what to look for in an immigration lawyer

What to Look For in an Immigration Lawyer

1. Excellent Communication Skills. Lawyers must always possess strong communication skills, whether it be oral or written. ...
2. Concern and Empathy. One of the most important things you should look for in an immigration lawyer is empathy. ...
3. Attention to Detail. Like what has been mentioned before — immigration cases can be quite complex. ...
4. Troubleshooting skills. ...

Full Answer

Is it worth using an immigration lawyer?

Immigration services can be just as complex, and it is likely worth the expense to hire an immigration lawyer for immigration questions and processes to avoid unnecessary staffing and legal employment compliance hurdles.

What should I look for in a good lawyer?

Before hiring an attorney for legal assistance, you should consider their qualifications, location, availability, and more....Here are 10 factors you should think about when searching for a lawyer:Long or short term? ... Area of law. ... Are they highly regarded? ... Location. ... Experience. ... Size of firm. ... Cost and billing. ... Compatibility.More items...

How do I prepare for immigration Consultation?

5 Tips to Make the Most of your Immigration ConsultationAsk the Prospective Attorney Questions about His or Her Experience. ... Tell the Lawyer if Your Case Involves an Emergency. ... Bring the Necessary Immigration Documents to Your Appointment. ... Bring Copies of Criminal Records, if Applicable. ... Take Good Notes.

How much does it cost to hire an immigration lawyer in the US?

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.

What should I look for when hiring a law firm?

5 Things to Consider When Hiring an AttorneyKnowledge. The first and most important factor to consider is a lawyer's knowledge. ... Character. Hiring a newbie or someone with a record of professional misconduct is going to cause more damage to your case. ... Client Reviews. ... Experience. ... Fees.

What's the difference between attorney and lawyer?

Attorney vs Lawyer: Comparing Definitions Lawyers are people who have gone to law school and often may have taken and passed the bar exam. Attorney has French origins, and stems from a word meaning to act on the behalf of others. The term attorney is an abbreviated form of the formal title 'attorney at law'.

What questions should I ask an immigration consultant?

Ten Questions To Ask An Immigration ConsultantAre you registered with ICCRC? ... Can I talk or correspond directly with the registered agent? ... How long have you been in the industry? ... How are you different from others? ... Which immigration program may be right for me, and why?More items...•

What questions should I ask about immigration?

Green Card and Immigration BasicsWhat is a green card? ... What is USCIS? ... What is a lawful permanent resident? ... What is conditional permanent residence? ... Why would a green card application be denied? ... Can I work in the U.S. while waiting for my green card? ... What is the Visa Bulletin? ... What is a biometric screening?

How do I ask immigration questions?

Dial 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) and ask your question in English or Spanish. The system will answer your question and can send you links to forms and information by email or text.

What are the 4 types of immigration?

To begin with, let's look at the four types of immigration status that exist: citizens, residents, non-immigrants and undocumented. The characteristics of each status are explained below. These are people who were either born in the U.S. or who have become "naturalized" after three or five years as permanent residents.

Can immigration lawyer speed up process?

The immigration process can be intimidating and take a long time, but hiring an immigration attorney to support you with your case can speed up the process and help you meet your goals.

How long does the process of immigration take?

The national average processing time for naturalization (citizenship) applications is 14 months.

Why is it important to have an immigration lawyer?

Having a immigration and nationality law attorney or an immigration and nationality law firm who speaks your language and is able to communicate plainly and concisely is important for you to be able to understand the nuances of your case. Also, the assistance of legal professionals that speak your language can be helpful for researching ...

What is immigration and nationality?

The immigration and nationality practice area requires an understanding of layers and layers of detail and complexity. The layers often cross into other areas of the law such as international taxation, estate planning for foreign nationals, employment, and labor law, intellectual property, criminal law, etc. Having a immigration and nationality law ...

What is nationality law?

Immigration and nationality law in the U.S. is the federal law or a “federal practice”, meaning you (or your family member or employer) can choose a lawyer from any U.S. State regardless of your country of origin. This means that you have many more options from which to choose. For example, the immigration and nationality lawyers at ...

Can a large corporation outsource immigration?

Many large corporate organizations actually outsource their immigration work so that it can be done in a very inexpensive manner. Some offices use an offsite paralegal specialist who prepares the documentation and information for the lawyer or law firm to file with the USCIS.

Is it a good idea to ask a lawyer about immigration?

Finally, and importantly, it is always a good idea to ask whether the law firm that you are seeking to hire speaks your language. A “competent” immigration lawyer is required to “communicate” effectively with its immigration law clients. This issue presents two layers of complexity.

Is immigration law outsourced?

In some law offices, the immigration and nationality law function/work is actually “outsourced” completely. This means that your important and personal immigration law matter is being handled by an offsite immigration paralegal or immigration preparer who works for some other organization.

Specialization in Immigration

When searching for an immigration lawyer, it’s important to understand that not everyone out there who advertises their services is an actual attorney. Be wary of “notarios” or “immigration consultants” who won’t be able to do much more for you than fill out forms.

Referrals and Recommendations

As is the case when searching for any professional service, some of your best sources of information may be family and friends, or strangers who have experience with the service.

Speaks Your Language

For immigration in particular, you quite literally want a lawyer who speaks your language (or at least has someone available who does).