why would an immigration lawyer be calling me

What is an immigration lawyer called?

In some cases, the "lawyer" might not have been a licensed attorney in the first place. These "immigration consultants" are also known as notarios in the Spanish-speaking community.

Why should I hire an immigration attorney?

A good immigration attorney can investigate your case, review any submissions for errors, and determine whether or not your original attorney was licensed to practice law. If you do not act quickly, you might miss deadlines that apply to new applications or court filings based on ineffective assistance of counsel.

Did your attorney make a mistake during your immigration case?

If you received a denial of your immigration case, appeal, motion, or application from the U.S. government, your attorney might seem like the natural person to blame. But don't be too quick to assume that your attorney made mistakes just because you did not receive the benefit you hoped for and requested.

Can a non-citizen hire an attorney for an immigration matter?

If you are a noncitizen and decide to hire an attorney to represent you in a matter before Immigration Court or U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), you have a due process right to competent representation.

How does immigration investigate?

Usually, the USCIS officers may visit the suspect couple at their residence, or visit their neighbors to investigate whether they reside together, share a household, or own property jointly, etc. The USCIS officers may also arrange interviews with the couple at their residence or at USCIS offices.

Does immigration make phone calls?

First of all, any official U.S. government website or email address should always end in “. gov”—if not, and the website or email claims to be from the government, it's probably a scam. Likewise, USCIS will never call you to request information about your case.

Why do people get immigration lawyers?

Immigration lawyers may represent clients in administrative courts, or they may counsel clients about their legal rights and obligations related to immigration, among other things. They also suggest courses of action based on their knowledge of immigration law.

Can a lawyer go to an immigration interview?

There are immigration attorneys who will agree to attend just for an interview as long as they can review the file ahead of time.

Why would Homeland Security contact me?

DHS officials say the calls are part of a Homeland Security phone scam and are intended to frighten people. DHS agents will never call you unsolicited.

What are the three kinds of frauds that occur most frequently in immigration applications?

There are many types of immigration fraud....Common types of immigration fraudLying or providing false information on an application: misrepresentation. ... Fraud committed by immigration professionals – counselling misrepresentation. ... Citizenship and Visa fraud. ... Marriage fraud.

Is an immigration lawyer helpful?

Immigrants have a more difficult time trying to find legal employment than the average American, let alone a job that earns a competitive salary in the United States. An immigration lawyer can assist you in the process of applying to jobs, interacting with human relations staff, and seeking employment opportunities.

What does immigration law handle?

Immigration laws regulate who can enter the country and how long they can stay, in addition to determining what legal rights and responsibilities noncitizens have while they are here. The Bureau of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is a branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Can immigration lawyer speed up process?

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.

What questions are asked at an immigration interview?

Immigration Status-Related Interview Questions What is your legal status in the United States? When did you come to the United States? How do you come to the United States? Are you a legal resident?

What are the questions for immigration interview?

Officers can ask a vast range of questions, but here are some examples:How, where, and when did you meet your spouse?Where did your first date take place?How long did were you with your spouse before getting married?When and where were you married?Did you go on a honeymoon? ... What is your spouse's current job?More items...•

Does USCIS know everything about you?

The simple answer, of course, is that it is impossible to know whether USCIS knows if an applicant for a green card or for naturalization is lying to them. The safe assumption is that they DO know everything about you and that, if you lie in the interview, you will be caught.

How to Report Immigration Scams

Report the scam to your state consumer protection office. See the table below for state-specific information.

Scam Websites and Social Media Accounts

Some websites and social media accounts claim to be affiliated with USCIS and offer step-by-step guidance on completing a USCIS application or petition. To report a website or social media account that claims to be affiliated with USCIS, send an email to uscis.webmaster@uscis.dhs.gov.

Where to Report Immigration Scams by State

Disclaimer: USCIS collected state and territory information from the official government websites of all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Although we attempted to verify the information contained in these listings, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of all phone numbers, web addresses, and other information.

What does an immigration attorney do?

A good immigration attorney can investigate your case, review any submissions for errors, and determine whether or not your original attorney was licensed to practice law. If you do not act quickly, you might miss deadlines that apply to new applications or court filings based on ineffective assistance of counsel.

What does it mean when an attorney denies an immigration case?

A Denial Does Not Automatically Mean Your Attorney Made Mistakes. If you received a denial of your immigration case, appeal, motion, or application from the U.S. government, your attorney might seem like the natural person to blame. But don't be too quick to assume that your attorney made mistakes just because you did not receive ...

What happens if your lawyer isn't a lawyer?

What Happens If Your Lawyer Wasn't Really a Lawyer at All. In some cases, the "lawyer" might not have been a licensed attorney in the first place. These "immigration consultants" are also known as notarios in the Spanish-speaking community. An immigration consultant could have made mistakes in your case or even charged you lots ...

What to do if your former attorney made a mistake?

Once you have a professional opinion about the mistakes your former attorney made, you will want to "fix" your case and try to achieve any legal remedies or compensation available to you. If you have been the victim of ineffective assistance of counsel, you might be able to reopen your case, even if the deadline for appeal has passed. The Matter of Lozada case set forth the requirements for noncitizens who claim to have been unfairly prejudiced by ineffective assistance of counsel. You must:

What to do if your work visa is denied?

However, if your visa was denied because you clearly didn't meet the basic educational requirements, and your attorney told you that you would qualify for the work visa based on the information that you provided, you might be able to get other forms of relief, such as a refund of legal fees and application fees.

Can you reopen a case if you knew your representative was not licensed to practice law?

Unfortunately, the courts have held that if you knew that your representative was not licensed to practice law and you hired him or her regardless, you cannot reopen your case based on "ineffective assistance of counsel.".

Is a simple mistake an ineffective assistance of counsel?

Still, a simple mistake is not necessarily "ineffective assistance of counsel" or even evidence of malpractice. If your attorney made a small mistake that was not the reason for the denial of your application, it will likely not be enough to rise to the level of ineffective assistance of counsel. For example, if your attorney included your ...

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What do immigration lawyers do?

What do immigration lawyers actually do? If you’re going through the immigration process, do you need one? These are completely fair questions, so let’s start with two important points: 1 You are never required to use an immigration lawyer. The immigration statute gives you the right to have an immigration attorney if you want to retain one. The attorney can file legal documents as your representative and can appear with you at immigration interviews. But you are never required to have one if you prefer not to. 2 Most people do not use an immigration lawyer. Whether immigration lawyers like it or not, that’s the simple truth. Most people who successfully complete the immigration process never hire a lawyer. There are good reasons that you might want legal representation, but you should also know that thousands of people immigrate every year without a lawyer’s help. No one should scare you into hiring a lawyer by saying that it’s impossible to succeed without one. That’s just not true.

What is the most valuable service an immigration lawyer can offer?

That’s why the most valuable service an immigration lawyer can offer is as a strategic adviser. A good immigration attorney should be able to help you understand what roads you’re allowed to walk down.

Why did Gustavo skip the interview?

Because it was important to our client that he move forward with the interview, Gustavo skipped part of the conference so he could be at his client’s side.

Who is Greg on I-864?

Greg is recognized as the leading national authority on enforcement of the Form I-864, Affidavit of Support. Greg represents low-income green card holders in lawsuits to recover support from their sponsors. Practicing family-based immigration law, Greg also focuses on helping married and engaged couples with U.S. immigration.

Can a foreign spouse get a green card?

with the intention to seek a green card – and came on a temporary status – he has committed an act of fraud. His green card application can be denied. What’s far worse, is that he can also be subjected to a lifetime ban from ever returning to the U.S.

What do immigration lawyers know?

Unlike the average citizen with no experience, an immigration lawyer will know exactly which forms to file and when. Also, the level of advice you'll receive is often invaluable, especially when you need to prepare for an interview or court date.

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 an immigration attorney charge?

In most cases, an immigration attorney will charge an hourly rate of $150 to $300 per hour, whereas others will charge a set fee for the entire process. 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 ...

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 to avoid sarcasm during an interview?

In particular, avoid joking or sarcasm related to drug dealing, communicable diseases, bigamy, or smuggling people into the country. DON'T argue with your spouse or other family members in the middle of an interview. Agree before hand on what you will do if a disagreement arises during the interview.

What to do if you feel you have something that is difficult to explain?

DON'T lie to the USCIS officer. If you feel you have something that would be difficult to explain, hire an attorney. Your attorney should be able to defuse difficult situations during an interview.

What to do if you don't understand English?

DO bring an interpreter with you if you do not understand English. DO dress appropriately for the occasion. This is an important meeting for you, and a good impression can't hurt. DO remain calm. If you don't understand the question, ask the officer to rephrase it.

Do you have to show up for USCIS interview?

USCIS officers are notoriously difficult to reach and requests for changes in interview times are not well received. If you fail to show up for your appointment, you may have to endure a lengthy process to get another interview.

Is it necessary to be prepared for a USCIS interview?

Being prepared and not arousing suspicion will make the USCIS interview as pleasant as possible. The tenor of each interview will depend on the personality of the USCIS official with whom you meet, so it is almost impossible to be entirely prepared. It is important to remember, however, that it is the USCIS official's job to determine whether there ...

What does an attorney do in a USCIS interview?

An attorney at the USCIS interview would: Provide Clarifications, Explain Facts and Provide Legal Arguments. If there is a need to clarify a question (by the adjudicator) or an answer (by the applicant), it is the attorney’s role to “jump in” and provide such clarification in order to keep the interview on track.

What is the role of an attorney in a case?

Similarly, if the case has an outstanding factual or legal issue, it is the attorney’s role to draw the adjudicator’s attention to such facts or legal arguments and make them on behalf of the applicant. Example:

What is the role of an adjudicator?

Rarely, an attorney’s role is to intervene in a more decisive manner if the adjudicator intends to take a negative action on a case. Sometimes an adjudicator comes into an interview with a predetermined view that a certain facts justify denial or finding of ineligibility. This can be based on incorrect facts or understanding of the law, ...

Does having an attorney at the USCIS interview affect the application?

In our experience, having an attorney at the USCIS interview does not impact the application or the interview negatively. We have heard applicants express concern that bringing an attorney with them to the interview makes the adjudicator think that there is something “wrong” with the application or that they have something to “hide.”.

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Is litigation a complicated process?

Litigation is a slow, complicated, unpredictable, expensive process. To the extent your lawyer can expedite, simplify, win, and reduce the fees, he’s the one for you . I hope you don’ t need to get the attention of your attorney. But if you do, this should help. Good luck!

Can an army of marching attorneys help some clients?

We know that every case is not a winner. An army of marching attorneys can’t help some clients. The key is to be able to focus on the relevant law and facts immediately, so you don’t waste the client’s money and your time. If the attorney isn’t prosecuting your case, this probably wasn’t done. You can help.

Do attorneys mind after hours calls?

Just like they don’t mind after-hours calls. Sometimes it’s necessary for you to volunteer. You’ll be surprised how receptive your attorney is to your assistance. Believe it or not, the amount of attorney’s fees is usually not a major complaint.

Do lawyers have egos?

So even though it’s a killer, it’s a sure-fire attention-getter. In fact, it’s so reliable that if the attorney doesn’t respond, you’re probably better off with another.

How to know if a lawyer is licensed?

The first step is to research the credentials of the lawyer representing you. You want to know that the lawyer is licensed and has experience dealing with cases similar to yours. Ask them how many cases they’ve won. Ask about the amount of times they’ve taken their cases to trial. Ask them how many years they’ve worked as a lawyer. Question their qualifications. You want to know the lawyer representing you will give the best chance to win in the court of law.

What is attorney scam?

The term attorney scams is used to denote the ways and means by which a lawyer uses his or her knowledge in law, in order to deceive the clients for the purpose of amassing money. These acts constitute a direct violation of the ethical standards and professional code of lawyers.

Why are lawyers appointed as the vanguards of justice?

In line with this, most laws are enacted in order to protect the underprivileged against those who will use their power and influence to oppress the weak. With this, lawyers are appointed as the vanguards of justice and the seekers of truth. Attorney scams are not as frequent as other scams because lawyers tend to be law-abiding citizens.

Is a lawyer under qualified?

Under-Qualified Lawyers. While many lawyers might have the degrees and bar exams to show off, they might not be the ideal fit for your case. Some lawyers will convince you that they’ll represent you the best, but they might not be qualified to do so. Always look for the branch of lawyer that relates to your case.

Is a lawyer a member of the bar?

Unlincensed lawyers: probably the worst of all misrepresentations, the supposed-to-be lawyer is in fact, not a member of the bar.

Do shark lawyers fight?

If you’re going against big companies or wealthy businessmen, they will bring shark lawyers. Most big companies deal with lawsuits all the time and their lawyers already know all the other lawyers in the area. They know exactly which lawyers will settle for low amounts without putting up a fight because they’re afraid to take their cases in front of a jury.

Do lawyers tell you how much your case is worth?

Serious attorneys will not reveal how much your case is worth in advance, until they have the opportunity to analyze your case in detail. This is in partially the fault of the clients who push lawyers to tell them how much money they’re entitled to.