There’s no denying that immigration proceedings and processes are legally-binding matters that hold your life in balance. Nonetheless, the federal government doesn’t require immigration lawyers to oversee all immigration processes. Individuals seeking legal status in the US aren’t entitled to legal representation.
While hiring an attorney is not always necessary, the question is – Is it worth hiring an immigration lawyer? This article explores the answer to this question and more.
What Does an Immigration Lawyer Do?
Immigration lawyers interpret the law, help clients analyze their strategies, possibilities, and rights, and walk them through each step of the intricate immigration process. They prepare all the necessary paperwork on your behalf or that of your employer. Besides saving you time and resources, the process can help you organize the paperwork you need, ranging from proof of a valid, bona fide marriage to a birth certificate.
Additionally, an immigration lawyer will ensure that all the information you submit to the government when filling out the required forms, preparing a testimony or statements, and collecting documents are consistent, concise, and accurate. In most cases, immigration applications all come down to the government officer believing your story. It’s in your best interest to avoid any discrepancies that would raise red flags that could potentially get you deported.
An experienced immigration attorney also understands what the government expects. They know how to mitigate the challenges and delays that inevitably crop up.
When Do You Need an Immigration Lawyer?
An immigration lawyer can be a lifesaver in the following scenarios.
- Acquiring legal status for those with immigration issues as a result of medical problems, misrepresentation, court history, or falsifying documents
- Acquiring US citizenship
- Appealing a deportation order
- Becoming a business owner as an immigrant or hiring immigrants
- Concerns of inadmissibility
- Delays that have more to do with bureaucracy than the law (For instance, if you’re trying to move from San Francisco to Los Angeles after applying for a Green Card. Your application might disappear into a bureaucratic black hole when it should have been transferred to the LA USCIS office)
- Ensuring that employers abide by the requirements for hiring immigrants and follow the stipulated procedures to confirm employment authorization
- Family-based immigration
- Helping foreign employees ensure that their employers follow appropriate conduct
- Helping students and workers get a visa
- Helping those who’ve been deported get back into the US
- Helping those who have violated immigration laws, such as having a criminal conviction that could lead to deportation
- Helping those with a criminal record relocate to the country
- Maintaining legal status when you need to leave the country for an extended period
- Obtaining legal status for those in the US illegally
- Obtaining refugee or asylum status
- Prevent deportation
- Those on trial for a crime that could impact their legal status
- Uncertainty about basic eligibility criteria for immigration benefits such as a Green Card
- Visa renewal for legal status
The Cost of Hiring an Immigration Attorney
How much does an immigration lawyer cost? Legal fees vary broadly based on the services required. Here’s an overview of some of them:
- Adjustment of Status Application: $600-2,500
- Asylum Application: $1,000-6,000
- Citizenship Application: $500-1500
- Deportation Appeal: $2,000-15,000 depending on the number of complex defense strategies or court appearances
- Employment Petitions: $1,500-7,000
- Family-Based Green Card Petition: $800-3,000
- Work Permit Application (Employment Authorization): $300-600
It’s worth noting that some immigration lawyers can charge more depending on their level of expertise, whether they’re based in major cities such as San Francisco or New York or whether they rely on specialized processes and tools.
Finding a Great Immigration Lawyer for Your Case
How do I find a good immigration lawyer? Here are a few pointers to steer you on the right path.
- Referrals: A great starting point when looking for a good immigration attorney is to ask for a referral from someone you trust. If you have an attorney for other issues, they likely have a network of lawyers, which means they can help you find a great one to handle your immigration case.
- Reach out to a bar association: All attorneys are members of legal associations. They rely on these to broaden their professional networks, get new clients, and access continuing education. While state and local associations might be compulsory or voluntary for attorneys practicing in a given area, most of their national counterparts center on a particular practice area. As far as immigration matters go, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) is the most renowned of them all.
- Conduct your due diligence: Even though you have an immigration attorney in mind, a quick online search can make all the difference. You can check out the lawyer’s profile to ensure they handle your type of case. For instance, if you need help with a student visa, an immigration attorney who specializes in asylum cases might not be a great fit for you.
Furthermore, ensure that you check the attorney’s license online to verify its validity and ensure that there are no disciplinary issues for professional misconduct. Every state’s Supreme Court usually avails this information on a public site.
Best Immigration Lawyers
If you’re in Chicago, New York, or Houston and are looking for an immigration attorney that will give you value for your money, here are some of your best options:
1. Best Immigration Lawyer Chicago: Angie Garasia
As a partner of Lee & Garasia, LLC law firm, Angie Garasia handles all aspects of Nationality law and Immigration. That includes non-immigrant and immigrant visas, citizenship applications, and employment applications for permanent residency. She even travels out of state to handle intricate immigration issues in USCIS locations such as Chicago.
2. Best Immigration Lawyer Houston: The Law Office of Lindsey J. Harris
With a team of multilingual immigration attorneys, this law firm is one of the most specialized ones in Houston. The team at the Law Office of Lindsey J. Harris handles:
- Academic visas
- Citizenship issues
- Family-based immigration
- International adoption
- Investor and employment visas
- Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and asylum
3. Best Immigration Lawyer New York: Matthew L. Guadagno
He has been practicing law since 1994 and has worked at one of the best deportation defense firms in New York for 13+ years before starting his practice in 2011. Matthew L. Guadagno has successfully litigated dozens of immigration cases across the US.
Get the Legal Support You Need
Immigration issues can be a nightmare if you don’t get the right support. Hiring an immigration lawyer for advice on your rights or to correctly file the paperwork makes all the difference.
Do you need ongoing legal support for immigration-related matters? Chat online with an available Laws101 attorney.