how much for immigration lawyer fiance visa seattle

by Dr. Betty Torphy MD 3 min read

The following average attorney fees apply to fiancé or spouse visas: K1 visa (filed for the fiancé of a U.S. citizen) – $750 to $2000 CR-1 petition (filed for the spouse of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident) – $795

Full Answer

How much does an immigration lawyer cost?

Immigration Lawyer Cost Item Average Cost 30-min Consultation $75 – $150 Hourly Rate $150 – $300 Form Filing Assistance $250 – $800 Green Card Assistance $800 – $5,000 1 more rows ...

How much does it cost to hire a green card lawyer?

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 a family law consultation cost?

Initial consultation fees range anything from $100 to $400. At the first consultation, you can enquire about their fee structure and how much they will charge you for your specific case.

Should I hire an immigration lawyer?

For time-sensitive cases, immigration lawyers can often save you months, sometimes years in processing time. Unlike the average citizen with no experience, an immigration lawyer will know exactly which forms to file and when.

How much does a US 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 a fiance visa?

Fiancé or K-1 visa cost: $2,025 The U.S. citizen partner completes the appropriate government form (I-129F – “petition for a K-1 Visa”), and mails it to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), along with the $535 filing fee.

How much does a lawyer charge K-1 visa?

Cost for Spouse and Fiancé Visas The following average attorney fees apply to fiancé or spouse visas: K1 visa (filed for the fiancé of a U.S. citizen) – $750 to $2000. CR-1 petition (filed for the spouse of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident) – $795.

How much does a K-1 fiance visa cost?

The total cost for a K-1 visa is roughly $1000. Here is a breakdown of K-1 visa costs: The government's required fee for Form I-129F is $535. An applicant may pay with a money order, cashier's check, or personal check.

Can you be denied a fiancé visa?

There are various reasons why a consular may deny a K1 visa petition, including but not limited to: The petitioner does not meet the necessary requirements. The foreign national does not meet the necessary requirements. The relationship seems suspicious or fraudulent.

How long does fiancé visa take 2020?

6 to 9 monthsThe exact K-1 fiancé processing times can vary, but many applicants are able to enter the United States within 6 to 9 months. There are multiple steps and the process is handled by multiple agencies from (USCIS) to the National Visa Center to the U.S. Department of State.

Do I need a lawyer for K-1 visa?

How an Attorney can Help with Your K1 Fiancé Visa. While USCIS does not require you to have an attorney in order to process your fiancé visa, having an experienced immigration attorney can help immensely.

Is the K-1 visa easy to get?

While the K1 visa application may be difficult, the overall process and approval can be made faster and easier with the assistance of a capable legal representative.

How long is the processing time for fiancé visa?

approximately 8 to 11 monthsK-1 Visa Processing Time Summary After filing Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé, it may take approximately 8 to 11 months to obtain a K-1 visa. It may be shorter for some and longer for others. As explained, the K-1 processing time can vary based on the agencies that adjudicate the many steps.

How much income do I need to sponsor a K-1 visa?

In dollars and cents, this means that you must have stable earnings of at least $16,910 per year for a two-person household (in 2019) to qualify as financial sponsor for a fiancé(e) visa petition, and you must have stable earnings of at least $21,137 per year for a two-person household to qualify as financial sponsor ...

How much does it cost for a 90 day fiancé?

All About the K-1 Visa | Fiance Visa | 90 Day Visa The total price for a K-1 visa ranges from USD1000 to even USD3000. These fees are charged for the services below: The Form I-129F that must be filled out and signed. It costs $535.

How long does K-1 visa interview take?

between 15 and 20 minutesK1 Visa Interview Format In essence, the interview should last something between 15 and 20 minutes. It will involve you, your fiancé, your relationship, and your plans.

How much does a lawyer charge for a family visa?

More than half (53%) paid between $1,000 and $3,000, but over a third (35%) paid more than that. Only about one in ten (12%) paid $1,000 or less. The amount any particular lawyer will charge to handle a family or fiancé visa application will depend on several things, including the attorney’s experience, the city or region where the lawyer works, and whether the case involves complications (such as the need for a waiver because the immigrant was previously in the U.S. unlawfully, or low family income that requires extra affidavits of support).

How much does an immigration lawyer charge per hour?

When immigration lawyers use an hourly billing arrangement, they usually charge between $150 and $500 per hour. Although hourly fees can add up quickly, it might be to your advantage to pay by the hour in certain situations.

How Many Applicants Hire Immigration Lawyers?

More than 4 in 10 readers hired lawyers for their family-based immigrant visa applications, compared to fewer than 3 in 10 of those who applied for fiancé visas.

What do you call a notary for immigration?

Given the expense of hiring an immigration attorney, some people turn for help to paralegals, notaries (known as notarios in the Spanish-speaking community), or so-called immigration consultants. Very few of our readers hired nonlawyers to take them through the process—7% of applicants for family-based visas, and only slightly more (12%) of applicants for fiancé visas. There are good reasons for that. Notaries in the U.S. (unlike in some other countries) don’t need to have any legal training or knowledge; the same is true for people who call themselves immigration consultants. Certified paralegals do have the training to help fill out legal paperwork, but they can’t give you legal advice or discuss your case with immigration officers. (See Nolo’s article on the risks and savings of hiring paralegals or notaries for immigration cases .)

Why do readers give satisfaction to immigration lawyers?

Aspects of good communication were the most common reasons readers gave for satisfaction with their immigration lawyers—though they also cared about results. Remember that when you’re having an initial meeting like this with a lawyer, you’re not only discussing your case; you’re also essentially conducting a job interview. ...

Do immigration lawyers charge an hourly fee?

Immigration lawyers typically charge a “flat,” or fixed, fee, rather than billing by the hour. In fact, our survey showed that nine in ten of our readers paid their lawyers a flat fee to handle their visa applications for fiancés of U.S. citizens or for overseas relatives of U.S. citizens or green card holders.

Do immigration lawyers offer free consultations?

Many immigration lawyers offer low-cost (or sometimes free) initial consultations. (Our national study on immigration attorneys showed that nearly three-fourths of them said they offered free consultations to potential clients.)

How Do I Apply for a Marriage or Fiancé Visas in Washington State?

To begin this process, a citizen of the United States, or a green card holder, will need to file an immigration petition with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Natural-born citizens can file this petition for not only their foreign spouse, but also parents, children, siblings, adult children, and a fiancé.

How to bring spouse to Kirkland?

The first step involves submitting a petition to USCIS that includes evidence that your marriage is genuine between you and your loved one. This petition, Petition for Alien Relative (Form I-130), will be necessary to prove that you are not trying to circumvent federal immigration law.

Is there a family based immigration?

There are several different types of family-based immigration options. Each of them have benefits and drawbacks. Your decision will largely depend on your own personal circumstances. The Seattle immigration lawyers at Genesis Law Firm have handled many family-based cases. We can give sound legal advice for any family-based immigration situation that may arise.

Can a foreigner be ineligible for a K-1 visa?

Certain activities may make your foreign fiance (e) ineligible for a K-1 visa. Such activities include but are not limited to: (1) Health-related grounds; (2) criminal and related grounds; (3) security and related grounds: and (4) public charge. If your fiance (e) is found ineligible at the K-1 visa interview, s/he may be eligible for a waiver of the ground (s) of inadmissibility.

Is a foreign fiance a green card holder?

Foreign fiance (e) is not a green card holder upon arrival in the U.S. — S/he must apply for Adjustment of Status after marrying U.S. citizen petitioner.

Is it advisable to apply for a K-3 visa?

The K-3 visa is no longer advisable. For reasons having to do with National Visa Center (NVC) policy on processing Forms I-129F and I-130, it no longer makes sense to apply for a K-3 visa. In the early 2000s, IR-1/CR-1 petitions took much longer to process through USCIS. At that time, the K-3 was a mechanism to bring a foreign spouse to the U.S. quicker (for purposes of family unity). Now, however, USCIS processes IR-1/CR-1 petitions much faster, so the K-3 is obsolete.

What Are the Average Costs for an Immigration Lawyer?

As we’ve explained above, there is a whole range of factors that will influence the actual cost of an immigration lawyer. What we can do, however, is look at what the average costs are for different types of visas.

What is an Immigration Lawyer?

Some cases are simple and don’t need special assistance. In most cases, however, it is sa fest to have someone who is specialized, has a lot of knowledge, and knows what they are doing to assist you with your case. This is where an immigration lawyer comes in.

What factors affect the price you are charged for immigration?

Generally, however, the following factors will affect the price you are charged: The application you will be making – immigration lawyers charge different fees for different applications as each application has a different complexity or amount of work.

Is it necessary to pay for an immigration lawyer?

So, it might seem unnecessary to pay a high price for an immigration lawyer when all these resources are free. The reality is, however, the immigration process is complex, and there is usually a lot at stake. You risk being separated from loved ones or possibly even being deported. If your case isn’t just a simple, straightforward application, it could be in your best interest to get an immigration lawyer.

Is immigration law complicated?

Immigration cases are complex. 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. In most cases, however, it is safest to have someone who is specialized, has a lot of knowledge, and knows what they are doing to assist you with your case. This is where an immigration lawyer comes in.

Does the adjustment of status fee include the adjustment of status application?

Keep in mind these fees don’t include the adjustment of status application, which follows afterward.

Do immigration lawyers charge different fees?

The application you will be making – immigration lawyers charge different fees for different applications as each application has a different complexity or amount of work. So, whether you’re applying for a green card or an L1 visa, for example, will make a difference to what you are charged.

U.S. Citizen

The person filing the petition must be a United States citizen either by birth or naturalization.

Marital Status

You and your fiancé (e) must both be legally free to marry (i.e. divorced, single or widowed).

Meeting in Person

You and your fiancé (e) must have met with each other in person within a 2 year period previous to the filing of the petition.

Marital Intent

You and your fiancé (e) have a genuine relationship and a bona-fide intent to marry within 90 days of your fiancé (e)’s entry into the United States.

Financial Support

The person filing the petition must be able to demonstrate that s/he can financially support their fiancé (e), that they fulfill the minimum financial support requirements or that they have a co-sponsor who does.