Immigration Lawyers – Assisting You to Immigrate to the USA
Are you someone who wants to immigrate to the USA and looking for legal assistance?
If yes, you are not alone. A large number of people from across the world
aspires to immigrate to America as the country offers a sea of opportunities to
explore. Recently, the US administration has brought laws that restrict the
number of immigrants to the country. Given the complexities of the law,
immigrants want nothing to be left to chance. They need assistance from an
experienced immigration lawyer.
How an Immigration Lawyer Can Help?
-
An
Immigration lawyer can complete the paperwork on your behalf. -
He
represents you in court, advocates your case and do paperwork to avoid
detention. -
He
defends his clients against arrest and helps him against deportation. -
He
helps the clients detained by immigration and custom authorities.
How Much an Immigration Lawyer Costs?
Immigration
lawyers charge a moderate. They know their clients are struggling to get a
foothold in the US so they don’t have enough money to spend on legal
proceedings. Most of these attorneys charge a flat fee instead of an hourly
fee.
The
initial consultation fee for an immigration lawyer is between $100 to $400.
However, you can find some reputed lawyers offering free consultation. There
are different fees for different regions in the US. You will be charged
differently for Green Card applications, Asylum applications and spouse and
finance visas.
Some
immigration attorney charges $75 – $150 for a 30-min consultation on the same
line hourly rate is $150 – $300. The farm filling assistance fee is $200 –
$800. The Green Card assistance fee is $800 – $5,000. The USCIS fee $460 –
$700.
Types of Immigration
But
before we proceed further and understand the benefits of hiring an immigration
lawyer and how to hire them, we should know the various categories of
immigration and which types of immigration we should seek.
Family-Based
and Child Immigration
Family
relations are one of the most important ways to migrate to the USA. Most
priority is given to immediate relatives. The list of immediate relatives
includes the spouse, child and the parents of a US citizen. Other family
relations are also considered but there is a quota to it. Other family
relations are adult children and siblings of the US citizens, spouses and minor
children of Lawful Permanent Residents.
Temporary
Immigration
There
are times when immigrants want to come to the US for a short period of time due
to employment or a specific work and they seek a temporary visa. There are more
than 20 types of temporary visa available. H-1B, H-2B and L-1 visa are some of
the popular categories. Apart from that visa for religious workers, students
and tourists also fall in the temporary visa.
Permanent
Immigration
There
are times when people want to work and settle in the US. Such people should
seek a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR). It is popularly called as the green
card.
Things to Look into an Immigration Lawyer
Despite
having all the knowledge and information, finding the right kind of immigration
lawyer is still difficult. But as a source of light can’t remain undetected for
long so is a good attorney who has certain traits. Here we describe major
traits of an immigration lawyer.
They
are Great with Certification
An
effective immigration lawyer needs to have studied at a great institution to
earn their law degree. Their degrees are recognized with the local bar
association. Go for an attorney which has a great academic record.
Expertise
in Immigration
Besides
the basic law degree, such an attorney has expertise in immigration law. Such
attorneys may have solved several cases and helped people with their
immigration-related needs. They keep an eye on the recent changes in immigration
law so that he can represent you with confidence. Such lawyers form a good
relationship with law enforcement agencies and judges that helps him get good
judgement.
They
Live in Your Proximity
You
must be looking for a lawyer who can show up whenever you need to discuss
something with him. So, you must have searched phrases like immigration lawyers
near me. An attorney living in proximity is able to meet you whenever you need
them.
They
Are Highly Accessible
A
good immigration lawyer remains accessible to its clients whenever required.
Such a lawyer is able to respond quickly whenever there is a need. If he is not
available due to some reasons, one of his assistants takes care of your
concerns.
They
are Reputed
Good
immigration lawyers enjoy a great reputation and this reputation emanates from
all the good work they do for their clients. They have handled so many cases
with a high success rate that everyone talks good about them. Most of the
references he gives can be easily verified.
They
Offer Creative Solutions
An
efficient immigrant lawyer doesn’t follow stereotypes, instead, he learns with
every assignment that makes him able to offer creative solutions. They don’t
stop when they find a problem, instead, they look for ways so their clients get
successful in their immigration effort.
They
are Great at Public Speaking
A
good immigrant lawyer is also a great communicator. He is great at talking with
clients, authorities and judges. As he is representing you in the court, his
speaking skills can tilt the scale in your favor.
They
Have Great People Skills
The
great immigration lawyers are also great with people skills. They know well how
to behave in court so that a good impact can be created. Authorities love to
work with lawyers who are reasonable, knowledgeable and talk with facts and
figures in mind. Besides, they also behave well with clients.
Benefits of Hiring an Immigration Lawyer
Completing
the formalities for immigration is not something you can do alone comfortably.
This paperwork is not simple for even those who have born with US citizenship,
so the difficulty level for an immigrant with other countries can only be
understood. The US immigration laws are very complex and not having proper
knowledge of it can act as a barrier. Here we list the major benefits of hiring
an immigration lawyer.
Help
You Avoid Mistakes
One
of the major benefits of hiring an immigration lawyer is that his assistance
can help you avoid mistakes in the paperwork. There are several procedures to
be completed like getting a visa, a residence and finalizing your marriage.
Such procedures need to be documented well and any mistake on this side may
hamper the process. Here the help of an attorney can take you through the
complex process of work permit, license and citizenship.
Experience
Matters
When
it comes to immigration, experience matters a lot. You don’t want to
experiment, make mistakes and learn from it. Instead, you seek the assistance
of an immigration lawyer who through with several years of experience has
mastered the art of helping clients with their immigration-related needs.
They
can Make the Best Use of Permits and Regulations
Experienced
immigration lawyers are adept at making the best use of permits and regulations
to facilitate the immigration process. You may be looking for work permits,
permanent residency or getting full citizenship; an experienced immigration
attorney can help you in every respect. You might think that you can do it on
your own, but the process is so complex that you might end up making a mistake
due to which your application may get rejected.
They
Will Tell You About the Options
An
immigration lawyer who has dealt with several cases will let you know the
options available before you. He will also let you know what you can expect in
the best-case scenario. Based on your case and circumstances, he can suggest
the best option available before you. He will also suggest, what needs to be
done.
An
Immigration Lawyer Talks About the Laws
Even
if you get the work visa or permanent residency, you have to follow certain
rules that only apply on you. If you don’t follow these rules you may be
deported. An experienced attorney is well aware of the various nuances of these
laws and convey you what to do and not to do to avoid the dangers of getting
deported.
They
Will Help You Find a Decent Job
Even
after getting the residency or work permit, there is no guarantee you will get
a job. Anyhow if you find the job, the salary may not be competitive. An
experienced immigration attorney can help you find job and suggest you the ways
to bargain a good salary that is at par with market standards. An immigrant you
might not have knowledge of the US job market. An attorney can help you with
this.
An
Immigration Attorney Can Help with Citizenship
Most
of the immigrants who come on a work permit look for US citizenship. Immigration
lawyers with several years of experience in helping people with citizenship
will help you make your American dreams true. He has the complete knowledge of
paths to citizenship that he leverages for your benefit.
How to Select the Best Immigration Lawyer
An
immigration lawyer could be the difference between successful and failed
immigration. As so much depends upon him, you will be very much concerned about
selecting the right kind of immigration lawyer. Here we tell you how to select
the best immigration lawyer.
Don’t
Compromise Over Quality
While
selecting an immigration lawyer, you shouldn’t make a random choice. Instead,
you should hire a lawyer who is known for quality work. One should look for an
immigration lawyer who is professional in approach and delivers good results.
Hire him even if he comes costly. But before you hire him you should be
confident that he is capable enough to handle your case.
Seek
Referrals
While
looking for an immigration lawyer, you should seek a referral. Some of your
friends, relative or someone in your extended network may have received the
services of an experienced immigration attorney. Even those who have not
received the assistance of a lawyer knows which lawyer is best in the business.
There could be people in the network who can connect you to a good lawyer.
Check
Their Genuineness
Once
you have found the reference of an immigration lawyer, the next thing you
should do is to check the genuineness of his credentials. You should know how a
qualified attorney is and are his experiences genuine. There are other methods
to check his genuineness. You should search the website of the state bar
association to know if he is registered there. You should also check whether
any complaint is registered against him for malpractices. If you find any
complaint against him then he is not worth considering. While hiring an
immigration lawyer, you should check the database of AILA (American Immigration
Lawyers Association) website where lawyers with good credentials are listed.
American
Immigration Lawyers Association AILA is a bar association with a membership of
more than 15000 immigration lawyers and professors. The association was founded
on 14 October 1946. This association helps people seeking immigration for
permanent residence or work.
Interviewing
Shortlisted Lawyer
As
you have shortlisted some lawyers, the next thing you should do is a telephonic
interview with them so that you can know them better. You should talk to them
over the phone to ascertain that if they are the right fit for you. You should
ask them about the cases they have handled. Was he able to get desired results?
Ask
Him for the References
Once
you are satisfied with the telephonic interview and narrowed your choices, you
should ask your prospective lawyer about the reference of the clients they have
served. Most of the lawyers provide this list on their website. Longer the
list, the better it is. You should call a few clients to check if these claims
are true. If these claims are true, you can proceed further.
Let
us Talk About the Fees
The
fee is one of the important factors while choosing an immigration lawyer in the
USA. You should ensure whether the fees are worth it. As you have contacted
several lawyers you can compare the fees. You should know whether they will be
charging an hourly rate or a flat rate. You should also know if there are any
hidden charges in addition to the fees.
Is
he good to Get Along?
Your
immigration process takes time to get along. So you and your immigration lawyer
must be comfortable to get along, otherwise working together is not going to be
simple. If you find that you won’t be able to work with him for long, you
should definitely look for other options.
Is
He Techno Savvy?
Believe
us or not. Being techno-savvy is one of the major requirements these days. He
must be managing thing electronically rather than doing it on a pen and paper
system. Documents can be prepared, signed and shared electronically that saves
your lots of time energy. You can also get updates about the development of
your case over your phone so you do not have to rush to your lawyer’s office
often.
Precautions While Hiring an Immigration lawyer
Once
you have learnt how to hire the best immigration lawyer it is time to
understand what precaution you should take to not end up hiring a bad
immigration lawyer. Beware of the lawyers who are showing symptoms like that
are shown below.
He
is Extremely Eager to Do Your Case
If
your attorney agrees to take your case without understanding the various
nuances of it, it is a major sign that you are not getting the right kind of
attorney. There are attorneys who behave like a salesperson and even promise
you things that are not possible. They neither seek the details of the case nor
talk about the limitation. As the case progresses, they ask for more
compensation saying that they are undercharged. The look for alibis to leave
the case or use short cuts that may land you in trouble. Beware of such kinds
of immigration attorneys.
He
Guarantees Success
There
are immigration lawyers who guarantee 100% success without examining your case
properly. As the clients are in hurry to get things done and don’t want a bad
outcome, they look for an attorney that guarantee. You shouldn’t hire an
attorney that assures you success without examining the barriers in your case.
He
Doesn’t Ask About Sponsorships
You
need to have a sponsor in the USA in order to get a green card or a long-term
residence in the USA. You get sponsorship through a close relative, an
organization that sponsors you or through investment in a company in the US.
But if you fall in none of these categories and still your attorney says that
you will get the residency in the US, then you should be wary of that. He might
be considering steps that may lead to deportation.
He
is Not Accessible
As
you are hiring an attorney, he should be available to you as and when you need
them. As you have several queries regarding your immigration and you might need
to update some information from one time to another. If your attorney is too
busy to take the calls, he is not worth considering.
He
is Greedy for Money
There
are some greedy lawyers that ask you to pay upfront. Most of the good lawyers
don’t ask for money on a first meeting while some others ask for only the assessment
fee. A professional lawyer goes through the details of the case and gives a
proposal to you. It is only after you accept the proposal that you need to pay
him. You must talk to them about what if the work is not completed. If he says
that he won’t return the cash, then he is not worth considering. You are free
to look for some other options. Our advice is not to pay upfront but meet
various immigration lawyer and sign a contract with those who have the most
reasonable pray structure.
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