How To Pick An Immigration Lawyer?

The Immigration Lawyer

With great powers comes great responsibility, and with immigration, a lot of other things could come along, including stress and disappointment. First of all, you have to understand all those laws, pass language proficiency tests, compile your documents, prepare your applications, shop for your new life, and most importantly, find an immigration lawyer who’s capable, trustworthy, and affordable, all at the same time. All this can get very exhausting. Especially if you are not sure in which direction you should be looking. But before moving on to more crucial questions, let’s get an answer to the very basic ones.

When Do You Need an Attorney?

You are all set for your journey abroad. All your plans have been made. Your relatives are also aware that you are flying to the US for a new life. But then what, your visa application is rejected, you are back to square one and the worst part is, you don’t even know how to make an appeal. At this point, your only hope would be an experienced immigration attorney.

Any law practitioner with a deep understanding of the immigration process, rules, and regulations can work as an immigration lawyer. Most of the time, they are in contact with the embassy officials, and they refer these lawyers to travelers for legal advice and legal services all the time. Other times, they also work in conjunction with travel and visa agents and offer their services on a regular or commission basis. You’ll need their professional assistance while applying for a Green card, US citizenship, benefits of residency, and several other issues. In case you were married to a US resident and now you wish to go and live with them, you’ll need a spouse visa. Now, in theory, this seems quite simple and straightforward but US laws can be complex and difficult to understand for anyone. This is when we need these lawyers. Since immigration is processed under Federal law, any legal practitioner residing in any state of the US can help you even if you are currently living out of the US. Read our other blog about the process of a green card interview.

You must always consult an attorney when:

• You are unsure about your eligibility for a Green card or citizenship.
• If you have received government assistance during your stay in the US or you are having doubts that you might be considered inadmissible for any reason.
• You are requesting the authorities for offers or relief that are not normally provided. These could include any discretionary stay such as an asylum, protection, or a type of residence that is not usually requested. This will involve persuading the authorities for additional favors.
•  The question is asked to submit additional evidence for the acquisition of a USCIS green card or any other citizenship benefit.
• In an emergency and you need immediate assistance.
• After you receive the message that a deportation case or a removal proceeding has been started against you.
• You have been deported from the US and wish to apply again.
• When your visa application has been rejected or has been denied in the past, and you wish to apply again.
• Or if you have been convicted of criminal activity. You want to keep yourself from being deported from the US or need an adjustment of status.
• When you are going to the US to work for a US company or employer and they haven’t assisted you in legal matters.
• You have compiled all your documents, and you still think that they are incomplete or are too confusing for you to understand.

Apart from the situations mentioned above, you may still need a well-known immigration attorney if you don’t have time and expertise in complex immigration matters.

Here, you must also know that not every visit requires hiring a lawyer. In case you are just going to the U.S. for vacation for a short period of time and your stay is not going to be longer than 90 days, you don’t require any legal help. For some countries, you may not even require a visa.

How to Find An Immigration Lawyer?

Whether you want a better life for your family in the US or you are looking to hire employees for your business from a global marketplace, AILA is the place for you. With 15,000 legal experts on board, the American Immigration Lawyers Association is the world’s top agency with the most comprehensive knowledge of the USCIS laws. When it comes to immigrants and their visa issues, this agency will take care of everything. The members of this company go beyond the usual and ordinary to safeguard and protect the rights of immigrants.

Members of AILA

Members of AILA represent foreign students, asylum seekers, artists, and athletes. Services rendered here are often provided on a pro bono basis. The organization supports fair policies, rules, and regulations for immigrants. The organization is also a great platform for those who are seeking a legal career in the US, particularly in immigration law.

You can also go to the website and check out their pro bono compliance programs. The organization is known for its wide range of services, assistance, teaching programs, and most importantly a large pool of practicing attorneys. You can contact them by selecting their location here. All of these legal experts are members of the organization and are licensed practitioners under US law. Contacting these attorneys is free. However, some of them may charge you for an initial consultation. To avoid any complications, it is best to ask for the fee before moving any further.

The Immigration Process

Once you have established a mutual understanding, your attorney will guide you all through the process. He or she may or may not take action on your behalf if necessary so, if you are in distress and looking for a reliable source for legal representation at an international office such as USCIS. This is your chance to do that. The process is simple, all you have to do is enter the type of legal expert you are looking for, enter the language, enter the city or state from where you are expecting the individual to be, and lastly, enter the name of the country from where you are seeking your legal expert.

Different circumstances have different solutions that are not possible for all of us to comprehend. The land of legalities and jurisdiction is vast and requires special and professional experiences to fully comprehend its processes. This is why when you are about to enter another country, take the US, for instance, their laws could seem troubling to you in one way or another. Now, you can try to take all the matters in hand, but it may take days or even months to finally understand the whole process. And even then, you’ll still be unsure of your options at the interview, the type of applications you have to submit, and what kind of refusals you could have to face.

An immigration lawyer, on the other hand, is not only qualified to help you, but, being in the industry for a considerable time, they know people who can be of monumental help through the process. For instance, if you belong to a country where English is not the official language, you’ll have to get a certified translation of your documents. Again, this is an area where you might be confused about which documents are necessary and which are too important not to be missed. This is why, we suggest you focus on things that matter more while letting your legal help take care of the rest.