WHY HIRE AN ATTORNEY?
While the U.S. immigration system is confusing, constantly changing and often very frustrating, there are many people who have and can apply for visas or change their immigration status or naturalize on their own. If you think your situation is fairly routine and you have the time, energy and patience to do your homework, you may not need an immigration attorney to assist you. On the other hand, many immigration matters are more complex than one might think. A generalized knowledge of the law or an application’s requirements is not the same as a detailed analysis of your case by an experienced attorney. A good immigration attorney knows how to efficiently review the law and apply that law to your case. Immigration law is a field where small differences or misunderstandings can lead to negative outcomes. It is riddled with deadlines and regulatory requirements.
Before I became a lawyer, my husband and I had to decide if we should hire an immigration attorney to assist us with his application to adjust status. We did not have any major complications. We both had graduate degrees and felt we could generally understand the process and all the requirements. However, upon a closer reading of the application and accompanying forms, we decided to hire an attorney. We could not say with certainty that we understood everything, and the risk of my husband not being able to live and work legally in the United States because of a mistake we made was not worth the money we would save by not hiring a lawyer. In this kind of situation, it is more of a personal decision. However, there are situations where not hiring an attorney would clearly be ill-advised, such as if you are in removal proceedings, or if you have a criminal conviction which jeopardizes your legal status. During our initial consultation, I discuss with potential clients if hiring an attorney is advisable.
While the U.S. immigration system is confusing, constantly changing and often very frustrating, there are many people who have and can apply for visas or change their immigration status or naturalize on their own. If you think your situation is fairly routine and you have the time, energy and patience to do your homework, you may not need an immigration attorney to assist you. On the other hand, many immigration matters are more complex than one might think. A generalized knowledge of the law or an application’s requirements is not the same as a detailed analysis of your case by an experienced attorney. A good immigration attorney knows how to efficiently review the law and apply that law to your case. Immigration law is a field where small differences or misunderstandings can lead to negative outcomes. It is riddled with deadlines and regulatory requirements.
Before I became a lawyer, my husband and I had to decide if we should hire an immigration attorney to assist us with his application to adjust status. We did not have any major complications. We both had graduate degrees and felt we could generally understand the process and all the requirements. However, upon a closer reading of the application and accompanying forms, we decided to hire an attorney. We could not say with certainty that we understood everything, and the risk of my husband not being able to live and work legally in the United States because of a mistake we made was not worth the money we would save by not hiring a lawyer. In this kind of situation, it is more of a personal decision. However, there are situations where not hiring an attorney would clearly be ill-advised, such as if you are in removal proceedings, or if you have a criminal conviction which jeopardizes your legal status. During our initial consultation, I discuss with potential clients if hiring an attorney is advisable.
Contact Us
5334 Geary Boulevard, Suite 4. San Francisco, California 94121
p. 415.315.9585.
toll free: 1-877-354-1791
info@brownscottlaw.com
Contact Us
5334 Geary Boulevard, Suite 4. San Francisco, California 94121
p. 415.315.9585.
toll free: 1-877-354-1791
info@brownscottlaw.com