Why Should I Hire an Immigration Lawyer?
Often times, people may wonder why they should hire an immigration lawyer and the truth is that you will save yourself a lot of time, effort, and stress by doing so. When it comes to applying for an immigrant visa or green card, it is not required to have an immigration lawyer. Depending on your circumstances,
many people can even get through the entire process without even having to hire an immigration attorney; however, it can be a long and arduous process without one. In addition, those who have a complicated case may need one. For instance, people who have a record of crimes or run-ins with immigration authorities, or with the law in general, it is suggested that you have legal help.
Overall, hiring an immigration lawyer will save you plenty of time and stress. Immigration law and the issues that come with it are extremely complex and it is not simple to handle alone, so that is important to keep in mind.
Figuring Out Your Options
There are several different visas and green cards that one could choose from. Ultimately, it will all depend on what best suits your situation. In addition, some immigration options are better than others and some are faster to obtain. By speaking to the best immigration lawyers, you will be able to better decide what works best for you.
For example, there are several purposes as to why someone may want to look into visas or green cards. There are worker’s visas, family-based visas or green cards, and much more. Some take longer than others to obtain and some have more advantages over others.
Immigration Court Process
The immigration court process is not only overwhelming, but it is also time-consuming and overall, it can be a pretty stressful process. There are several applications that one must fulfill, deadlines, appointments, and many other aspects that come with the immigration court process. By hiring an immigration attorney, he or she will be able to make sure that everything you need is turned in at the time it needs to be, along with making sure that whatever applications are needed are filled correctly.
When it comes to the immigration court process, there is no time to waste and risks can be heightened without a Pasadena immigration attorney.
In Cases When You Are Unaccepted
There are cases in which those who have tried to apply for visas or green cards are inadmissible. For instance, they may be going through a legal issue that will surely need professional legal help. If you have committed a crime and wish to be granted a certain status in the U.S., you will surely need to hire an immigration lawyer.
Paperwork Can Be Overwhelming
When it comes to immigration applications, even the simplest paperwork requires very meticulous instructions. There are a lot of instructions you must follow as well as fees that must be paid. If you make a mistake on your application, this can cause a great delay, return, or it can even be rejected.
Tips from an Immigration Attorney, particularly if you have no status in the United States:
- Keep a log of every time you have left and entered the country.
- File away any piece of paper you get with your name, date, and a location on it. Many immigration solutions depend on proving that you were in the United States at a certain time or for a certain length of time. These sorts of records can make or break a case and they are much easier to build over time, instead of in a mad-rush to gather ten years (or more) of evidence all at once in time to get to court on a schedule decided by the judge(Examples of these documents include doctor’s notes, envelopes mailed to you with a postmark, receipts for money transferred to loved ones abroad, mobile phone statements, bank statements, utility statements, school and medical records for you or your children, rent payment receipts, Amazon delivery records, gym memberships, etc.).
Limit alcohol intake. DUIs and domestic violence or assault charges stemming from a drunken fight can be hugely problematic for foreign nationals in the United States.
- Never ever EVER claim to be a U.S. citizen, which includes registering to vote. If you fear that you may have been automatically or accidentally registered at some point when you did something else, do not ignore it! Act to cancel the registration as quickly as possible and do not vote in local, state, or federal elections until you are naturalized.
- Do not seek legal advice from a notario! In the United States, a notario (notary public) is not an attorney nor an immigration expert. They are not authorized to practice law. They may advertise that they are “immigration consultants,” but they are not qualified to assist you in your immigration case. We have seen countless cases filed by notarios that have led to serious consequences, because they were improperly handed. A notario cannot represent you in court. A notario does not have a legal license to protect. Attorneys, rather, will be there with you in court — defending you and ensuring you get the best defense. Attorneys know that if they mishandle your case it could affect their law practice. If you go to a notario, your case will likely end in shambles with no one there to help you piece it together. Do not make this mistake. Immigration law is extraordinary complicated. If you want your case done right — go to an immigration lawyer.
How Do I Choose a Lawyer?
Before choosing a lawyer, call the offices of the lawyers on your list, briefly explain your legal problem and ask:
- Are you specialized and/or experienced in my type of problem?
- Do you charge a flat rate or hourly fee for this type of work?
- Can you give me an estimate of the cost?
- Can you estimate the amount of time it will take?
How Should I Make My Decision to Hire a Lawyer?
Consider the following factors before agreeing to hire a lawyer:
- Can you communicate effectively with the lawyer? Was the lawyer clear and easy to understand?
- Are the fees reasonable in comparison with other lawyers’ charges?
- Did the lawyer give clear explanations of how he or she will let you know about progress in your case?
- If you are not satisfied with this lawyer, do not hire him or her. Look elsewhere for legal help.
- Before you finally sign a contract with a lawyer, read it carefully. Make sure you understand it. Everything you and the lawyer agreed to should be in writing.
Tips On Hiring An Immigration Attorney
Hiring an attorney can be an intimidating, confusing, and even frustrating process. Before hiring an attorney, it is important to do your homework. Find out as much as you can about an attorney before signing a contract. Some questions to ask an immigration attorney at the initial consultation include:
- How long have you been practicing law?
- In what state(s) are you licensed to practice law?
- What percentage of your clients are immigration cases?
- Are you a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association?
- How often have you handled immigration matters like my case?
- What is the range of possible outcomes in my case from best to worst?
- What will be your fees and how will you charge me?
- Who in your office will work on my case?
- How do I communicate with your office? What is your policy for returning calls and e-mails?
Benefits of Being a Lawyer
Lawyers often are the punchline of many jokes; however, being a lawyer has its benefits. It takes years of hard work and intensive study to become a lawyer; therefore, very few people would choose this career if there were not several excellent benefits of being a lawyer. For those who work hard, the rewards of being an attorney outweigh the cost of achieving your law degree and license to practice law.
The benefits of being a lawyer depend on several factors; however, four of the most common benefits of being a lawyer include:
Wide Selection of Career Options
The benefits of being a lawyer include being able to select from a wide variety of career options in the public and private sector. If your calling is to make the world a safer place for you, your family, and everyone else, you may choose to become a criminal prosecutor. On the other hand, if you believe our criminal justice system is grounded on the principal that everyone is innocent until proven guilty and everyone has the right to competent legal counsel, you may choose to become a public defender. Of course, some people believe this but choose to be a criminal defense attorney in the private sector because private attorneys tend to earn a great deal more than attorneys in the public sector.
Financial Rewards and Emotional Rewards
Among the many benefits of being a lawyer, the financial rewards and emotional rewards are at the top of most college-bound students seeking to study law. Lawyers have the opportunity to earn a lucrative income. The average annual income for an attorney in the United States is $114,970 per year as of 2014 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor. The highest 10% of attorneys earned more than $187,200 per year. Salaries of experienced, specialized attorneys can be much, much higher depending on the field, geographical location, employer, and level of experience.
Mental Stimulation and Intellectual Challenges
Another one of the many benefits of being a lawyer is the mental stimulation an attorney experiences when working through complex legal theories, statutes, and case law to find a solution to a legal question. Most lawyers possess exceptional analytical skills including reading and writing skills. Practicing law allows you to use your mental skills each day in effective ways to solve problems for your clients. Because each case is unique, you must use your full mental capabilities to research, speculate, hypothesize, and formulate legal strategies to effectively solve problems for your clients.
Work Environment
For many, the work environment is one of the benefits specifically considered when choosing a career. Most lawyers work in law firms, government agencies, or corporations where they are afforded an actual office with four walls rather than a cubicle in the middle of a “bull pen” from a cubicle. Being a lawyer typically includes the benefit of having a certain level of prestige that affords you certain benefits that other employees may not receive (i.e. office, ability to set hours, expense accounts, decorating budget, etc.).