Immigration process requires some paperwork that you alone cannot deal with. Unless your immigration concern is simple, you should find someone who can help you in the process. An immigration lawyer should be your best bet. Lawyers can offer legal expertise to make the matter easier for you. You may only provide the documents needed, and the lawyer can do the rest of the work for you. People usually hire immigration lawyers when the immigration concern is too complicated for them to handle.
Finding a lawyer to help you with your immigration concern needs contemplation. Although having a lawyer means you will have to deal with service charges, most of the time you have no choice. So, you should be concerned with looking for the right lawyer.
- Ask your friends. Friends and even family members can recommend a lawyer to you. Nothing is more reliable than the experience of someone you know who has hired an immigration attorney. What if your friends or sister cannot point you to a good lawyer?
- The American Immigration Lawyers Association can always be your resource for competent attorneys. As the name implies, this is an association of lawyers who specialize in immigration law. There are many types of lawyers out there, so make sure to find those that specialize in immigration. Also, you can contact your local state bar for qualified lawyers.
- Look for probable lawyers based on experience, cases handled, and client feedback. Then make a short list of possible lawyers. Since your immigration concerns may be urgent, you are to look for a legal counsel within a short time. Also, make sure lawyers in your short list have the right credentials.
- Talk to the lawyers in your short list. All the lawyers on your list may be qualified and experienced. They may have the capabilities to provide good services, but at the end of the day what matters is whether you can get along with them. Obviously, you don’t want to hire a lawyer whom you do not develop rapport with.
- Talk to previous clients. One way to know if lawyers treat their clients is by asking the clients themselves. Decent lawyers would not mind giving you contacts.
- Ask about fees. Lawyers may be noble but they need money. They need to get paid. So, ask about payment schemes. Are you going to pay the agency or is it a client-lawyer sort of arrangement? In any case, know what you would be paying for so that you don’t get shocked in the end.
Do not confuse an immigrant consultant with an immigrant lawyer. Both are different and have distinct jobs. A consultant can help you with filling out forms—not represent you or give you legal advice. Only qualified immigration lawyers can represent you before the USCIS. Anything that involves legal matters should be handled by a lawyer.
Regarding the cost, some people are too thrifty that they want an attorney with the lowest service charge. Make sure you get the kind of services you need with the amount of money you pay. Sometimes, cheap legal services will prove to be cheap. spain non lucrative visa