How Much Will an Immigration Lawyer Cost?
There are some times when you might not need an attorney. Insurance companies take care of a large part of car accident claims these days. You can probably make your own argument about why you were or weren't speeding that day (and, in any case, a speeding ticket is relatively cheap). Even some divorce filings can be filled out by the parties and submitted without legal representation.
The immigration process is probably not one of those times. Between filing deadlines, supporting documents, and the amount of paperwork, filing for citizenship or residency is not something you'll want to take on by yourself. So, if you are hiring an immigration attorney, how much will it cost?
Hourly Billing Agreement
Many immigration lawyers will bill by the hour, so the total cost will vary depending on their hourly rate and how much work your case requires and the complexity of the case. An attorney's hourly rate can vary depending on their quality and experience, but generally range in the hundreds of dollars per hour.
Immigration attorneys may also specialize in a certain area of immigration law like deportation defense, asylum applications, or citizenship applications. And a lawyer's legal fees can include filing fees as well, so make sure you read, understand, and sign a fee agreement before hiring an immigration attorney.
Flat Fee Arrangement
Unlike injury attorneys, very few immigration attorneys work on a contingency fee basis (where the lawyer's fee is based on success). However, some lawyers will offer a flat fee for filing certain immigration documents. This is more like seeing a list of prices on a menu or in a store. An attorney's hourly fee (or the time they think it will take to file the documents) is usually baked into the cost, and it can be much easier to estimate how much the representation will cost and plan your finances accordingly.
The first question when anyone considers hiring an attorney is: How much will this cost? And while hiring an immigration lawyer may be expensive, not hiring one could end up costing you even more.
Related Resources:
- Find Immigration Lawyers Near You (FindLaw's Lawyer Directory)
- 5 Questions to Ask an Immigration Lawyer (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life)
- Do I Need a Lawyer to File for Citizenship? (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life)
- Do I Need a Lawyer for Naturalization? (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life)