Terms & Conditions

Otips Inc. Terms & Conditions

Last updated: May 5, 2025

These Terms & Conditions (the “Terms”) form a binding agreement between Otips Inc. (“Otips,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) and any person or entity (“you” or “User”) that accesses or uses our websites, applications, or services (collectively, the “Services”). By accessing or using the Services, you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy (incorporated by reference). If you do not agree, do not use the Services.

1) Company & Contact Information

Otips Inc. (a Wyoming corporation)
Registered address: 1603 Capitol Ave, STE 310, Cheyenne, WY 82001
Mailing address: 1311 Park St #1006, Alameda, CA 94501
Email: [email protected]

Notices. Notices to Otips must be sent by email to [email protected] (subject line: Legal Notice) and by mail to our Mailing address above. For service of process, deliver to Otips’ registered agent on file with the Wyoming Secretary of State. We may provide notices to you by email, in-product message, or SMS/WhatsApp. You may opt out of non-essential texts at any time by replying STOP.

2) What Otips Does (Role & Services)

Otips operates a marketplace and administrative support platform that helps Users:

Explore and apply to educational institutions in the United States (e.g., language schools, high schools, colleges/universities, including certain Day 1 CPT programs), and
Prepare and organize application materials (including government forms) based solely on User-provided information.

Otips may, upon request, introduce you to independent third-party providers (e.g., schools, housing, insurance, banking partners, and independent attorneys). Otips is not a law firm, does not provide legal advice or legal representation, and does not guarantee any outcome by a school or government agency. You are solely responsible for the accuracy and completeness of all information and documents you submit.

Important: Government and school decisions are outside our control. Admissions, I‑20 issuance, SEVIS/SEVP actions, USCIS adjudications, visa stamping, and port‑of‑entry decisions are made by third parties and may change without notice. SEVIS record creation, maintenance, termination, reactivation, and reinstatement decisions are made solely by SEVP‑certified institutions and/or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (including ICE/SEVP). Otips does not control these decisions and is not responsible for any SEVIS termination or its consequences.

3) No Legal Advice; Attorney Introductions

No attorney-client relationship. Information provided by Otips (including FAQs, templates, and automated guidance) is general and not legal advice. Your use of the Services does not create an attorney‑client relationship with Otips.

Attorney introductions. Upon request, Otips may introduce you to independent, third‑party attorneys. Any legal engagement is exclusively between you and the attorney; Otips is not a party to that relationship, does not supervise the attorney’s work, and does not share in legal fees. You are responsible for reviewing the attorney’s terms and conflicts policies.

State compliance. Where applicable, Otips complies with state rules governing non‑lawyer immigration assistance (e.g., required notices or bonds). Otips will provide required state disclosures upon request. Otips employees and contractors are not permitted to provide legal advice.

4) Eligibility; Accounts

You must be 18 years or older (or have verifiable parental/guardian consent) and capable of entering a binding contract.
You must provide accurate information and keep your account credentials secure. You are responsible for all activity under your account.
We may refuse, suspend, or terminate the Services for non‑payment, suspected fraud, policy violations, or to comply with law.

5) Fees, Deposits, Refunds & Chargebacks

Service fees. Otips service fees are displayed at checkout or in your order form. Government and school fees (e.g., SEVIS, USCIS, tuition) are paid to third parties and are separate from Otips service fees.

Deposits. Deposits are applied to Otips’ administrative services and may be forfeited if: (i) you withdraw after Otips begins work; or (ii) you enroll at a non‑partner institution after Otips has delivered the agreed Services. We will clearly identify which services your deposit covers before you pay.

Refunds. Except where prohibited by law, Otips service fees become non‑refundable once Services begin. We will issue a refund or credit if: (a) we charge you in error; or (b) we fail to deliver a paid Service due to Otips’ fault. Government/school/third‑party fees are not refundable by Otips. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.

Chargebacks. You agree not to file a chargeback for amounts that are subject to these Terms. Before disputing a charge, you will contact [email protected] so we can investigate. Unresolved, bad‑faith, or abusive chargebacks may lead to suspension, collections, or legal action.

Payment processors. We use third‑party payment processors. Your payments are subject to their terms. We do not store full card numbers.

When Services begin. For refund purposes, Services are deemed to begin when we perform any of the following, whichever occurs first: (a) conduct a live or asynchronous consultation; (b) open a case/ticket and review your intake; (c) contact or submit an application to a school on your behalf; or (d) start preparing government or school forms or checklists.

Cancellations & partial refunds (before filing). If you cancel before any immigration filing (e.g., before submitting Form I‑539) and except where prohibited by law, partial refunds of the Otips Service Fee apply as follows. Pass‑through fees paid to third parties (e.g., school tuition/fees, SEVIS, USCIS, courier, evaluation, translations) are not refundable by Otips.

Stage 0 — within 48 hours of purchase and before Services begin: 100% refund of the Otips Service Fee (less any non‑refundable payment‑processor fees actually incurred).
Stage 1 — initial advising & intake review completed; school shortlist prepared: Otips retains 30% of the Service Fee; 70% refunded.
Stage 2 — school application submitted and admission/I‑20 issued: Otips retains 70% of the Service Fee; 30% refunded.
Stage 3 — I‑539 packet/checklists drafted but not filed: Otips retains 90% of the Service Fee; 10% refunded.
Stage 4 — after any immigration filing or payment of government fees via Otips: Otips Service Fee is non‑refundable.

Process. To request a cancellation/refund, email [email protected] with your full name, case ID, and reason. We may request reasonable documentation of work performed. Approved refunds are processed to the original payment method within 10 business days.

Conflicts. If a signed order form or statement of work provides a different refund schedule, that document controls to the extent of any conflict.

6) School Placement; Transfers; Change of Status (COS)

Form I‑539 assistance (F‑1 COS & reinstatement). At your request, Otips may assist with populating Form I‑539 (including any related supplements) for F‑1 change of status or F‑1 reinstatement, based only on the information you provide through our intake forms and communications. You are solely responsible for the truthfulness, completeness, and accuracy of all information supplied and for reviewing/approving the completed forms before any filing. Otips is not responsible for errors or omissions in user‑supplied information and does not decide case outcomes. All adjudications (including approvals, rejections, RFEs, NOIDs, denials, and abandonment determinations) are made exclusively by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and/or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Otips is not a law firm and cannot provide legal advice, legal representation, or guarantee any outcome. Service criteria vs. legal eligibility. Otips may require certain service criteria (e.g., minimum enrollment terms such as a 16‑week/one‑semester commitment for certain COS support) to accept or continue Services. These are internal service rules and not statements of legal eligibility for immigration benefits.

Partner institutions. Some schools pay Otips a commission for successful enrollments. This does not increase your tuition or school fees. We do not guarantee acceptance, SEVIS/I‑20 issuance, or visa approval.

User obligations. You are responsible for: (i) timely and truthful disclosures; (ii) maintaining lawful status and complying with all school/SEVIS requirements (e.g., full‑time enrollment where required, attendance, and updating your U.S. address within 10 days); (iii) keeping travel and identity documents valid; (iv) paying tuition/fees when due; (v) responding promptly to school/USCIS/SEVP communications; and (vi) notifying us of material changes (address, school, status, employer). You acknowledge that only SEVP‑certified schools and/or DHS can create, maintain, terminate, reactivate, or reinstate a SEVIS record; Otips can assist with communications but cannot reverse or prevent a SEVIS termination.

7) Prohibited Uses

You may not use the Services to: (a) submit false or forged documents; (b) misrepresent facts; (c) evade school, immigration, labor, or banking laws; (d) harass or harm others; (e) reverse engineer or scrape our systems; or (f) interfere with network security. We may suspend or terminate accounts for violations.

8) Intellectual Property; Limited License

The Services, including site content, text, graphics, logos, and software, are owned by or licensed to Otips and protected by law. Subject to your compliance with these Terms, Otips grants you a limited, revocable, non‑transferable license to access and use the Services for your personal, non‑commercial use. All rights not expressly granted are reserved.

Feedback. If you provide feedback or suggestions, you grant Otips a perpetual, irrevocable license to use them without obligation.

Marketing consent (optional). With your written or recorded consent, you permit Otips to reference your first name/initials, school, program, or testimonial in marketing. You may withdraw consent at any time by contacting us.

9) Privacy; Education Records; Data Security

By using the Services, you also agree to our Privacy Policy. We may use third‑party processors (payments, messaging, storage). We employ reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards, but no security is guaranteed.

Education records & FERPA. Otips is not a school and is not a FERPA‑covered entity. When you authorize us to assist with school processes, you direct us to handle your information as your agent to the extent allowed.

Healthcare information. The Services are not designed for protected health information (PHI).

10) Communications Consent & E‑Sign

By providing a phone number or email, you consent to receive service‑related communications (email, SMS, WhatsApp, voice). You may opt out of non‑essential texts at any time (reply STOP).

You agree to conduct transactions electronically and to receive records electronically. You may withdraw E‑Sign consent by contacting [email protected]; if you do, we may need to discontinue or limit certain Services.

11) Disclaimers; Limitation of Liability

Disclaimers. The Services are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. To the extent permitted by law, Otips disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non‑infringement. Third‑party sites and services are provided by their respective owners.

No guarantees. Admissions, I‑20 issuance, SEVIS/SEVP actions (including SEVIS record creation, maintenance, termination, reactivation, and reinstatement), USCIS adjudications, visa decisions, and employer/school actions are outside our control; Otips is not responsible for any SEVIS termination or related consequences (e.g., loss of status, accrual of unlawful presence, impacts on work authorization or travel).

Limitation of liability. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Otips’ total liability for any claim arising out of or relating to the Services will not exceed the amounts you paid to Otips in the 12 months preceding the event giving rise to the claim. This cap does not apply to liability resulting from Otips’ fraud or willful misconduct.

Exclusions. To the extent permitted by law, Otips will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, or for lost profits, lost data, or business interruption.

12) Governing Law; Venue; Arbitration (Wyoming)

Governing law. These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Wyoming, excluding its conflict‑of‑laws rules.

Informal resolution. Before filing a claim, the parties will try in good faith to resolve it informally. Send a written notice to [email protected] describing the claim and requested relief; if unresolved after 30 days, either party may proceed.

Arbitration agreement. Except for the small‑claims carve‑out below, any dispute arising out of or relating to the Services or these Terms will be resolved by binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules. The seat and venue will be Cheyenne, Wyoming. Judgment on the award may be entered in any court with jurisdiction.

Small‑claims & injunctive relief. Either party may bring an individual action in small‑claims court in Laramie County, Wyoming, and may seek temporary or preliminary injunctive relief in the state or federal courts located in Laramie County, Wyoming to protect intellectual‑property or data‑security interests pending arbitration.

Class waiver. To the fullest extent permitted by law, arbitration and litigation shall proceed only on an individual basis and not in a class, consolidated, or representative action.

Opt‑out. You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to [email protected] within 30 days after first accepting these Terms (include your name, the email tied to your account, and a statement that you opt out of arbitration).

Mass‑filing protocol (fee control). If 25 or more substantially similar arbitration demands are filed by or with the same counsel, the AAA will (i) administer the cases in batches of 10; (ii) stay the remainder; and (iii) apply AAA filing/management fees per batch. After each batch, the parties will meet and confer before proceeding with the next batch.

13) Third‑Party Services

The Services may link to or integrate with third‑party websites, apps, or services (e.g., payment processors, messaging tools, document storage). Otips is not responsible for third‑party content, terms, or policies.

14) Changes to the Services and to These Terms

We may update the Services and these Terms from time to time. Material changes will take effect 30 days after notice (email or in‑product), except where required by law or for new features released on an opt‑in basis. If you continue using the Services after changes become effective, you accept the new Terms.

15) Force Majeure

Otips will not be liable for delays or failures caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including acts of God, labor disputes, governmental actions, telecommunications failures, or service provider outages.

16) Miscellaneous

Assignment. You may not assign these Terms without our written consent. We may assign them in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.
Entire agreement. These Terms (and the documents they incorporate) are the entire agreement between you and Otips and supersede all prior agreements.
No third‑party beneficiaries. These Terms do not create third‑party beneficiary rights.
Severability. If any provision is found unenforceable, it will be modified to the minimum extent necessary and the remainder will remain in effect.
Survival. Sections intended to survive termination (including fees, IP, disclaimers, limitations, arbitration, and miscellaneous) will survive.
Headings & interpretation. Headings are for convenience only. “Including” means “including without limitation.”

17) Contact

Questions or concerns? Email [email protected] or write to 1311 Park St #1006, Alameda, CA 94501.