Many clients hesitate to hire an immigration attorney because they fear the costs involved. 

Yet the costs of not having an attorney can be much, much higher. In many cases there is not much margin for error on these applications. If you make too many mistakes, you may not be able to immigrate at all. You may permanently bar yourself from receiving any benefits. 

If you end up creating a situation where you need an attorney for deportation defense, you may end up paying far more. 

While it is impossible to determine how much your immigration legal fees will be, there are some ways that you can control your costs. 

Ask in advance.

Attorneys can usually give you a range of fees in advance. For example, a typical family-based green card application could cost anywhere from $800 to $3000. Your attorney will also be able to tell you what payment arrangements they’ll be willing to make. 

Getting these kinds of answers will allow you to budget for your immigration attorneys within a decent margin of error. You should at least be able to pay a retainer, and can work out billing with the attorney for the remainder once you’ve used up your retainer.

You can research these costs at the same time you are researching the immigration fees charged by the US government. 

Don’t do anything major without talking to your attorney first. 

Thinking about changing residences? Ask your attorney first. Not sure whether taking that job is ok? Ask your attorney first. 

Running all major moves by your attorney and avoiding any major surprises reduces the number of hours the attorney will have to spend on your case. It will also keep you from jeapordizing the case. 

Tell your attorney about bumps in the road.

Got a traffic ticket? Let your attorney know right away so you can find out exactly what to do about it. Yes, a traffic ticket can hurt you if you don’t get it paid, and if you lie about it on any application or during any interview.

Don’t make your attorney face down surprises or clean up messes after the face.

Treat hiring a qualified immigration lawyer as part of the process.

Don’t treat it as an extra thing that you are doing that might cost more money. Treat it as an overall part of your immigration process.

You wouldn’t get married without an officiant. You wouldn’t try to conduct your own heart surgery. And you shouldn’t try to go through the immigration process alone.

See also: 

4 Things to Know About Family Immigration

What Are The Most Common Defenses in Deportation Proceedings? 

Why An Immigration Attorney is Your Best Bet