Immigration may seem expensive on paper, but when you factor in all the advantages of living, studying, and working in the United States, these fees are minor. While some immigrants have misconceptions when it comes to how much better the U.S. is than other countries, it’s true that you and your family do get far more opportunities. What fees do you have to pay to get help from an immigration lawyer?

Basic Rates
Immigration lawyers either charge you an hourly rate or a flat fee. These vary, but most hourly rates go between $100 and $300. It may be better to consult with a lawyer who offers a free initial consultation, and also who offers the flat fee. Otherwise, you may have to pay more via hourly and paid consultations. It should be said that many immigration lawyers are worth far more than they charge: immigration applications can be very complex, especially to those still learning the language.

Filing Forms
If you need some help to actually file the forms, this typically is charged from $400 to $700, in addition to the USCIS fees. USCIS fees can be found online, or you can ask your immigration lawyer. One common need is in filing visa cases, and these are somewhat pricier. You can expect to pay $2000 to $10,000 depending on the complexity of your case. Usually these are $2,000 to $3,000, but in some instances an experienced lawyer or one who has to travel charges more.

What is a retainer?
A retainer is the payment you give an immigration lawyer upfront.  It’s common for your lawyer to ask for a portion of the total if not several hours work as an upfront payment before beginning. Once the retainer runs out, further work will have to be paid.

Work Visas
If you want to work in the United States and have an interest employer, an immigration lawyer can be very valuable. Usually either the business covers the entire costs or pays for a consultation for $200 to $300 and files the work visa paperwork itself.

How much for application fees?
Visa application fees, beyond the lawyer, will typically cost a total of $2,000 on average. Sometimes you pay less, sometimes more, though these costs are minimal.

Can you do it yourself?
It is very possible to handle this work yourself. If you can afford it, it can save you a lot of time and headaches to hire an experienced immigration lawyer. If you can’t afford it, and do not know the language well, that does not mean you cannot do it yourself. The value of an immigration lawyer cannot be underestimated. If you have trouble filling out the forms, you can always  hire the lawyer after seeing doing it yourself is impossible.