How do I Choose the Best Immigration Attorney?

Choosing the best immigration attorney involves selecting a lawyer who specializes in immigration law or who is well versed in it. You might also want to consider hiring an attorney who speaks your native language or one with whom you are very comfortable. This is one factor that will allow you to have full understanding of the procedures that your attorney is following. Legal fees can be very costly, and the manner in which they're charged can make a difference, so consider whether you would like to be charged a set fee or by the hour.

Although it might not sound very important, the personality of the immigration attorney representing you should be taken into consideration. Evaluate how well you get along with him or her, because you need to feel very comfortable with asking questions whenever you don't understand something. Some lawyers, although they might specialize in immigration law, prefer to represent clients from a specific nation, from a particular region of the world or with certain circumstances with which they are most familiar. For example, in the United States, some immigration attorneys specialize in working with that country's Latin population. Others are even more specific in their profession, working mostly with clients who wish to immigrate to the United States from Mexico.

Keeping in mind the aforementioned advice when choosing the best immigration attorney to handle your case, you might want to consider the specifics of your circumstances. One thing you might want to take into account is your location during the immigration procedures. If you are outside of the nation to which you want to immigrate, you might require special client services such as consultation outside of the normal hours of operation of the legal firm. Also, certified or notarized documents generally need to be exchanged promptly and securely by mail or electronically.

There are many various situations in which someone could find him or herself. A person might solicit a special immigrant visa as a religious worker or could be a refugee seeking asylum. If an immigration lawyer publicizes the fact that he or she has developed a favorable and professional rapport with influential people, you might want to consider that a possible advantage. Fortune 500 companies in the United States as well as foreign consulates might figure among the list of professionals with whom an immigration lawyer has a relationship. Finally, it is advisable for you to personally, as much as possible, verify the efficiency of the immigration attorney to whom you are considering entrusting your case.