California Immigration Attorney
How can an Immigration Attorney help me?
Hiring an Immigration Attorney means adding legal fees to your immigration case, but often, avoiding mistakes can save money and time down the road - and prevent visa denials and even removal from the U.S. In a digital society with online access to forms, instruction booklets, and a plethora of research data, you might be wondering whether or not hiring an Immigration Lawyer to help meet your needs is worth the expense. Considering that government fees for visas, adjustment, biometrics, and filing have been on a rising trend for close to a decade now, you might be thinking it might make more sense to cut costs and handle your immigration case on your own. Many simple immigration cases can be handled without legal representation, but immigration cases are rarely simple. Here are just a few reasons why it's wise to seek the advice of a lawyer who specializes in immigration law. As you'll read below, navigating the complex framework of immigration laws and regulations, in addition to the laws and regulations of your individual state and/or country, can be challenging and even dangerous, given that exclusion, deportation, or separation from loved ones is a possibility.
How Much Does an Immigration Lawyer Charge?
Legal fees vary widely depending on the services needed. For example, hiring an attorney to help file a family-based immigration petition will be much less costly than hiring a lawyer to defend you in a deportation (removal) case.
Here are some typical legal fees:
* Application for Employment Authorization (Work Permit): $300-600
* Citizenship/Naturalization Application: $500-1,500
* Family-Based Green Card Petition: $800-3,000
* Employment-Based Petitions: $1,500-7,000
* Asylum Application: $1,000-6,000
* Adjustment of Status Application: $600-2,500
* Deportation Defense: $2,000-15,000 (and could go up further if the case involves many court appearances or complex defense strategies)
Some attorneys might charge much more if they have many years of experience, are working in major (expensive) U.S. cities such as New York or San Francisco, use specialized tools and processes, or have other reasons to command higher fees.
Why Pay for an Attorney?
California Immigration Attorney There are three main reasons to consider hiring a qualified immigration attorney: complexity of the application process for visas and family-based petitions, a growing trend toward detention and deportation, and the availability of waivers for certain non-US citizens who have minor crimes or have been in the US unlawfully for certain periods of time.
Each of these situations presents unique problems for the prospective immigrant and requires careful analysis and expertise. With the right assistance, what seems like a potential obstacle might become an avenue to immigration to the United States.
What about Case Efficiency and Risk Reduction?
It is estimated that hiring an immigration lawyer to complete your immigrant or non-immigrant visa application can save you four to eight weeks in processing time. An immigration lawyer knows exactly what types of visas or relief are available to you and can help you compile a valid and complete application the first time around. This will save you time and money, and could avoid your receiving a rejection of your application, or a request for more evidence. Furthermore, a lawyer can prepare you for your interview at a consulate abroad, or at USCIS within the country, and help streamline the process. This greatly lowers the risk of a rejection of your application in its final stages. Lastly, an immigration lawyer will evaluate the facts of your particular case and advise you on your probability of obtaining the type of visa or other immigration benefit you seek. The lawyer can help you avoid certain pitfalls that could lead to exclusion from entry into the U.S or deportation and a bar to re-entry. This could save you the trouble of being separated from friends, and loved ones, which is an invaluable savings! Applying for relief via a waiver, a visa, or adjustment of status brings someone to the attention of the immigration authorities, and could lead to deportation and/or exclusion. Imagine paying hefty filing fees and going through a months-long process only to be apprehended by DHS officials and placed in proceedings before the immigration court! Depending on your particular situation, you might be in danger of being detained in a correctional facility or being deported and excluded from the U.S. for a period ranging from three to 20 years. Because immigration law is federal. while most crimes fall under state law, many non-citizens have a non-conviction for state law purposes that actually qualifies as a ground of deportation for immigration purposes. A qualified immigration attorney can help you determine whether any past run-in with the law have placed you in jeopardy of deportation. If you are seeking adjustment of status based on your marriage to, or engagement to a US citizen, or if you're seeking another type of visa or asylum, you will want the advice of an immigration lawyer to determine whether you are better off leaving the U.S. and applying for relief at a consulate abroad, or remaining in the U.S. and going through the process (which could include proceedings in immigration court) within the United States. If indeed your adjustment must take place in proceedings, you will not want to be facing an immigration judge in court on your own! These strategies can only be determined by a specialist in this area of the law. Even a general practitioner will not be familiar with the immigration statute and the relevant waivers and regulations to advise you in a competent manner.