how much does it cost to hire a lawyer for green card application

Green card lawyer fees generally average at the following: Marriage based green card – $800 to $4000 If you are a sibling of a U.S. citizen – $795

Full Answer

How much does an immigration lawyer cost for green card?

Oct 29, 2018 · Green Card Applications: Attorney Cost Nearly a third of readers paid their lawyers $2,000 or less. While the type of fee (flat versus hourly) was nearly uniform, our survey showed a wide range in the amount of flat fees that readers paid.

Do I need a lawyer to get a green card?

The answer to this question varies widely depending on a number of factors. Some of the elements that determine an immigration lawyer’s fees for services to obtain a permanent resident card, commonly known as a green card, are “the experience, reputation, diligence, and ability of the lawyer or lawyers performing the service and the skill, expertise, or efficiency of effort …

How much will it cost to get a green card?

Green Card lawyer fees range from $795 to $2,900 depending on your situation. Green Card lawyer fees for a sibling or parent of a U.S. Citizen is around $795. An employee sponsored labor certification costs $2,000 in attorney fees, $700 in USCIS filing fees, and takes 2 to 3 years to process. US Citizenship Lawyer Fees

How much does it cost to replace a green card?

Apr 28, 2022 · Cost for Green Cards. Green card lawyer fees generally average at the following: Marriage based green card – $800 to $4000. If you are a sibling of a U.S. citizen – $795. If you are a parent of a U.S. citizen – $795. Employer-Sponsored Labor Certification with PERM (Program Electronic Review Management) – $2000.

How much does a green card lawyer cost?

Green Card lawyer fees range from $795 to $2,900 depending on your situation. Green Card lawyer fees for a sibling or parent of a U.S. Citizen is around $795. An employee sponsored labor certification costs $2,000 in attorney fees, $700 in USCIS filing fees, and takes 2 to 3 years to process.

How much does an immigration lawyer cost?

An immigration lawyer charges between $150 and $300 per hour, with a typical 30-min consultation fee of $75 to $150. Legal assistance when filing basic immigration forms costs $250 to $800, while green card assistance runs from $800 to $5,000, plus the USCIS fees of $460 to $700.

How much does it cost to file an immigration form?

For basic immigration form filing, you can expect to pay around $250 to $1,200 in fees. Immigration attorney fees significantly range, depending on the types of services and time commitments required.

How much does it cost to get a K-1 visa?

Attorney fees for filing a K-1 Visa Petition for the fiance of a U.S. Citizen is around $725 with the USCIS fees costing $535. Typical processing time is 7 to 10 months.

How much does an immigration lawyer charge?

Although you can expect an hourly rate of between $150 to $300 for immigration lawyers, the cost structure immigration lawyers work on differ. Some charge an hourly fee, and some charge a flat fee for specific applications. The exact price an immigration lawyer will charge you after your initial consultation will depend on a wide range ...

How much does a B visa cost?

If you plan to visit the United States on a B-visa, or you need to renew, extend, or change your B1 or B2 visa, you can expect to pay the following average lawyer fees: B1 visa – $400. B1 or B2 visa renewal, extension or change of status application – $400.

Is immigration complicated?

There are layers of complicated rules, laws, and regulations you need to navigate to get a successful outcome. Some cases are simple and don’t need special assistance.

What is an EB-1 green card?

An EB-1 green card is an employment-based petition for permanent residency in the U.S. The EB-1C was specifically designed for the most skilled and proficient business managers and executives. EB-1 green cards do not require PERM labor certification

Can a US citizen petition for a foreign citizen to live in the US?

U.S Citizens and legal permanent residents are allowed to petition for foreign relatives to come live in the U.S legally. There are two categories, namely Immediate Relative Petitions and Family Preference Petitions. The category of family members that are allowed to come to live in the U.S differs if you are a U.S citizen versus only being a green card holder.

What is a non-immigrant visa?

Non-immigrant work visas are visas that are obtained for the purpose to work, invest, trade and do business in the U.S. Non-immigrant visas only apply for a limited time period and do not lead to permanent residency or citizenship.

What is an E visa?

E-visas are visas that are obtained under a treaty which the U.S signed with another country in order to promote investment, trade, and commerce. These visas are focussed on trade and investment. The E-2 visa specifically applies to investors from the listed E-2 countries.

Can a foreign national get an O-1 visa?

Foreign nationals with extraordinary abilities in one of the below categories can obtain an O-1 non-immigrant visa. The purpose of the visa is for these individuals to engage in the activities in the U.S.

What is an adjustment of status?

An Adjustment of Status is where someone currently living in the U.S under a non-immigrant visa becomes a beneficiary of an approved immigrant petition and apply for their status to be changed to permanent resident. The person or entity that filed your immigrant petition has to file an I-485 form.

What is AC21 in the US?

AC21 is the American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act. This act allows foreign nationals to change jobs in the U.S before they obtained their green card. So, if you are a foreign national and you applied for an Adjustment of Status, but you have not yet received your green card yet you can change jobs without it affecting your visa or Adjustment of Status application.

How much does it cost to get a green card?

Here are some typical legal fees for common immigration services: 1 Green Card Petition for Relative: $1,000 to $3,500 2 Adjustment of Status Application: $2,000 to $5,000 3 Citizenship/Naturalization Application: $500 to $2,500 4 Green Card Renewal: $300 to $700 5 Asylum Application: $1,000 to $7,000 6 Deportation Defense: $4,000 to $12,000 (and higher if the case gets more complicated)

How long is a lawyer consultation?

An initial consultation may last 30 to 60 minutes. This gives you a chance to evaluate your chances of success and if you have confidence in the lawyer. For the lawyer, it’s an opportunity to get sell his or her services. It’s very common to find an initial consultation for $150 or less.

What are some examples of immigration violations?

Examples of immigration violations include entering without inspection, visa overstays, marriage fraud and misrepresentation on previous applications. Although immediate relatives of U.S. citizens can generally overcome a visa overstay without a lawyer, other relatives will need help.

Can a non-citizen be deported?

In fact, there may be serious immigration consequences – including deportation — even if you don’t have a conviction. This is because a non-citizen can be made deportable or inadmissible simply for enga ging in certain kinds of conduct. Examples include drug trafficking and prostitution, but other criminal activity may be equally problematic.

Can a foreign diplomat adjust to permanent resident?

Sometimes you just have an unusual situation. A foreign diplomat adjusting status to permanent resident or a naturalization applicant with presumed disruption in the continuous residence requirement have more complicated cases. These circumstances are generally best addressed by a legal professional and justify the immigration lawyer cost.

Is a lawyer equal to a lawyer?

The truth is that not all lawyers are equal. Like any profession, there are good lawyers and not-so-good lawyers. Some attorneys practice in several areas. For example, a criminal defense or personal injury may do immigration law on the side for additional clients.

How long is a free initial consultation?

The meeting may be in an office, but these days it is typically online (Skype, Zoom, etc.) or on the phone. An initial consultation may last 30 to 60 minutes. This gives you a chance to evaluate your chances of success and if you have confidence in the lawyer. For the lawyer, it’s an opportunity to get sell his or her services. It’s very common to find an initial consultation for $150 or less. However, some attorneys choose to charge their regular rates.

Nonimmigrant Work Visas

Attorney Fee: $2400 (does not include RFE responses, if applicable). Please note that the legal fee may be higher in certain complex cases. In any event, you’ll be provided a written quote before retaining our firm.

Addressing Potential Issues

In every possible instance, we do our best to anticipate any potential issues and address them in advance. For that reason, it’s imperative that you be completely honest and transparent regarding the details of your case during the initial consultation.

Immigration Consultations

SGM Law Group only offers free general consultations to certain individuals/businesses who are looking to retain a law firm for the following cases:

How long does it take to get a green card after filing an I-130?

The petition itself takes about six months to process, but you will not be able to get your green card until your priority date is current.

What is the first step in the green card process?

The first step in a marriage-based green card process is for the petitioning spouse (citizen or permanent resident) to file an I-130, Petition for Alien Relative with the USCIS. After the I-130 approval, the next steps will depend on whether the beneficiary is staying in the U.S. or is living abroad.

What do I need to file an I-485?

After the approval of the I-130, the beneficiary will need to file an I-485, Petition to Adjust Status with the USCIS. The I-485 must be submitted with supporting evidence, which includes a birth certificate, proof of nationality, and proof of lawful entry to the U.S. (I-94 travel record).

How old do you have to be to get a green card?

However, you must be at least 18 years old and have a residence in the United States before you can sign the Affidavit of Support Form. The affidavit form is one of the mandatory items for a marriage-based green card application, so the minimum age is effectively 18.

Does USCIS have backlogs?

If the number of applicants exceeds the number of available visa numbers, then a backlog will build. Unfortunately, there is usually a backlog for each marriage-based green card category.

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What Is So Difficult About Applying for a Green Card?

The U.S. immigration system is widely regarded as "broken." The law itself is torturously difficult to understand. It takes lawyers years just to become comfortable with the ins and outs of various types of visas, green cards, and other benefits.

But I Like Doing Things Myself!

A few hours trying to fill out immigration forms, and you might just change your mind.