How Much Does an Immigration Attorney Cost?

Moving to a new country can be exciting and scary, and the legal aspect is a big part of the adventure. Whether you’re wondering if you can bring your loved ones to the United States on a family visa, or you need a work visa for yourself, the immigration process is complex and lengthy.

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Hiring an immigration attorney can give you a better chance at a positive outcome. Understanding immigration attorney costs can be important to planning your next step.

What Does an Immigration Attorney Do?

Immigration is the act of coming to live permanently in a new country. People who live in other countries who want to move permanently to the United States, or people who live in the United States who want to live in Canada, the UK or another country, must go through the immigration process. Many people hire immigration attorneys to help them navigate these processes.

Immigration lawyers can work for private law firms, nonprofits or government agencies. Those who work for government agencies may assist in creating policy or shaping new immigration laws. Those who work for nonprofit organizations often advocate on behalf of vulnerable groups or individuals in matters of family law, deportation or visas.

An immigration lawyer helps advise people on the type of visa they might need and may help them with the documentation gathering and application process. The H-1B visa program, for example, allows people to work in the United States, and an immigration lawyer might help someone apply to that program.

Green card applications is another area immigration lawyers assist with. Green cards show that a person is a permanent resident of the United States and has permission to live and work in the country on a permanent basis.

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How Does an Immigration Attorney Charge for Their Services?

Fees for an immigration attorney vary by law firm or nonprofit organization. One law firm in Boston, for example, provides immigration legal services in Massachusetts charges a flat rate between $2,500 and $12,000, depending on the type of case.

Some firms may charge a flat fee, such as the example above, that’s based on the projected amount of work required. Other firms may charge by the hour. Nonprofit organizations may charge no fees at all or charge heavily reduced fees.

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How Much Does an Immigration Lawyer Cost?

The cost of providing common services, such as visa advice, deportation defense and assistance with citizenship processes, varies by state, law firm or nonprofit organization.

For example, Agencia ALPHA, an immigrant-led, nonprofit organization in Boston, provides immigration advice and consulting, free citizenship application assistance, help with work permit renewals and citizenship classes at a free or reduced cost. But other firms may charge steep flat fees for helping with the same processes. The cost ultimately depends on where the person interested in the services lives and the type of assistance they require.

In general, Nolo says the fee for a simple immigration case could be around $1,500, but charges for a more complex case could be as much as $15,000. And if you want to appeal any decisions in court, the legal fees for that will add to the cost.

Factors that are likely to increase the cost of an immigration case include:

• A case that’s unusual or complex: The level of complexity can depend on the person's country of origin, their purposes for moving and whether there's any criminal history.
• A tight deadline: Forms that are required for visa applications have to be filed within a certain timeframe to be considered, and if an immigration lawyer is working with a tight turnaround time, it's likely to increase legal fees.
• No foreseeable resolution in sight: Immigration law is complicated, and many cases take years. The longer an immigration attorney has to work on a case, the greater the cost is likely to be.