IMMIGRATION INFORMATION

Why should I hire a lawyer for my immigration case?

Many people are tempted to file their immigration applications themselves. Here are five good reasons that you should hire a lawyer to assist you.

1. Avoid Mistakes

Many immigration cases are denied because of mistakes made in the initial filing, such as:

  • the form was not filled out correctly
  • the correct form was not used
  • no fee or the wrong fee was included
  • required documents were not attached

Tom is an experienced immigration attorney who will spot these potential problems and research your case before filing your application. If necessary, he will include a brief or additional evidence showing why a potential "red flag" for the immigration officer should not prevent you from receiving benefits.

2. Aggressive Advocacy

The Department of Homeland Security is a vast bureaucracy that deals with millions of aliens living in and trying to come to the United States. Unfortunately, many cases are neglected, lost, or wrongfully denied by this huge government machine. Tom will make sure that your case is not lost in the shuffle. He will tell you when to expect a response, and if your case has not been approved within the expected time, he will contact the appropriate office to make sure that your case is dealt with promptly.

3. Spot and avoid problems with your case

When you consult with a lawyer about your immigration case, the lawyer listens to your story and looks for potential problems that might arise. Some of these problems include:

  • inadmissibility for violations of immigration law (illegal entry, unlawful presence, unauthorized employment, etc.)
  • danger of deportation
  • inconsistency with prior applications
  • ineligibility for benefits for various technical issues, e.g. J-visa 2-year home residency requirement

An experienced immigration lawyer will fill out your application completely and correctly, send the correct fee, and submit the required evidence. Unfortunately, immigration forms are not user friendly and they often require additional evidence in order to establish eligibility for a particular benefit. A lawyer's advocacy and reference to the applicable laws can make the difference between denial and approval.

4. Respond to requests from Immigration

One of the most common bases of denial is failure to respond to requests for additional evidence. At our firm you will receive copies of everything sent to and received from immigration. If additional evidence is required we will work with you to make sure that we timely respond to any request.

5. Lawyers provide solutions

The laws governing immigration are complex, confusing, and sometimes they just plain don't make any sense. Immigration laws create many walls keeping out immigrants, but there are also some surprising doors. An immigration lawyer can sort through the confusion of immigration laws to come up with creative solutions to your immigration problems.

Tom is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and a Board Certified Specialist in Immigration Law.

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Please call us or contact us via email to schedule an initial consultation.