What To Look For In An Immigration Lawyer

Those attempting to enter the United States on either temporary or permanent visas must consider carefully whether to consult an immigration attorney to help with immigration laws and requirements.  Those who just want to make a short visit to this country may not even require visas.

For those responding to a specific job offer in the U.S., their employers will need to consult immigration lawyers to fulfill immigration law requirements for visas, labor certificates, and other facts pertinent to the application.  Their immigration lawyer will not only be required to know immigration law, but be skilled at obtaining, compiling, and presenting evidence to prove that the employer, the potential position, and the alien worker are eligible to obtain temporary work visas.

Most individuals are not skilled at navigating the bureaucratic roadmap and require immigration lawyers who can not only satisfy immigration laws, but also prepare and coach clients for their part in interviews, exams, or swearing-in ceremonies that generally accompany naturalization applications, but may be required for other visas under immigration law as well.  Even contacting the Bureau of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) can be a difficult task that an experienced immigration counsel can guide those applying for immigrant visas through. 

Especially if applicants fear that there is something in their background that may prohibit them from obtaining visas or bringing family members to the U.S., or if someone has been contacted by the USCIS and threatened with deportation, it is well worth it to seek advice from an immigration lawyer to know who to contact, how to prepare the applicant in question, and whether to accompany their client when they appear before immigration official on matters of immigration law. In some cases, failing to obtain the advice of an immigration lawyer could mean the difference between visas and deportation.  Many immigration lawyers offer free consultations, or deduct the cost of consultations from their total fees, making such a consultation even more accessible for those seeking immigrant visas.

There are a number of specific problems under immigration law that an immigration lawyer should be able to untangle for clients seeking visas:

An immigration lawyer must understand criminal law as it applies to immigration law.  Having a criminal record in another country does not always bar applicants from obtaining visas, but lying on applications does.  An immigration lawyer must be able to distinguish what immigration law says about how the crimes of clients might affect immigration visas in the U.S.

An immigration lawyer should be able to examine the applications of aliens who have been denied and determine what areas of immigration law were not observed, if any, and if anything can be done to have other visas approved in the future.

An immigration lawyer should have patience and good attention to detail.  Those who have tried to process their own applications for visas will understand how frustrating and difficult it is not only to discern all the requirements of immigration law, but to deal with overworked and understaffed immigration offices.

An immigration lawyer must know the intricacies of immigration law to understand that while many applicants with communicable diseases are prohibited from obtaining visas, not all such diseases are banned.

An immigration lawyer should know the immigration officials well enough that they can ask the right questions of the right officials to learn the status of their clients’ visas when it may difficult or impossible for those outside the system.

An immigration lawyer must understand employment law as well as immigration law and be able to work with businesspersons to process work visas accurately and thoroughly.

There are many skills required of immigration attorneys; and knowing immigration law is not enough to ensure visas will proceed through the system smoothly and quickly.  The more experience immigration lawyers have in applying immigration law to the specific needs of clients, the more skilled they will be at handling the details, problems, and questions that can result from the processes involved in applying for visas.  In addition, there is much information that can be found on the internet concerning immigration lawyers and how they have handled cases dealing with immigration law.  Look for an immigration lawyer with a strong record of success in cases of immigration law.  Information about an immigration attorney’s standing with the state bar association can provide insight into how they will handle the life-changing cases dealing with immigration law, as well.