An immigration lawyer can provide counsel about legal rights or responsibilities associated with immigration, try to prevent someone from being deported to their home country or represent their client in court where immigration matters concern.
An immigration lawyer focuses on immigration law, handling the concerns of foreign workers who need visas to work legally in the United States, individuals seeking permanent residence in the United States or having legal issues with their legal status, immigrants trying to get citizenship, or those facing government deportation and need help collecting the necessary documents. Immigration law specialists also help those who want to become citizens and ensure they follow all the rules.
There are many situations where you might consider hiring immigration law firms or, at the very least, getting a consultation. You should consult with an attorney who specializes in immigration law under the following circumstances:
When evaluating the best immigration lawyer, you should ask many questions during the consultation. Ask about not just the fee structure but what their experience is. Even in immigration law, someone focusing primarily on green card applications for people working in the United States may not have experience handling a deportation proceeding. You should find attorneys that specialize in situations just like yours.
Cheaper is not always better. Beware of attorneys that charge very low rates. You might luck out and find immigration lawyers near me who do not charge for the consultation, which is a great place to save money, but in the long term, you don't want to go with the cheapest option just because you want to save money. A single error in your forms can result in a denied green card, denied citizenship, or deportation.
An immigration law attorney is often the most expensive type of lawyers. They know how challenging it can be to obtain the legal right to live or work in the United States, and they traditionally charge a flat rate rather than an hourly fee. During your consultation, lawyers for immigration law will review your legal status and explain how much they charge for cases and concerns like yours.
A flat fee can work in your favor because the attorney will charge the same amount even if it takes long hours, months of extra work on your immigration application, or anything else. You pay the same rate regardless. The average rates for lawyers immigration law are as follows:
A traditional visa for someone you're engaged can cost between $750 and $2,000. This does not include changing the status once you are married.
A marriage-based green card can cost anywhere between $800 and $4,000.
If you are in the middle of deportation proceedings in immigration court, the average cost will be based on the expected work associated with your proceedings, such as filing motions, appearing in court, etc. This can be anywhere between $1,500 or upwards of $10,000. If you end up appealing your case, this might come at an additional cost.
It is common for attorneys immigration law to charge for a consultation. This might be anywhere from $100 to a few hundred dollars. It depends entirely on the attorney.
If you just want legal advice before deciding whether to proceed with proceedings, the immigration law attorney near me will typically charge you for the consultation, assuming you get all your immigration questions answered, and then lay out their fees if you move forward with the immigration process.
There are situations where you might split the cost of the service with your immigration attorney by handling some of the work on your own, such as the menial document gathering or administrative tasks. Then, you can have an attorney sign off on the official forms. However, this is something you will have to discuss during a consultation since not all attorneys will represent you if they have not handled all the paperwork themselves.
The internet is a wonderful resource, and it has a great deal of information, but not all that information is reliable. If you try to file an immigration petition that has been incorrectly drafted, it can delay your chance of getting immigration benefits or even cause your case to be dismissed. Your application requires comprehensive knowledge of current immigration law and how it applies to your specific situation.
This acronym stands for the American Immigration Lawyers Association. It is a national organization, and your lawyer does not have to be a member to be a good lawyer or for you to work with them. Being a member does not automatically make someone experienced, just the same as not being a member doesn’t mean someone is inexperienced. What is most important is that the attorney you hire has experience in your specific matter.