An immigration lawyer is an unbiased person that has no connection with the U.S. immigration authorities. They help immigrants deal with issues relating to visas, green cards, citizenship, and emigration benefits. As the laws of U.S. immigration are federal, you can access help from any lawyer from any state, even if you are living outside of the country.
If you or a loved one is undergoing the process of becoming a legal U.S. citizen, chances are you are well aware of what laws the federal government has put in place for immigration. Though if you are undergoing this process for the first time – you may need a quick brush up on what exactly immigration laws involve. Not only do they determine who is allowed to enter the United States, but they also encompass all of the steps it takes to get there from the application and interview to the English language and civics test.
Immigration law also includes any cases of foreign nationals entering the country illegally, overstay visits, lost legal status, and how the detainment and removal proceedings are carried out.
When do you need an immigration lawyer?
There is more than one reason why you\’d need to search for an immigration lawyer as U.S. immigration laws are incredibly complicated.
Some of the most common needs for immigration lawyers are:
- You\’re a worker who needs to decide which visa best suits me
- Your family is stuck outside of the country
- Confusion over paperwork and processes
- You\’re currently involved in court proceedings
- You want to secure an education or employment opportunity
- You fell out of status because an application was mailed to the wrong address or included the incorrect fee
While not all issues having to do with the immigration process require consultation, hiring an attorney will not only protect your time and money, it will also save you from a lot of headaches along the way.
If you are inadmissible or are facing delays, find yourself amid court proceedings, or are overwhelmed by the paperwork, finding an immigration lawyer is your best bet.
What is the difference between legal immigration and illegal immigration?
Legal immigrants are foreign-born citizens who were legally admitted to the U.S. by going through the proper procedure for American citizenship. Undocumented immigrants are those who do not enter the country under the proper channels.
Illegal immigrants do not hold a valid visa or documentation as they have entered the United States without an inspection, have extended their stay, or have violated terms that they have been subjected to when they were granted entrance to the country.
How long does legal immigration take?
There are three main kinds of people who can immigrate to the United States. Depending on which group you fall into will dictate how long it may take for you to migrate to the U.S. The three main categories are:
Immediate relatives:
- Spouses of United States citizens
- Unmarried children (under 21 years old) of United States citizens
- Parents of United States citizens who are over 21
This is the quickest way to gain entry within the U.S. as there is no limit to the number of people who can immigrate, meaning no backlogs. As soon as the paperwork is completed, the immediate relative can immigrate.
Family Preferences:
Roughly 350,000 persons per year can immigrate to the United States under one of the four family preference relatives.
- First preference – Unmarried Sons and Daughters and their minor children of U.S. Citizens
- Second preference – Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents (age 21 and over)
- Third Preference – Married sons and daughters, their spouses and minor children of U.S. Citizens
- Fourth Preference – Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens that are over the age of 21.
There are well over two million eligible people that currently occupy the family preference category, which means a minimal amount of people gain entry. Plus, there are a maximum amount of people per preference that are allowed to gain entry.
Employment Preferences:
Every fiscal year (October 1st – September 30th), approximately 140,000 employment-based immigrant visas are accessible to qualified applicants.
- First Preference – Priority Workers
- Second Preference – Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability
- Third Preference – Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers
- Fourth Preference – Certain Special Immigrants
- Fifth Preference – Employment Creation
How much does an immigration lawyer cost?
Immigrations vary greatly, as do the cost of lawyer fees. This is is one of the reasons why we created ez-estimate. This feature will show you how much a lawyer typically charges for a specific service in your area and is consistently updated as lawyer fees continuously change! Once you\’re equipped with that information, head on over to the market place where you\’ll be able to browse lawyer profiles, request appointments, see which lawyers are online and ready to talk with you instantly through chat, video, email or phone!
