Immigration application can be a long and tiring process. Not only is the US immigration law complex, but the process itself can also be unpredictable. Some applications go for a long time while others can be done in a matter of days.
While you can work on the simpler parts of the application, there will be some laws and other parts of the process that can leave you at a loss therefore adding to your stress.
This is why having an immigration lawyer to help you can be helpful. They will provide advice and suggestions that can help you navigate through the process with a better understanding. Immigration lawyers are experts and know how to find ways and solutions to help you with your case.
If you think you can’t afford a lawyer to represent and assist you, then you can find lawyers who can provide free or pro bono services.
These are more common than you think. So, finding those who can offer free services is a matter of research and a bit of effort. Here are some ways to find and check the legitimacy of free immigration lawyers.
Check Accredited Sources
As a rule of thumb, you should get a lawyer from associations and organizations that are popular and widely known. This is to reduce the risk of having a false professional to represent you. These individuals promise a lot to you but can end up causing more damage than cure.
There are online sites that provide a list of lawyers who voluntarily give free services. LawHelp.org is one of these examples. They connect people to free legal aid and assistance.
Here are some of the sources you can check for legitimate immigration lawyers.
- American Immigration Lawyers Association
More popularly known as AILA, it is the only legal association for immigration lawyers in the US. It has more than 15,000 members across the country. This can be a good place to start if you want someone to help you whether with a regular fee or a pro bono service.
The good thing about this organization is it can find a local lawyer to help you with your case. This way you don’t need to go further to get advice and consultation.
- org
This is another online site which helps immigrants get legal assistance for their cases. It is an online directory that has over 1000 lawyers who offer their services for free or at a low cost for immigrants.
They also have lawyers all over the country. You can use their website to narrow down your search to state and zip code. You can also filter the results by what kind of legal assistance they provide, how many languages they speak, and how many they have served in the past.
- US DOJ
This is probably the safest place you can get free legal assistance. With the Executive Office for Immigration Review branch, this is also a directory of recognized attorneys who are known to provide pro bono legal services.
While not as comprehensive as the abovementioned sites, the lawyers you will get from this website will ensure that the lawyer you will get is someone recognized by the system.
Conclusion
The most important thing when getting a lawyer whether you’re paying them or they provide you free legal services is that they are legitimate and certified. This way, you can ensure that the assistance and representation they provide you will be bound by law and by their sworn duty.
Finally, make sure that the lawyer fully understands your case. They should be able to communicate with you and give you time so that you will not feel you were left hanging in your case.
For legal immigration assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ll be glad to help you along.
