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.
The current marriage green card cost varies from from $1,280 to $1,960. In a nutshell, the cost to be beared by an applicant living in the U.S. sums up to about $1960. For an applicant living abroad, the cost turns up to be approximately $1400.
Most immigration applicants prefer fixed legal fees, because they know from the start exactly what it will cost. And in standard cases, lawyers are able to predict approximately how much time they will need to spend. Nearly a third of readers paid their lawyers $2,000 or less.
One of the most important parts of the marriage-based green card process, which we can help you with, is the gathering and preparation of the application and supporting documents. In most situations, a marriage is valid for immigration purpose if it is recognized by the law of the state where it occurs.
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.
$1760Cost Of Applying For A Marriage Based Green Card In The U.S. As of February 2021, the cost of applying for a marriage-based green card in the United States is $1760. However, it is important to note that these fees may be subject to change.
You do not have to hire an immigration lawyer to apply for a Marriage Green Card. More than half of all marriage Green Card applications are filed by individuals who do not work with an attorney.
Here are some typical legal fees for common immigration services: Green Card Petition for Relative: $1,000 to $3,500. Adjustment of Status Application: $2,000 to $5,000. Citizenship/Naturalization Application: $500 to $2,500.
two yearsUSCIS will issue you a conditional Marriage Green Card if you have been married for less than 2 years at the time of your interview. You can apply for a permanent Marriage Green Card after two years of marriage. Check out this article for more information on how to apply for a Marriage Green Card.
As of 2020, the immigrant visa application fee for a family-based green card is $325. Added to the $535 for I-130 form, the total will be $860. Of course, you will have to factor other expenses like the medical exam, cost of transportation to and fro the embassy, photocopies of documents, and others.
Hiring an immigration lawyer adds additional legal fees to your case, but often it comes with numerous benefits. Hiring an immigration lawyer can save you time and stress and increase your chances of success.
Spouses of U.S. If your spouse is a U.S. citizen and you currently live in the United States, it takes on average 21-38 months to get a marriage-based green card. Spouses of U.S. citizens living in the United States can file their I-130 and their I-485 at the same time.
As of early 2022, the State Department's immigrant visa application fee was $325 for family-based applicants, $345 for employment-based applicants, $330 for diversity visa applicants, $265 for a fiancé (K-1) visa, and $205 for various other categories.
While an immigration attorney cannot per say “speed up” your case, the immigration attorney is knowledgeable in immigration law and will know the best strategy and options for your case. Undeniably, this avoids any unreasonable delay by anyone lacking specialized knowledge in this area of law.
How much does it cost to apply for a green card? The government filing fees for getting a family-based green card is $1,760 for an applicant living in the United States or $1,200 for an applicant living outside the United States.
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.
In addition to assisting with the application forms, a lawyer can help you gather the necessary documents and prepare for the interview.
Immigration attorneys normally charge a “flat,” or fixed, fee rather than billing by the hour. In fact, our survey showed that 96% of our readers paid their lawyers a flat fee to handle their adjustment-of-status applications. Most immigration applicants prefer fixed legal fees, because they know from the start exactly what it will cost. And in standard cases, lawyers are able to predict approximately how much time they will need to spend.
Immigration lawyers typically charge between $100 and $250 for a detailed consultation and many credit this to legal fees should you choose to hire them. Many also offer introductory calls at no cost – these are not meant to be detailed consultations, but an opportunity to share some context, get to know the lawyer and decide if you want to work with them. You’ll find many lawyers that specialize in removal / deportation cases do not charge any consultation fees at all.
However, a lawyer in California may have more exposure to the immigration issue you are facing. It is important to balance cost and experience.
If you are here unlawfully, an attorney can help you figure out if there is a path to legal status. If you’ve had any brush ups with the law, even if you weren’t convicted, you might be at risk for deportation. These are just a few scenarios in which the advice of an immigration lawyer is crucial.
Note: If you come across a “notario” or immigration “consultant”, they are not lawyers and are not licensed to practice immigration law. Be very careful who you trust with your immigration needs. Navigating U.S. immigration is incredibly time consuming and complex.
Government filing fees are not optional (unless you qualify for a fee waiver. Whether you work with an attorney or file your paperwork yourself, you will incur these costs and they can be quite steep. Thousands of people immigrate to the U.S. each year without the help of an immigration lawyer.
Wear professional and/or conservative clothing. First impressions matter in a wide range of circumstances, including your green card marriage interview. Dress in professional or conservative attire, as you would for a job interview. Be prepared to answer all types of questions.
Upon reaching the port of entry into the U.S., you will undergo a screening by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials to determine your eligibility to enter the U.S. If you are admitted as a permanent resident, your I-551, which is your green card, will be mailed to you.
The citizen and the foreign spouse must prove that the marriage is bona fide. If the citizen and foreign spouse have been married less than 2 years at the time the spouse becomes a permanent resident, a conditional 2-year green card will be issued.
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.
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. The categories are divided into preference levels which are further divided according to your country of origin.
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).
If your marriage-based green card petition is denied, the denial letter should include instructions for appealing the decision if that is your decision. If you choose to do so, be sure to have an immigration attorney helping you, as the appeals process is a delicate legal issue.
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.
There are a lot of resources and information on immigration available online. 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.
There is a whole host of factors that will influence the cost of an immigration lawyer. Generally, however, the following factors will affect the price you are charged:
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.
Now you no longer have to wonder how much does an immigration lawyer cost. These legal fees can seem very expensive. But it may save you time and money in the long run. It could also be the difference between a successful application and a possible denial (or worse – deportation!).
Apart from direct government fees and the medical exam fee, a number of other fees will add to your expenses when applying for a green card: Vaccination Fees : If your medical exam requires you to have vaccinations, update it before filing your complete medical report.
If you are married to a U.S. citizen and you entered the U.S. lawfully, you may file the Form I-485 together (“concurrently”) with the Form I-130 , Petition for Alien Relative filed on your behalf. You can also file Form I-485 while Form I-130 is pending, or after the Form I-130 is approved (and remains valid).
You can also file Form I-485 while Form I-130 is pending, or after the Form I-130 is approved (and remains valid). You may file the Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status to apply for a Green Card without leaving the country. This is called “adjustment of status.”.
There are three different strategies for preparing your Green Card application, based on your case’s complexity level.
You can find out through this simple three-step checklist below. Once you know which strategy to use, the application process becomes much easier!
We are a community of former applicants who successfully went through the hair-pulling, eyeball-popping green card application process ourselves. We believe every couple should have access to quality guidance and file their application with confidence, without costing an arm and a leg in the process.