Immigration attorneys handle family and employment-based petitions, green cards and adjustment of status, naturalisation, student and work visas, waivers, asylum and humanitarian relief, removal defence in immigration court, and appeals.
Immigration is federal law applied through several agencies at once, and processing times, filing fees and policy change frequently. Small errors on a form can cost years, and some mistakes — an unauthorised departure, an incorrect answer, a criminal plea taken without immigration advice — cannot be undone.
Before you hire
- Confirm the person is a licensed attorney or an accredited representative. Notarios and consultants are a documented source of serious harm in immigration matters.
- Ask how many cases of your specific type they handle, and whether they appear in immigration court if your matter could end up there.
- Get the fee agreement in writing, including which government filing fees are separate.
- Never sign a form you have not read or that has been left blank.
If a criminal charge is involved, look for counsel who coordinates with a defence attorney: the immigration consequences of a plea often matter more than the sentence.