Is it permissible for a layperson to seek a fatwa and adopt the opinions of any scholar, or is he restricted to the scholars of his own country?

People are divided into three categories in dealing with Shar'i rulings:

1. The knowledgeable Mujtahid who directly derives rulings from the Qur’an and Sunnah. It is not permissible for him to imitate anyone. 2. The experienced student of knowledge who is capable of weighing the opinions of scholars. He is not obliged to imitate but rather follows what is most sound. 3. As for the third category, they are the common people who do not possess sufficient religious knowledge. They must ask scholars and follow their opinions. They are obliged to imitate the scholars of their own country, to prevent them from choosing the easiest option that conforms to their whims, and to preserve the unity of the Ummah, as stated by the Shar'i texts and the sayings of scholars.