What Does An Immigration Lawyer Do?
"I am very interested in immigration law because it seems like a very fascinating field. Can you please give me more information on what an immigration lawyer actually does?"
asked by Natalie D. from Honor, Michigan
Immigration lawyers are attorneys who focus on immigration issues affecting those who would like to move and live permanently to the United States or other countries, for that matter. Aside from immigration, these specialist attorneys also handle cases involving international business deals and getting visas for students and workers. They also assist individuals who want to obtain citizenship or are seeking asylum from their home countries.
Before discussing the job of an immigration lawyer in more detail, it’s important to understand that someone who applies for a visa to immigrate in the United States or another country may go through the process on his own. For as long as his background is clear and all his documents are filed correctly then he can obtain an immigrant visa without any hassle.
Immigration law is a large and complicated field that completing even the most basic application forms can be confusing. In addition, making the move to another country entails a lot of steps and data-gathering that can be very overwhelming to the ordinary individual. The situation is further compounded when the potential immigrant has problems with his application.
This is where immigration lawyers come in. They see clients who have plans of migrating—preferably before they even start the migration process—to brief them on the process and inform them of the preliminary documents that they need to obtain. They guide them throughout the entire process and help them fill out forms and review these for errors before sending these to immigration authorities like the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).
Immigration lawyers are particularly important when clients are engaged in deportation proceedings. It’s very complicated to navigate this legal process without the expert knowledge they hold both of immigration law and the system itself. Would-be immigrants who have prior criminal records in their home countries or have previously lied to the government of the United States also need to consult with an immigration lawyer as their application could be rejected due to inadmissibility. Those who are overstaying or facing other immigration-related problems turn to immigration lawyers for assistance and representation as well.
Those who have perfectly straightforward records may opt to process their green card applications through immigration lawyers to prevent delays. It is common for applications to get derailed for one reason or another and the applicant cannot do anything about it except to wait. Lawyers may be able to inquire about the status of these applications through contact information that only they have access to.
Asylum seekers need the help of an immigration lawyer to convince the courts that they deserve to be granted asylum. Most of the time, these lawyers work with human rights organizations and both help advance the request of those seeking refuge. Immigration lawyers work with asylum seekers who are still trying to enter the country where they want to get safe haven or those who are already in the country itself.
Immigration lawyers help make clients understand the different immigration laws of the country where they want to go to. Because of the services they provide, applicants are able to go through the entire immigration process much more smoothly and avoid the pitfalls that can get their application rejected.
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