Find an Immigration Lawyer. You do not need to fill out every search box. CitizenPath is the leading online service for helping you prepare USCIS forms. Not all AILA Members participate. You can visit our online tools page to find answers and other help, including: How to check your case status ; At the end of the day, choose the lawyer who you feel most comfortable with. Questions to ask:– Do you charge an hourly rate or a flat fee?– Will I be responsible for other costs such as postage, couriers and printing?– When will payments be due? Ask for an opportunity to meet the attorney so that you can ask questions and make a decision. However agencies like these can rarely meet all of the demand, resulting in long wait times. Lawyers have different fee schedules with different expectations of how costs are reimbursed. Immigration law is complex, and many immigration lawyers specialize in just one or a few areas of the law. For example, a political refugee hoping to get asylum in the United States would need to find an attorney who specializes in asylum cases. Finding an Immigration Attorney To find an immigration lawyer or law firm to help with your citizenship or immigration issue, use the FindLaw Lawyer Directory. Most state bars allow you to look up the attorney by name or bar number online. You may also find a private attorney to be more accessible and willing to spend time answering all of your questions. If you have immigration violations, past criminal offenses, or a previously denied application, CitizenPath recommends that you seek the advice of an experienced immigration lawyer before filing any USCIS form. Find out what was most important to them in their process. The U.S. immigration system can be overwhelming. When you appoint a registered migration agent to act for you, we will:. Working visa, student visa, partner visa. See if they provide interpreters or translators for their clients. Check online reviews on websites like Find Law and Avvo. The contents of this article contain legal information, but not legal advice. To search for a private immigration lawyer near you, visit www.ailalawyer.org. This includes the staff. When searching for low-cost immigration services, make sure the organization that you choose can address your specific situation. It is important that you research an immigration attorney’s background before hiring him/her. We are not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency. If you have a history which includes immigration violations (e.g. They do so by completing and having you sign Form 956 Advice by a migration agent/exempt person of providing Immigration assistance (297KB PDF). This article has been viewed 11,457 times. California. You may be able to narrow down your search for immigration lawyers right away, by contacting your local Bar Association and asking for a recommendation for an immigration attorney. How many immigration cases does the attorney handle every year? CitizenPath is a private company that provides self-directed immigration services at your direction. Be assertive during your meeting, but let the attorney do most of the talking. However, you don't just want any lawyer — you want a lawyer you can trust to fight for your needs. San Jose immigration attorney Daniel Shanfield, Esq. However, hiring an attorney is itself a complex procedure. Read this information carefully to give yourself the knowledge you'll need to make your decision. If you're not comfortably fluent in English, look for a lawyer who speaks your native language. Advocate groups or other community organizations that specialize in certain areas may also have ties with local attorneys they could recommend. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013. With that in mind, here is an overview of the ways in which an immigration lawyer can help you find someone in an immigration detention center. It is also important to make sure your needs match the lawyer’s expertise. AILA's Immigration Lawyer Search. If you or a loved one wants to immigrate to the United States, you will need to find a lawyer to help you navigate the legalities of process. A good lawyer will have a strong reputation, so consider the recommendations of others carefully. Regardless if you’re working with a lawyer in private practice or non-profit, it’s important to find an immigration lawyer that is experienced and can help you navigate the complexity of your case. Call 1300 636 846. Immigration Law Handbook, 2014 Edition (LexisNexis). An FAQ section suggests the lawyers in a firm listen well to their clients and anticipate the concerns of future clients. Look in the "attorneys" section for ads that list immigration law as an area of specialization. Enter "immigration attorneys in [YOUR STATE]" into your search engine and sift through the results. Be cautious of attorneys that practice in law in several areas (like personal injury, business, etc.) overstayed visa, ordered removed, etc.) CitizenPath allows users to try the service for free and provides a 100% money-back guarantee that USCIS will approve the application or petition. Get good immigration legal advice now. Typically, these attorneys are extremely qualified. Look for an online database of complaints or disciplinary action on the website for your state bar association. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. You can probably find out a lot about your lawyer online: whether he or she is listed as a member of a state bar association (a requirement) and of the American Immigration Lawyers' Association or AILA (a professional organization that most of the best attorneys join); whether he or she gets good reviews on websites like Martindale; whether the lawyer has written professional articles for publication; and so on. If you don't have regular access to the internet, you might try using the Yellow Pages. If you're struggling to find a lawyer's website, you should think twice about hiring that firm. A Canadian immigration lawyer can add value to your application by his or her keen insight, expertise, and experience in … It’s wise to consult with an immigration lawyer before filing any USCIS forms if you: Even if the problem occurred many years ago, it’s important that you understand how it affects your situation today. Solving immigration problems can be expensive. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. We provide support for the Adjustment of Status Application (Form I-485), Petition to Help a Relative Obtain a Green Card (Form I-130), and several other USCIS forms.