are provided for your convenience only. We do not endorse and are not responsible or liable for the availability, accuracy, content, products, or services of such third-party sites or resources. You assume all risk arising from your use of any third-party websites or resources.

7. DISCLAIMERS

  • 7.1. NO LEGAL ADVICE (ESPECIALLY FOR IMMIGRATION PAPERS):
    • THE SERVICES, INCLUDING "IMMIGRATION PAPERS," ARE NOT A LAW FIRM, DO NOT PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE, AND ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE ADVICE OF A QUALIFIED ATTORNEY. THE PAPERS COMPANY LLC IS NOT ENGAGED IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW.
    • Any information, templates, document generation, or suggestions provided by the Services (including AI-generated content) are for informational and self-help purposes only. They do not constitute legal advice, opinions, or recommendations about your legal rights, remedies, defenses, options, or strategies.
    • The law is complex, changes rapidly, and varies by jurisdiction. No general information or automated tool can fit every circumstance.
    • Your use of the Services does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and Papers.
    • You are solely responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and legal sufficiency of any information you provide and any documents or applications you prepare using the Services. You should review all generated content carefully.
    • ESPECIALLY FOR "IMMIGRATION PAPERS": THIS PRODUCT IS DESIGNED TO ASSIST WITH CERTAIN U.S. IMMIGRATION APPLICATIONS (SUCH AS NATIONAL INTEREST WAIVER (NIW) AND EB-1). ALL CONTENT AND OUTPUTS SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL LEGAL COUNSEL. THE ULTIMATE OUTCOME OF YOUR IMMIGRATION APPLICATION WILL DEPEND ON YOUR SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED. U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES' (USCIS) DECISION TO GRANT OR DENY AN APPLICATION IS DISCRETIONARY. WE CANNOT AND DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT YOUR APPLICATION WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO CONSULT WITH AN EXPERIENCED IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY TO DISCUSS YOUR SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES, ESPECIALLY FOR COMPLEX OR UNUSUAL CASES.
  • 7.2. "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE":
    • TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE SERVICES AND PAPERS MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.
  • 7.3. NO WARRANTY OF ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY:
    • PAPERS DOES NOT WARRANT THAT: (A) THE SERVICES OR PAPERS MATERIALS WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS; (B) THE SERVICES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, TIMELY, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE; (C) THE RESULTS THAT MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE USE OF THE SERVICES (INCLUDING ANY AI-GENERATED CONTENT OR INFORMATION FROM "PAPERS CHECKPOINT") WILL BE ACCURATE, COMPLETE, RELIABLE, OR UP-TO-DATE; OR (D) THE QUALITY OF ANY PRODUCTS, SERVICES, INFORMATION, OR OTHER MATERIAL PURCHASED OR OBTAINED BY YOU THROUGH THE SERVICES WILL MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS.
    • ANY RELIANCE YOU PLACE ON SUCH INFORMATION IS STRICTLY AT YOUR OWN RISK. WE DISCLAIM ALL LIABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY ARISING FROM ANY RELIANCE PLACED ON SUCH MATERIALS BY YOU OR ANY OTHER VISITOR TO THE SERVICES, OR BY ANYONE WHO MAY BE INFORMED OF ANY OF ITS CONTENTS.
  • 7.4. AI-GENERATED CONTENT: You acknowledge that AI-generated content is probabilistic and may not always be accurate, complete, or appropriate for your specific needs. You are solely responsible for reviewing, editing, and verifying any AI-Generated Content before using or relying on it.
  • 7.5. USER RESPONSIBILITY: You are solely responsible for your use of the Services and any decisions made or actions taken based on information or content obtained through the Services.

8. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

  • 8.1. NO INDIRECT DAMAGES: TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL PAPERS, ITS AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OR LICENSORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, USE, DATA, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES (EVEN IF PAPERS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES), ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO: (A) YOUR ACCESS TO OR USE OF, OR INABILITY TO ACCESS OR USE, THE SERVICES; (B) ANY CONDUCT OR CONTENT OF ANY THIRD PARTY ON THE SERVICES; (C) ANY CONTENT OBTAINED FROM THE SERVICES (INCLUDING AI-GENERATED CONTENT); (D) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS, USE, OR ALTERATION OF YOUR TRANSMISSIONS OR CONTENT; OR (E) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE SERVICES.
  • 8.2. LIABILITY CAP: TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY OF PAPERS, ITS AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OR LICENSORS TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE USE OF OR ANY INABILITY TO USE ANY PORTION OF THE SERVICES OR OTHERWISE UNDER THESE TERMS, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, OR OTHERWISE, IS LIMITED TO THE GREATER OF: (A) THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FEES, IF ANY, PAID BY YOU TO PAPERS FOR THE SPECIFIC SERVICE(S) GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM DURING THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE LIABILITY, OR (B) ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS (USD $100.00).
  • 8.3. BASIS OF THE BARGAIN: YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT PAPERS HAS OFFERED ITS SERVICES, SET ITS PRICES, AND ENTERED INTO THESE TERMS IN RELIANCE UPON THE WARRANTY DISCLAIMERS AND THE LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY SET FORTH HEREIN, THAT THE WARRANTY DISCLAIMERS AND THE LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY SET FORTH HEREIN REFLECT A REASONABLE AND FAIR ALLOCATION OF RISK BETWEEN YOU AND PAPERS, AND THAT THE WARRANTY DISCLAIMERS AND THE LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY SET FORTH HEREIN FORM AN ESSENTIAL BASIS OF THE BARGAIN BETWEEN YOU AND PAPERS.
  • 8.4. EXCLUSIONS: SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN WARRANTIES OR THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. ACCORDINGLY, SOME OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS SET FORTH ABOVE MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IF YOU ARE DISSATISFIED WITH ANY PORTION OF THE SERVICE OR WITH THESE TERMS OF SERVICE, YOUR SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY IS TO DISCONTINUE USE OF THE SERVICE.

9. INDEMNIFICATION

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Papers, its affiliates, licensors, and their respective officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents, licensors, suppliers, successors, and assigns from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to: (a) your violation of these Terms or any applicable Addendum; (b) Your Data, including any claim that Your Data infringes or misappropriates the intellectual property or other rights of any third party; (c) your use of the Services (including any AI-Generated Content or information from "Papers Checkpoint") in a manner not expressly authorized by these Terms or in violation of any law; or (d) your negligent or willful misconduct.

10. TERM AND TERMINATION

  • 10.1. Term: These Terms will remain in full force and effect while you use the Services.
  • 10.2. Termination by You: You may terminate your account and these Terms at any time by ceasing all use of the Services and deleting your account through the account settings, or by contacting us at [email protected].
  • 10.3. Termination by Papers: We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to suspend or terminate your access to all or part of the Services, with or without notice, for any reason or no reason, including, but not limited to, if we believe that you have violated or acted inconsistently with the letter or spirit of these Terms, violated our fair usage policies, or for any other conduct that we deem harmful to Papers, the Services, or other users.
  • 10.4. Effect of Termination: Upon termination of your account or these Terms for any reason:
    • (a) Your right to access and use the Services will immediately cease.
    • (b) We will delete Your Data in accordance with our data deletion practices (see Section 5.3), provided that we may retain copies as required by law or for legitimate business purposes (e.g., aggregated/anonymized data, residual backups).
    • (c) Any provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination shall survive, including, without limitation, ownership provisions (Section 4), warranty disclaimers (Section 7), indemnity (Section 9), limitations of liability (Section 8), dispute resolution (Section 16), governing law (Section 17), and miscellaneous provisions (Section 18).

11. MODIFICATIONS TO THE SERVICES

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, the Services (or any part thereof) with or without notice at any time. You agree that Papers will not be liable to you or to any third party for any modification, suspension, or discontinuance of the Services. We have no obligation to provide support, maintenance, upgrades, modifications, or new releases of the Services, except as may be agreed in a separate written agreement.

12. COMMUNICATIONS

By creating an account, you consent to receive electronic communications from Papers (e.g., via email to the address associated with your account, or by in-app notifications). These communications may include notices about your account (e.g., payment authorizations, password changes, and other transactional information) and are part of your relationship with us. You agree that any notices, agreements, disclosures, or other communications that we send to you electronically will satisfy any legal communication requirements, including that such communications be in writing. We may also send you promotional communications via email, which you can opt out of by following the unsubscribe instructions in those emails.

13. ACCESSIBILITY

Papers aims to provide accessible products and experiences. If you are unable to read any part of our website or applications, or otherwise have difficulties using our Services and require assistance, please contact us at [email protected], and we will endeavor to assist you.

14. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS

You agree to comply with all applicable local, state, national, and international laws and regulations in connection with your use of the Services, including but not limited to those related to data privacy, international communications, and the transmission of technical or personal data. You are solely responsible for ensuring that your use of the Services is in compliance with all applicable laws.

15. U.S. GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS

The Services and related documentation are "Commercial Items," as that term is defined at 48 C.F.R. §2.101, consisting of "Commercial Computer Software" and "Commercial Computer Software Documentation," as such terms are used in 48 C.F.R. §12.212 or 48 C.F.R. §227.7202, as applicable. Consistent with 48 C.F.R. §12.212 or 48 C.F.R. §227.7202-1 through 227.7202-4, as applicable, the Commercial Computer Software and Commercial Computer Software Documentation are being licensed to U.S. Government end users (a) only as Commercial Items and (b) with only those rights as are granted to all other end users pursuant to the terms and conditions herein.

16. DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND ARBITRATION

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY AS IT AFFECTS YOUR RIGHTS. IT REQUIRES YOU TO RESOLVE MOST DISPUTES WITH PAPERS THROUGH BINDING ARBITRATION ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, RATHER THAN JURY TRIALS OR CLASS ACTIONS.

  • 16.1. Informal Dispute Resolution: We want to address your concerns without needing a formal legal case. Before filing a claim against Papers, you agree to try to resolve the dispute informally by contacting us at [email protected] with a detailed description of your claim. We'll try to resolve the dispute informally by contacting you via email. If a dispute is not resolved within sixty (60) days after submission, you or Papers may bring a formal proceeding.
  • 16.2. Arbitration Agreement:
    • (a) Scope: You and Papers agree to resolve any claims relating to these Terms or the Services through final and binding arbitration, except as set forth under Exceptions to Agreement to Arbitrate below. This agreement to arbitrate is intended to be broadly interpreted.
    • (b) Arbitration Provider and Rules: The arbitration will be administered by the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") under its Consumer Arbitration Rules (the "AAA Rules") then in effect, except as modified by this "Dispute Resolution" section. The AAA Rules are available at www.adr.org. The arbitration will be held in King County, Washington, or any other location we agree to.
    • (c) Arbitrator: The arbitrator will be selected by the parties from the AAA's roster of commercial dispute arbitrators. If the parties are unable to agree on an arbitrator within thirty (30) days of delivery of the Demand for Arbitration, then the AAA will appoint the arbitrator in accordance with the AAA Rules.
    • (d) Fees: Your responsibility to pay any AAA filing, administrative, and arbitrator fees will be solely as set forth in the AAA Rules. If your claim for damages does not exceed $10,000, Papers will pay all such fees unless the arbitrator finds that either the substance of your claim or the relief sought in your Demand for Arbitration was frivolous or was brought for an improper purpose (as measured by the standards set forth in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11(b)).
    • (e) Arbitrator's Decision: The arbitrator will render an award within the time frame specified in the AAA Rules. The arbitrator's decision will include the essential findings and conclusions upon which the arbitrator based the award. Judgment on the arbitration award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. The arbitrator's award of damages must be consistent with the terms of the "Limitation of Liability" section above as to the types and the amounts of damages for which a party may be held liable. The arbitrator may award declaratory or injunctive relief only in favor of the claimant and only to the extent necessary to provide relief warranted by the claimant's individual claim.
  • 16.3. No Class Actions: YOU AND PAPERS AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING. Further, unless both you and Papers agree otherwise, the arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims and may not otherwise preside over any form of a representative or class proceeding. If this specific provision is found to be unenforceable, then the entirety of this arbitration agreement section shall be null and void.
  • 16.4. Exceptions to Agreement to Arbitrate:
    • (a) Small Claims: Either party may bring a qualifying claim in small claims court in King County, Washington, or any United States county where you live or work.
    • (b) Injunctive Relief: Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may seek emergency equitable relief before a state or federal court in order to maintain the status quo pending arbitration and/or to prevent irreparable harm. A request for interim measures shall not be deemed a waiver of the right to arbitrate.
    • (c) Intellectual Property: Claims of infringement or misappropriation of the other party's patent, copyright, trademark, or trade secret rights shall not be subject to this arbitration agreement. Such claims shall be exclusively brought in the state or federal courts located in King County, Washington.
  • 16.5. 30-Day Right to Opt-Out: You have the right to opt out of the provisions of this Arbitration Agreement by sending written notice of your decision to opt out to: The Papers Company LLC, Attn: Arbitration Opt-Out, 10711 8th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125, or by email to [email protected], within 30 days after first becoming subject to this Arbitration Agreement. Your notice must include your name and address, your Papers username (if any), the email address you used to set up your Papers account (if you have one), and an unequivocal statement that you want to opt out of this Arbitration Agreement. If you opt out of this Arbitration Agreement, all other parts of these Terms will continue to apply to you. Opting out of this Arbitration Agreement has no effect on any other arbitration agreements that you may currently have, or may enter in the future, with us.

17. GOVERNING LAW AND VENUE

These Terms and any action related thereto will be governed by the laws of the State of Washington, United States of America, without regard to its conflict of laws principles. Except as otherwise expressly set forth in Section 16 (Dispute Resolution and Arbitration), the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of any action with respect to the subject matter of these Terms will be the state and federal courts located in King County, Washington, and each of the parties hereto waives any objection to jurisdiction and venue in such courts.

18. MISCELLANEOUS

  • 18.1. Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any applicable Addenda, constitute the entire and exclusive understanding and agreement between Papers and you regarding the Services, and these Terms supersede and replace any and all prior oral or written understandings or agreements between Papers and you regarding the Services.
  • 18.2. Severability: If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable by an arbitrator or a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible and the other provisions of these Terms will remain in full force and effect.
  • 18.3. No Waiver: The failure of Papers to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not be considered a waiver of such right or provision. The waiver of any such right or provision will be effective only if in writing and signed by a duly authorized representative of Papers.
  • 18.4. Assignment: You may not assign or transfer these Terms, by operation of law or otherwise, without Papers' prior written consent. Any attempt by you to assign or transfer these Terms, without such consent, will be null and of no effect. Papers may freely assign or transfer these Terms without restriction. Subject to the foregoing, these Terms will bind and inure to the benefit of the parties, their successors, and permitted assigns.
  • 18.5. Headings: Headings are for convenience only and shall not be used to limit or construe the provisions of these Terms.
  • 18.6. Force Majeure: Papers shall not be liable for any failure to perform its obligations hereunder where such failure results from any cause beyond Papers' reasonable control, including, without limitation, mechanical, electronic, or communications failure or degradation.
  • 18.7. Contact Information: If you have any questions about these Terms or the Services, please contact us at:
    The Papers Company LLC
    10711 8th Ave NE
    Seattle, WA 98125
    Email: [email protected]

IMMIGRATION PAPERS ADDENDUM

This Immigration Papers Addendum ("Immigration Addendum") is part of The Papers Company LLC Terms of Service ("Terms") and applies to your use of the "Immigration Papers" service ("Immigration Service"). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Immigration Addendum have the meanings given to them in the Terms.

1. SERVICE DESCRIPTION

The Immigration Service utilizes artificial intelligence ("AI") to assist individuals and authorized Legal Professionals in evaluating eligibility for certain U.S. immigration pathways (e.g., National Interest Waiver (NIW), EB-1), assembling applications, and drafting related documents such as petition letters, recommendation letters, expert opinion letters, business plans, and future plans. Features include personal information input, evidence mining, document list generation, and courtesy import of publications from Google Scholar. The vision is to simplify the immigration application process for everyone.

2. CRITICAL DISCLAIMERS – NO LEGAL ADVICE OR GUARANTEE OF SUCCESS

  • 2.1. INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY: THE IMMIGRATION SERVICE AND ALL CONTENT, TOOLS, AND AI-GENERATED OUTPUTS ARE PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL AND SELF-HELP PURPOSES ONLY. THEY ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL LEGAL ADVICE FROM A QUALIFIED IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY. PAPERS IS NOT A LAW FIRM AND DOES NOT PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE, OPINIONS, OR RECOMMENDATIONS.
  • 2.2. NO ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP: Your use of the Immigration Service does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and Papers.
  • 2.3. USER RESPONSIBILITY FOR REVIEW AND ACCURACY: You are solely responsible for reviewing all information you input and all documents generated by the Immigration Service (including AI-Generated Content) for accuracy, completeness, and legal sufficiency. AI output is probabilistic and may contain errors or omissions. You must carefully verify all generated content.
  • 2.4. DISCRETIONARY NATURE OF IMMIGRATION DECISIONS: The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and other relevant government authorities have sole discretion in adjudicating immigration applications. The outcome of your application depends on numerous factors, including your specific circumstances, the evidence you present, and the adjudicator's discretion.
  • 2.5. NO GUARANTEE OF SUCCESS: PAPERS DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT YOUR IMMIGRATION APPLICATION WILL BE APPROVED OR THAT YOU WILL ACHIEVE ANY PARTICULAR OUTCOME. THE IMMIGRATION SERVICE IS A TOOL TO ASSIST YOU; IT DOES NOT ENSURE A FAVORABLE RESULT.
  • 2.6. SUPPORTED PATHWAYS AND COMPLEX CASES: The Immigration Service currently supports specific U.S. immigration pathways (e.g., NIW, EB-1). It is not designed for, and should not be used for, other immigration pathways or for complex, unusual, or high-risk cases. If your case involves complexities, prior immigration violations, criminal history, or other unusual factors, you should consult with a qualified immigration attorney. Papers is not responsible for any misuse of the Immigration Service for unsupported pathways or unsuitable cases.
  • 2.7. CONSULT AN ATTORNEY: It is highly recommended that you consult with an experienced immigration attorney to discuss your specific circumstances, eligibility, and application strategy before filing any application, regardless of whether you use the Immigration Service.

3. FEES AND REFUND POLICY

  • 3.1. Service Tiers: The Immigration Service may offer features free of charge, subject to fair usage limits (e.g., document upload quantity/size, AI generation limits). A one-time fee may be required to assemble a final application package ready for submission ("Application Assembly Fee"). Optional add-on purchases for higher usage limits or additional features may also be available.
  • 3.2. Limited Refund Policy for Application Assembly Fee:
    • (a) Subject to the conditions herein, Papers offers a full refund of the Application Assembly Fee ONLY IF your immigration application, for which the fee was paid and which was assembled using the Immigration Service, is ultimately and finally rejected (denied) by USCIS.
    • (b) This refund does not apply to:
      • Intermediate USCIS actions such as a Request for Evidence (RFE), Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID), or other similar notices.
      • Applications withdrawn by you.
      • Applications rejected due to your failure to respond to USCIS requests, submission of fraudulent information or documents, misrepresentation, or other actions or omissions on your part.
      • Add-on charges or fees for the "Assist by Attorney" feature.
      • Applications filed by Legal Professionals on behalf of their clients.
    • (c) To claim a refund, you must provide official documentation from USCIS confirming the final rejection of your application within sixty (60) days of the rejection date. Papers reserves the right to verify the claim.
    • (d) This refund policy is not a guarantee of application success and does not alter the disclaimers in Section 2.

4. "ASSIST BY ATTORNEY" MARKETPLACE FEATURE

  • 4.1. Platform Only: The Immigration Service may include an "Assist by Attorney" feature, which is a marketplace connecting users with independent immigration attorneys. Papers is solely a platform provider and does not endorse, recommend, or guarantee the services of any attorney listed.
  • 4.2. No Attorney-Client Relationship with Papers: Any engagement or communication with an attorney through this feature establishes an attorney-client relationship directly between you and the attorney, not with Papers.
  • 4.3. Attorney Responsibility: Attorneys are solely responsible for the legal advice and services they provide, their professional conduct, and compliance with all applicable ethical rules and laws.
  • 4.4. Fees for Attorney Services: Fees for attorney services are determined and charged by the attorneys themselves. Papers may charge a separate service fee for facilitating the connection through the marketplace, which will be disclosed to you. This service fee is distinct from any fees paid to the attorney and is not covered by the refund policy in Section 3.2.
  • 4.5. Disclaimers: Papers is not a party to any agreement between you and an attorney and disclaims all liability related to the attorney's services, advice, or conduct. Any disputes regarding attorney services must be resolved directly with the attorney.

5. USE BY LEGAL PROFESSIONALS

  • 5.1. Eligibility: If you are a licensed legal professional or a representative of a law firm ("Legal Professional") using the Immigration Service to assist your clients, you represent and warrant that:
    • (a) You are duly licensed to practice law in the relevant jurisdiction(s) and are in good standing with all applicable bar associations.
    • (b) You have obtained all necessary consents and authorizations from your client to use the Immigration Service on their behalf and to input their personal information and documents into the Service.
    • (c) You will comply with all applicable professional conduct rules and ethical obligations.
  • 5.2. Responsibility for Client Matters: As a Legal Professional, you are solely responsible for:
    • (a) All legal advice provided to your clients.
    • (b) Reviewing and verifying the accuracy and sufficiency of all information and documents generated by the Immigration Service before using them for your client's case.
    • (c) The ultimate outcome of your client's application. The refund policy in Section 3.2 does not apply to applications prepared by Legal Professionals.
    • (d) Maintaining the confidentiality of your client's information in accordance with applicable laws and professional obligations.
  • 5.3. No Misrepresentation: You shall not misrepresent your use of the Immigration Service to your clients or imply that Papers is providing legal advice or guaranteeing any outcome for your client.

6. DATA AND DOCUMENT HANDLING

  • 6.1. User Uploads: You may upload various documents containing personal and sensitive information (e.g., resumes, diplomas, employment letters, financial statements, research papers, news articles) to the Immigration Service. You are responsible for ensuring you have the right to upload such documents.
  • 6.2. Data Storage and Retention: Your uploaded documents and data will be stored by Papers for as long as we continue to provide the Immigration Service to you, or until you delete them, subject to the Terms and our Privacy Policy. Papers may introduce specific data retention or deletion policies in the future, with notice as provided in the Terms.

MY PAPERS ADDENDUM

This My Papers Addendum ("My Papers Addendum") is part of The Papers Company LLC Terms of Service ("Terms") and applies to your use of the "My Papers" service ("My Papers Service"). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this My Papers Addendum have the meanings given to them in the Terms.

1. SERVICE DESCRIPTION

The My Papers Service is a passport and travel document management application designed to allow users to securely store digital copies of their travel documents (e.g., passports, visas, residence permits) for easy access. Features may include notifications for expiring documents and a browser extension for auto-filling passport information on compatible websites. Future integrations with "Papers Checkpoint" may provide additional travel insights.

2. DOCUMENT STORAGE AND RESPONSIBILITY

  • 2.1. Your Documents: You can store digital copies of your personal travel documents and those of your family members for whom you have explicit consent and legal authority to manage such information. You represent and warrant that you have obtained all necessary permissions from any individual whose documents you store in the My Papers Service.
  • 2.2. Accuracy: You are solely responsible for the accuracy and validity of the documents and information you store in the My Papers Service.
  • 2.3. Security: While Papers employs security measures as described in the Terms, you acknowledge that storing sensitive documents digitally carries inherent risks. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials.

3. BROWSER EXTENSION

  • 3.1. Purpose: The My Papers browser extension is designed to assist with auto-filling your stored passport or travel document information into online forms (e.g., visa applications, travel bookings).
  • 3.2. Permissions and Data Access: The browser extension requires permission to access the content of web pages you visit to identify relevant forms for auto-filling. However:
    • (a) The extension is designed to be inactive unless you are actively interacting with a form it recognizes as suitable for auto-fill or you manually activate it.
    • (b) The extension does not process, track, or record the web pages you visit or your general browsing activity for any other purpose than facilitating the auto-fill function.
    • (c) The only data the extension accesses for auto-fill purposes is the document information you have stored within your My Papers account and explicitly choose to use.
  • 3.3. User Discretion: You have control over when and if the auto-fill feature is used on any particular website.

4. NO GUARANTEE OF COMPATIBILITY OR ACCURACY OF AUTO-FILL

The auto-fill feature may not be compatible with all websites or forms. Papers does not guarantee that the auto-fill feature will work correctly on all websites or that the information filled will always be placed in the correct fields. You are solely responsible for reviewing any auto-filled information for accuracy and completeness before submitting any online form.

5. FUTURE FEATURES AND FEES

The My Papers Service is currently offered free of charge. Papers reserves the right to introduce premium features or a subscription model for the My Papers Service in the future, with prior notice as per the Terms.

PAPERS CHECKPOINT ADDENDUM

This Papers Checkpoint Addendum ("Checkpoint Addendum") is part of The Papers Company LLC Terms of Service ("Terms") and applies to your use of the "Papers Checkpoint" service ("Checkpoint Service"). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Checkpoint Addendum have the meanings given to them in the Terms.

1. SERVICE DESCRIPTION

The Checkpoint Service is a visa and documentation platform for individual travelers and travel industry partners.

2. INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY – CRITICAL DISCLAIMERS

  • 2.1. NOT OFFICIAL OR CONCLUSIVE: THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE CHECKPOINT SERVICE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. IT IS NOT OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT ADVICE AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED CONCLUSIVE AS TO YOUR ABILITY TO ENTER, DEPART, OR TRANSIT THROUGH ANY COUNTRY OR REGION.
  • 2.2. DATA SOURCES AND UPDATES: We endeavor to source visa requirement information from authoritative and official sources (e.g., government agencies, immigration authorities, embassies). This information is subject to frequent changes, and while we strive to keep it updated, WE CANNOT AND DO NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, CURRENCY, OR RELIABILITY OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE CHECKPOINT SERVICE.
  • 2.3. VERIFY WITH OFFICIAL SOURCES: YOU MUST VERIFY ALL VISA AND TRAVEL DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS WITH OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT SOURCES (E.G., EMBASSIES, CONSULATES, OFFICIAL IMMIGRATION WEBSITES OF THE RELEVANT COUNTRIES) BEFORE MAKING ANY TRAVEL PLANS OR PURCHASING TICKETS. We may provide links to such sources, but you are responsible for consulting them directly.
  • 2.4. EXCEPTIONS AND WAIVERS NOT COVERED: Visa and immigration policies often contain specific exceptions, waivers, or conditions that may apply to individual circumstances. The Checkpoint Service cannot practically cover all such nuances.
  • 2.5. ULTIMATE DISCRETION OF AUTHORITIES: Immigration officers and other relevant government officials at ports of entry have the ultimate discretion to grant or deny entry to a country, regardless of documentation held. Airlines and other transportation carriers also have their own policies and discretion regarding passenger boarding.
  • 2.6. NO LIABILITY FOR TRAVEL DECISIONS: Papers shall not be liable for any loss, damage, costs, or expenses incurred as a result of reliance on information provided by the Checkpoint Service, or due to denial of entry, boarding, or other travel disruptions. Your travel decisions are made at your own risk.

3. USE OF SERVICE AND API

  • 3.1. Permitted Use: You may use the Checkpoint Service directly through our provided interfaces (website or application) for personal, non-commercial itinerary planning.
  • 3.2. No API Misuse: You may not access or use any underlying API of the Checkpoint Service for purposes other than directly viewing the information through our intended user interfaces, nor may you scrape, resell, or redistribute the information provided by the Checkpoint Service without our express prior written permission.

4. FUTURE FEATURES AND FEES

The Checkpoint Service is currently offered free of charge. Papers reserves the right to introduce premium features or fees for the Checkpoint Service in the future, with prior notice as per the Terms.