Lawyers map
>3.7k
experienced lawyers
Filter by
08 Dec, 2014 by Anonymous
I had Quynh help me with immigration, and working with her was frustrating. She is not knowledgeable and if you'd like to mess up your situation she's the one to work with. Later I hired another lawyer and everything started moving smoothly.
Read more
18 May, 2019 by Dorian
Worked with Kristin Regal in 2017. Took my retainer and did nothing after but show up to court unprepared, and misinformed me to meet all the demands requested of me in the suit. Then had the nerve to tell me she would fight harder if she knew I had more money.
Read more
09 Apr, 2012 by Anonymous
I hired this woman to help me obtain legal status so I could gain custody of my child who was and now still is in a desperate and abusive home. Knowing the other party was going to use my immigration status against me at the time, Although she was always very hard to get in touch with I had her appear in court with me at a custody hearing. Not only did she not try to step in and prevent my arrest after that hearing when it went down, she failed to file the Stay of deportation forms that would have kept me in the US and probably saved my child from more abuse at the hands of his mother and grandmother. I now have not seen my child for nearly 4 years, and my wife in more than a year! At the time of my deportation I asked Ms Lane about the Waiver process and she knew absolutely nothing about it, then stopped responding to calls from myself and my wife...Did she realize she had failed to file a simple paper that would have saved my child and my family a mountain of heartache, or did she cut us off because I could no longer pay her fees? Either way, she failed me when I trusted in her. My son is now suffering physical and psychological abuse that is worse than ever... I would not recommend her because of her lack of knowledge and her failure to file a very common form after having been paid to protect me! I had a happy family, a great job and was attempting to do the right thing in regard to my status. I fully acknowledge my mistake in not obtaining legal status as a young man in first coming to this country however, I live a good and honest life and trusted in Ms Lane to help me so I could protect my child.... and now we both are suffering, because of of my youthful lack of knowledge years ago and her lack of knowledge and negligence!
Read more
04 Jun, 2021 by Angel estrada
He only accepts cash because he screws the IRS. So he quotes you on price for cash and another for check. If you fail to pay by just one day, he will withdraw. I have never seen such a miserable machismo man in my life. His years of practice mean nothing when you can't win and no ADA will work with you. This is a sad attorney.
Read more
20 Aug, 2022 by J j entertainment
The paralegal was rude and un professional when asking the question regarding the case. They are not willing to go to the trail rather settle on the case. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME AN MONEY.
Read more
30 Mar, 2017 by Anonymous
I understand that she is using her mother's coat tail to establish her clients, but I was very disappointed that I could not get thru past the receptionist. I paid the consultation fee, only to find out what I already knew. Fees are extremely expensive. Comparing this to a really good pair of leather shoes. You know they are good, and will last a long time, but then you see the same pair with a label and you end up paying five times more. If you have the money upfront they will talk to you, but you might be stuck with a pair of over priced leather shoes that pinch more than just your pocket. I was ready to hire the team, but I could not talk to anybody without money. I wanted to pay another $1000, and even then I couldn't speak to anybody. I knew that I wasn't going to be guaranteed a win win case, but I needed answers to some of my painful needs. My desperate actions led me to a different attorney who did answer all my questions. I lost my $250.00 consulting fee.
Read more
23 Aug, 2015 by Anonymous
She did nothing in my divorce case in a six month period I want to let the public know, she only took my money and doesn't want to return my refund.
Read more
27 Oct, 2021 by Anonymous
A este abogado me lo recomendó un Haitiano que conocí estando detenido en El Paso Processing Center,Centro de inmigración en El Paso Texas.Este tenía una tarjetica de él y me la dió para que lo contactara y le pidiera ayuda para con mi caso en inmigración.Ok pues eso hice,lo contacté por mediación de un amigo mío y ellos se pusieron de acuerdo en que él me iba a representar ante un juez de inmigración para que no me deportaran y me ayudara a mantener mi estatus migratorio de residente legal en este país.Bueno resulta ser que eso fue lo que él le dijo a mi amigo,que me representaría ante El juez y que me ayudaría,eso fue antes de que mi amigo le pagará los 1500 dls que el pidió por hacer eso.Nada más recibió su dinero cambio su discurso y empezó a decir que solo lo habíamos contratado para pedirle a ICE una libertad bajo palabra por mi condición médica,que estaba sobrepeso(obeso) y padecía de asma grado 3 desde pequeño y por la situación del covid 19 que había en ese momento y que aún hay,corría el riesgo de morir en esas instalaciones totalmente infectadas de Coronavirus o de esta ser denegada,la petición de una fianza ante el juez.Por supuesto ICE se negó y el sabía que iba a ser así,porque yo traía una felonia agravada,cosa que él también sabía desde que agarró mi caso y nunca mencionó algo al respecto.Llegó el día de la corte donde supuestamente el me representaría ante El juez y el me dijo que no se presentaría y que pidiera más tiempo al juez,para dar tiempo a qué ICE respondiera lo que les mencioné antes y que en ese momento no había respondido aún,la petición de libertad bajo palabra por la demanda Fhryhat vs ICE,que consistia en que se debería de dejar en libertad a todo el que corriera riesgo real de perecer por Coronavirus por alguna condición de salud que tuviera una complicación real frente a esta epidemia.En esa corte,el juez también me mencionó que yo no tenía derecho a un perdón porque lo que yo había echo era muy grave,mi delíto no tenía perdón y que como traía una felonia agravada ICE no me liberaria por medio de la demanda Fhryhat vs ICE y que tampoco tenía derecho a una fianza,que yo inevitablemente tendría que ser deportado.Todo esto este abogado lo sabía,el sabía desde el principio que esto iba a ser así,pero nunca lo mencionó.Esto de la fianza también era una opción que me había mencionado el abogado inicialmente cuando cambio su discurso a qué no me respresentaria ante El juez.Resulta ser que este abogado,como abogado y estudioso de las leyes que es,sabe bien desde el principio las posibilidades reales de cada caso,pero no habla claro desde el principio y te promete cosas que el sabe que no podrán ser,solo para y hasta que le pagues su dinero,lo que él cobra por hacer lo que verdaderamente va a hacer que es presentar ante ICE una petición de libertad bajo palabra por la demanda Fhryhat vs ICE y si está fuera denegada la petición de una fianza la cuál según el caso y la gravedad del delíto de cada cliente sería también negada o no,pero el desde el principio sabe bien en cuál y más cuál caso estas dos peticiones serán o no denegadas.De lo que me quejo es,de que él se hace el bobo,pero es bien vivo porque sabiendo las posibilidades reales de cada cliente,te promete en muchas ocasiones cosas que no podrá cumplir,solo para agarrarte tu dinero,ya después que agarró tu dinero es que te viene hablar realmente lo que puede hacer por ti y es entonces cuando te menciona las posibilidades reales que tienes de resolver o no tu caso en inmigración.Conoci allí en el centro de detención de ICE a muchos que padecieron del mismo problema que yo y del cuál hoy me estoy quejando aqui, muchas personas de muchos países distintos.Mi consejo es que si lo van a contratar,cosa que no recomiendo porque una persona así no es de fiar,no habla claro hasta que no le pagas,cambia su discurso en cuanto recibe tu dinero.Para mi no es una persona honesta porque el dejar de mencionar una verdad,es como si se estuviese diciendo una mentira.
Read more
23 Jul, 2017 by Jon
Lawyer Allowed case to expire. Kept lying to us saying it was still in progress. We had to call the court to find out. Wife was injured in car wreck and Lily cost us any chance at a settlement. Dissapeared from her office and never returned calls.
Read more
01 Jul, 2024 by Anonymous
He provided a google review on a business that is not factual. He claimed “ co-owner ousted the lead Professor and co-owner (Greg Hamilton) in April 2024,” it not a true statement. Greg Hamilton was never a co-owner. And he was let go for other reasons. As an attorney, he never researched the facts and posted a negative review on a business.
Read more
20 Dec, 2017 by Anonymous
Do not hire this attorney he is very lazy, unprofessional and he does not go to court dates when required. Because of him I lost my bankrupcy case. I lost my house among other things., none of the cases he handle for me or my friends won., I do not recomend him.
Read more
01 Aug, 2020 by Michael
Was the attorney for me and my wife. When my wife got a new job in 2017, she recommended Melvyn with that employer to do H1b . He scared the new employer, telling them the chances of rejection is very high. He scared to the point that the employer dropped the offer, but later came back with their own attorney and did the H1b like a breeze. My green card process was also filed by Melvyn. He did a very shabby job and the process ran into trouble many times, including audit and rejection. On appeal, I had to write a letter to USCIS since the letter Melvyn came up was inadequate. Overall poor rating.
Read more
23 Sep, 2019 by Anonymous
If care about the result of your case, please save your self the trouble and stay away. He's lazy and unproductive, the only thing he knows how to do is blame everybody else but work. Lost tons of money and my case because of lazy a lawyer that did not want to put in the work. He actually pretended like he completely lost his voice in court, while everyone knew it wasn't true, which made the judge very upset. Just don't!
Read more
23 Apr, 2012 by Nsharma
The Worst experience i have ever had. His charges are way too expensive when compare the service offered. If you are going through any critical case, i would advise not to consider Mr.Sharif as he is not the right person to handle any cases. He can do the paper work but you might still not be satisfied.
Read more
03 Jul, 2020 by Anonymous
I had retained Thu Nguyen of Nguyen Immigration located at 17330 Preston Road, Dallas for a green card application last year. In the beginning Ms. Nguyen seemed adequate, although I did find her along with her assistant to be a little scattered, disorganized, and unclear in their dealings with me. I paid a large sum of money at different times (in the thousands of dollars) for the various applications I required. Unfortunately after my last payment was submitted to Ms. Nguyen in full, I noticed a significant decline in her services. I was left with no proper responses in regards to a very important issue dealing with my intermittent travel. Due to Ms. Nguyen’s lack of response I ended up cancelling an international ticket and losing money and also postponing another trip (all to find out almost a year later that I never had to cancel any of these and was permitted to travel the entire time!) This was extremely inconvenient and disappointing. I also found throughout that Ms. Nguyen would constantly say more money was needed to be added as the retainer had been “absorbed.” I never once received receipts for ANY of my monies paid, or a breakdown of charges. I just trusted her word in good faith. However this money related issue became very concerning when I had paid Ms. Nguyen $618.00 for a renewal application that was not needed to be submitted after all. The application was cancelled and never submitted, nor did I even receive a draft copy of any documents prepared. Ms. Nguyen literally charged me the full $618.00 for an unsent application. I would not give my recommendation for Ms. Nguyen to anybody at all. I am taking this matter up with her governing authority formally, as it a matter of principle. It was a horrible experience for me, and I was left with no recourse.
Read more
09 Sep, 2013 by Anonymous
I paid for the initial consultation and got only 10 minutes of Mr. Foster time where I explained my case. Then a different person entered the room and Mr. Foster started explaining my case to him and then left the room. This new lawyer did not hear my entire case and when I asked questions he will answer I am not qualified, or I will forward your case to the specialist. The meeting ended in only 30 min and I took NOTHING out of it.
The 3rd lawyer contacted me via email and we agreed on a time for a call. He missed 2 appointments and the 3rd one we were able to meet. We discussed options and was a very knowledgable individual. He offered to discuss my case with his colleagues and call me back with a recommendation on how to proceed. 4 months have elapsed and he has not contacted me whatsoever. I went with a different lawyer.
Read more
13 Jun, 2011 by Anonymous
Very disappointed with Steve, I paid him and he did nothing to even attempt to win a divorce case for me. He never returned calls or stated that he never got messages from me at all. Unless he was receiving money he would simply sit on it and do nothing. This WILL be reported to the State Bar Association POSSIBLLY have him return all of our money paid to him to apply towards another attorney.
Read more
23 Jan, 2016 by Hassan matthew kukah
I`d never seen an attorney getting to the court house all smelling alcohol.
More importantly, is his claim of help. Nothing falls free from the Sky.
Finally, he does more damage to poor uneducated immigrants cases than assist their sorry situation, using "Pro-Bono" to lure these unsuspecting already traumatized immigrants is unethical, selfish and inhuman which circumvents the basic principle of fundamental human rights.
Read more
30 May, 2016 by Anonymous
High Fee: 150 for an hour consultation. I don't mind to pay money but I do mind when I wasted the money.
Information that provided: He didn't give me any constructive information. If you have the Internet, you can save yourself 150 bucks. Just remember to go to the government's websites.
Experience and background: I asked him to meet at his office. He refused and we met in a coffee shop. I asked him did he has any experiences he said he did hundreds of immigration cases, which I found untruthful based on how little he knows about visas for people who have Masters degree and so on. I asked him for his licensure information and maybe a little background info. He didn't provide.
Knowledge: I told him my situation he said there is no way to help me stay in America unless I found another company (in couple months). I asked him if there any other alternatives. He said no. I asked him about marriage (the only reason I asked was because my boyfriend and I were considering getting married at the time. Now we are happily married. He is not US citizen either). He said yes, it could be a way, "if that a true marriage". I was shocked even though I didn't show. I found that insulting. I think that's very rude and unprofessional.
Whole experience: After talking to him, I felt very sad and hopeless. I talked to my friends and they all suggested me to find a different lawyer which I did. I am glad I did. The other la
I have found a different lawyer and employees and they provided me many different options and they have a very reasonable charge scale. Actual office, licenses on the wall, 13 years of experience, resourceful and very kind and patient. The best thing was after we worked together, we were in touch for awhile just so they know how I was doing.
I had asked many questions through email and no charge.
This is just my experience. I hope my review doesn't have any unfair bias. Whoever is reading this, good luck with your process and don't let go of hope and love even when "the worst" has happened.
Read more
09 Jun, 2020 by Anonymous
I won the Texas State Lottery. Hired William Pratt to help me get my winnings. I have tried contacting him. Have not received any calls nor help from him. I will not recommend this attorney to anyone at this time.
Read more
17 Aug, 2022 by Anonymous
Terrible, unprepared, incompetent has no business being an attorney. The law firm Renshaw,pc is the worst unless you want to wast a lot of money.
Read more
19 Jun, 2019 by Anonymous
I want to ensure that everyone is aware of the awful situation the lawyer Elsa T. Gonzales put me through. My case involved me requesting a change of status from TPS (El Salvador) to Resident (green card) due to marriage. I found her through a CLC referral and got to receive a free consultation. During our initial consultation she seemed more than capable and willing to handle my case. After our first meeting which she was an hour late to (should’ve noticed the red flag but ignored it, due to it was free). I went home to locate all the documents she had requested. Unfortunately, I was unable to locate certain documents. The documents would be needed to prove my eligibility despite my parents previous lie on the initial TPS application. Elsa stated it should be fine and we agreed to meet again to sign a contract and begin the process. During our second meeting I explained to her the situation again and the missing documents and she reassured me everything should still be fine and I should still be able to request the change of status. I signed the contract and paid $1,000 upfront as a retainer. A month later I still had not heard anything and emailed her to request a date when the paperwork would be done so I could sign and submit. She told me I would hear back in a week. A week passed and still nothing. At this point, I emailed asking for an exact date. I was given a date by an assistant and then Elsa chooses at this point to tell me that since I don’t have documents to prove my situation I should’ve never received TPS and without TPS I am unable to request a change of status. (Which is what I paid her to do, and signed the contract for) I immediately told her I did not appreciate being led on and lied to and asked her to terminate the contract and refund me the money. She replied stating she did not understand what I was saying and that the paperwork was done. The emails escalated from there. At one point she stated she had put so many hours into it, that I was not due a refund. Her assistant then asked me for my address in Mexico.. (I’m not from Mexico and never have been. My TPS is from El Salvador). All this led to me having an anxiety attack and my husband took over emailing her. When my husband pointed out, how she never kept track of time, the lawyer rebutted with it’s based on reasonable time. My husband asked her to terminate the contract and the lawyer told him that I had never told her to terminate and that all I did was refuse to provide my Mexico address. (Further showing how little time she spent on my case). She offered to mail or have us pick up the termination paperwork. My husband asked her to mail since she’s about a 45 minute drive. That was two weeks ago and the paperwork never arrived. Elsa will scam you. She pretended she cared and wanted to help just long enough to get my money. She lies just to get your money and once she has it, she will not give it back. If she actually spent any time on my case, she would at least know the right country. Do not hire her.
Read more
03 Mar, 2017 by Anonymous
This is the worst law attorney/ car accident attorney ever. After getting into a car accident almost two years ago. Nothing has been done , excuse after excuse. Never calls me back and the other attorney always comes up with excuse as to why this isn't over. I would call and Valencia and she would say oh your case is going to court, next few weeks they have gave my case to another law's office without me agreeing to letting another attorney taking my case. They knew after a few weeks of taking my case if this was going to be harder. I guess I can say Shaun Naidoo runs when things get hard , this was my first accident, and the experience with someone hitting me head on and the attorney running too as been frustrating. I will be talking to the bar Association because they gave my case to someone else without contacting me to even ask me if i wanted somone else. I've never even had a sit down with Shaun Naidoo. Run before he bells out on you.
Read more
22 Aug, 2011 by Anonymous
We met Arthur Amdur many years ago, back in 1985 when we just came to Texas. I was on the student visa, but my wife received an excellent offer from a very prestigious company to work on their overseas project in France, literally a week after our arrival. We were referred to Arthur Amdur by some of our acquaintances. He had to apply for H-1 visa for my wife. We have all the required paperwork: her excellent past experience and stellar recommendations from the past employers and, which is most important, a prestigious company who was willing to employ her. Such things happen once in a lifetime. For several months the company was calling her inquiring about the status of her H-1 application. At that time it did not take a long time to make this adjustment. At first Mr. Amdur was replying that by the next week he will have her paperwork ready. Then he stopped responding to our calls. Later we found out that this 'shlemazl' lost her file and did not bother to call her to restore all the information. Finally the company gave up on her, after waiting for more than 3 months. I never met such irresponsible person and hope will never meet again.
Read more
30 Nov, 2020 by Fatehali
She do lots of unprofessional activities.
She kept original signed papers and send photo copies of I 130 .
Those was signed in 2015 ,she just make those copies and sent in 2017.
That's not legal at all.Ahe send false documents to Immigration. I have judgment from USCIS that they received 2015 phone copies for I130 which was filed in 2017. And I lost my money and have to hire some other attorney for my case.
And she change my address without my knowledge and authorization and she received my EAD ,She not even my attorney since more then a year.
I made a commitment to Texas Bar Association .
One star I did because to post review other was if I had option I would do NEGATIVE 100%
Read more
02 Oct, 2024 by Kim
rated 1 star because there was not a 0 star option. Not responsive and they don't care anything but money. they will only give you the first call when your check is ready, then it's hard to follow up after that. Not even a communication during that time.
Read more
Browse lawyers
Cities in Texas - Find a Lawyer Near Me
-
Houston
-
Dallas
-
Austin
-
San Antonio
-
Fort Worth
-
Plano
-
El Paso
-
Lubbock
-
Irving
-
The Woodlands
-
Arlington
-
Corpus Christi
-
Tyler
-
Waco
-
Richardson
-
Beaumont
-
Sugar Land
-
Spring
-
McAllen
-
Amarillo
-
Frisco
-
McKinney
-
Denton
-
Conroe
-
Midland
-
Katy
-
Edinburg
-
Brownsville
-
Addison
-
Laredo
-
Round Rock
-
Bellaire
-
Southlake
-
Galveston
-
Longview
-
Richmond
-
Abilene
-
Georgetown
-
Pearland
-
West Lake Hills
-
Corp Christi
-
Bryan
-
Texarkana
-
New Braunfels
-
Carrollton
-
Allen
-
Garland
-
Rockwall
-
San Angelo
-
Wichita Falls
-
Odessa
-
Grapevine
-
San Marcos
-
League City
-
Coppell
-
Bedford
-
Lewisville
-
Victoria
-
Flower Mound
-
Sherman
-
Harlingen
-
Temple
-
Boerne
-
Waxahachie
-
Kingwood
-
Cypress
-
Weatherford
-
Lufkin
-
Angleton
-
Kerrville
-
Cedar Park
-
Friendswood
-
College Station
-
Humble
-
Colleyville
-
Grand Prairie
-
Pasadena
-
Huntsville
-
Euless
-
Belton
-
Nacogdoches
-
Missouri City
-
Granbury
-
Hurst
-
Baytown
-
Killeen
-
Mansfield
-
Seguin
Browse lawyers
Practice Areas in Texas
-
Business
-
Real Estate
-
Personal Injury
-
Criminal Defense
-
Litigation
-
Family Law
-
Estate Planning
-
Government
-
Intellectual Property
-
Probate
-
Consumer Protection
-
Immigration
-
Appeals
-
Tax
-
Debt Collection
-
Lawsuit / Dispute
-
Child Support
-
Insurance
-
Juvenile Law
-
Elder Law
-
Civil Rights
-
Mediation
-
Car Accident
-
Child Custody
-
Entertainment
-
Wrongful Death
-
Workers Compensation
-
Social Security & Disability
-
Medical Malpractice
-
Divorce
-
Domestic Violence
-
Trusts
-
Adoption
-
Bankruptcy
-
Federal Crime
-
Sex Crime
-
Financial Markets And Services
-
Class Action
-
Employment / Labor
-
DUI / DWI
-
Discrimination
-
Foreclosure
-
Construction
-
Drug Crime
-
Wrongful Termination
-
Sexual Harassment
-
Debt Settlement
-
Cannabis Law
-
Copyright Application
-
Landlord & Tenant
-
Admiralty / Maritime
-
Life Insurance
-
Credit Repair
-
Education Law
-
Environmental Law
-
Wills
Discover the ideal lawyer
You can search a lawyer by practice area, lawyer name, city, state, or ZIP code
FAQs
Questions? We have answers
What an Immigration Lawyer Can Do for You
An immigration lawyer specializes in helping individuals, families, and businesses navigate the complex immigration process. These lawyers provide legal guidance on various immigration matters, such as obtaining visas, gaining permanent residency (green cards), applying for citizenship, and defending clients in deportation or removal proceedings. Immigration lawyers also assist with employment-based immigration, asylum applications, and resolving issues related to visas or immigration status.
Whether you're trying to immigrate to the U.S., facing deportation, or sponsoring an employee or family member for a visa, an immigration lawyer can help you understand your legal options and navigate the often complicated legal system.
When Should I Hire an Immigration Lawyer?
Hiring an immigration lawyer is beneficial in many situations where you are dealing with U.S. immigration laws, whether for personal or business reasons. Common reasons to hire an immigration lawyer include:
- Visa applications: If you need assistance applying for a visa, whether it's a work visa (H-1B), student visa (F-1), or tourist visa (B-1/B-2), a lawyer can help ensure the application is properly completed and submitted.
- Green card applications: If you're seeking permanent residency, an immigration lawyer can guide you through the process, whether through family sponsorship, employment, or the Diversity Visa (lottery) program.
- Deportation or removal defense: If you’re facing deportation or removal from the U.S., a lawyer can defend your case in immigration court and seek to prevent removal.
- Asylum applications: If you’re seeking asylum due to persecution or fear of persecution in your home country, a lawyer can help you prepare a strong case and file for asylum.
- Family reunification: If you're a U.S. citizen or permanent resident looking to bring family members to the U.S., a lawyer can assist with the family sponsorship process.
- Citizenship and naturalization: If you're ready to apply for U.S. citizenship, a lawyer can help you navigate the naturalization process and ensure you meet all the requirements.
- Business immigration: If you're an employer seeking to hire foreign workers, a lawyer can assist with employment-based visas, labor certification, and compliance with immigration regulations.
- Special immigration categories: Immigration lawyers also handle complex cases, such as visas for victims of human trafficking (T visa), crime victims (U visa), or those seeking Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
Hiring an immigration lawyer early in the process can help you avoid delays, errors, and possible denials due to incomplete or incorrect applications.
What Does an Immigration Lawyer Do?
An immigration lawyer provides a wide range of services to help clients with their immigration needs, whether personal or business-related. Their tasks often include:
- Assisting with visa applications: Helping clients fill out and submit visa applications, ensuring all documentation is complete and accurate.
- Filing for green cards and permanent residency: Guiding clients through the process of applying for a green card, including family-based, employment-based, or other forms of residency.
- Defending against deportation or removal: Representing clients in immigration court who are facing deportation and working to prevent removal from the U.S.
- Preparing asylum cases: Assisting clients in applying for asylum based on fear of persecution in their home country due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.
- Handling citizenship applications: Helping lawful permanent residents apply for naturalization and ensuring they meet all the legal requirements for U.S. citizenship.
- Employment-based immigration: Assisting employers with the process of sponsoring foreign workers for temporary or permanent visas, including H-1B, L-1, and EB-1 through EB-5 visas.
- Representation in immigration interviews: Preparing clients for immigration interviews and attending interviews at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offices.
- Appealing denied applications: If a visa, green card, or citizenship application is denied, a lawyer can file appeals or motions to reopen or reconsider the case.
How Are Immigration Lawyers Paid?
Immigration lawyers generally charge for their services based on the type of immigration case and the complexity of the legal work involved. Common payment structures include:
- Flat fee: Many immigration lawyers charge a flat fee for specific services, such as preparing a visa application, green card petition, or citizenship application. Flat fees help clients know upfront what the legal costs will be for a particular service.
- Hourly rate: For more complex cases, such as deportation defense or appeals, some lawyers charge by the hour. Hourly rates vary depending on the lawyer's experience and the complexity of the case.
- Retainer: For ongoing immigration matters, some clients may need to pay a retainer, which is an upfront payment billed against as the lawyer works on the case.
- Pro bono or sliding scale: Some immigration lawyers or nonprofit organizations may offer free or low-cost services for clients with limited financial means, particularly in asylum or humanitarian cases.
It’s essential to discuss the fee structure with your lawyer during the initial consultation to understand the costs and payment arrangements.
How Much Does an Immigration Lawyer Cost?
The cost of hiring an immigration lawyer varies based on the type of legal service required, the lawyer's experience, and the complexity of the case. General cost estimates include:
- Visa applications: For help with visa applications (e.g., H-1B, L-1, F-1), legal fees may range from $2,000 to $7,500, depending on the complexity and the type of visa.
- Green card applications: Fees for family-based or employment-based green card applications typically range from $3,000 to $10,000, depending on the case.
- Deportation defense: For defending clients in removal proceedings, costs can range from $5,000 to $15,000 or more, depending on the complexity of the case and how long the case takes.
- Asylum cases: Asylum applications may range from $2,000 to $10,000, depending on whether the case is defensive (in removal proceedings) or affirmative (not in removal proceedings).
- Citizenship applications: Legal fees for filing a naturalization application usually range from $1,500 to $5,000, depending on the complexity of the client’s immigration history.
- Business immigration services: Fees for assisting businesses with employment-based visas (such as H-1B or EB-5 visas) often range from $3,000 to $10,000 or more.
Always ask for a clear breakdown of costs and fee arrangements before proceeding with legal services.
Top Questions to Ask an Immigration Lawyer
Before hiring an immigration lawyer, it's essential to ask questions to ensure they have the experience and expertise to handle your case effectively. Important questions to ask include:
-
What experience do you have with immigration cases like mine?
Ensure the lawyer has experience handling cases similar to yours, whether it’s family-based immigration, employment visas, or asylum. -
How do you charge for your services?
Clarify whether the lawyer charges a flat fee, hourly rate, or retainer, and ask for a detailed estimate of the total cost. -
What is the likelihood of success in my case?
Ask for an honest assessment of your case and the potential outcomes, including any challenges you might face. -
How long will the process take?
Immigration cases can take time, so ask how long it may take to process your application or resolve your legal issue. -
Will you handle my case personally?
In larger firms, junior attorneys or paralegals may handle parts of your case. Make sure you know who will be working on your case directly. -
What documents do I need to provide?
Ask the lawyer about the documentation required to support your case, such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, or employment contracts.
How to Check the Credibility of an Immigration Lawyer
To ensure you are hiring a reputable immigration lawyer, take the following steps to verify their credentials and track record:
- Check their state bar status: Confirm with your state bar association that the lawyer is licensed to practice and has no disciplinary actions against them.
- Look for specific immigration law experience: Review the lawyer’s website or professional profile to ensure they specialize in immigration law and have experience handling cases like yours.
- Read client reviews and testimonials: Look for reviews on platforms like Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, or Google to see what previous clients have said about the lawyer’s professionalism and success rate.
- Ask for references: A credible lawyer should be willing to provide references from past clients who can speak to their ability to handle immigration cases.
- Check for industry affiliations: Membership in organizations like the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) can indicate the lawyer’s expertise and commitment to immigration law.
What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?
To make the most out of your first consultation with an immigration lawyer, it’s important to come prepared with relevant documents and information. Here’s what you should bring:
- Passport and immigration documents: Bring your passport, visa, and any documents related to your current immigration status.
- Family documents: If you're applying for a family-based visa or green card, bring marriage certificates, birth certificates, and proof of family relationships.
- Employment information: For employment-based visas, provide your employment contract, offer letter, or other documentation of your job.
- Criminal records (if applicable): If you have any criminal history, bring copies of court records and other relevant documents.
- Timeline of events: Provide a clear timeline of any prior immigration applications, visas, or issues with immigration authorities.
- List of questions: Prepare any questions you have about your immigration case, the process, costs, and the likelihood of success.
By preparing thoroughly for your consultation, you can help the lawyer understand your case more effectively and get the best possible legal advice on how to proceed.
