Attorney Long works on your case personally and uses her years of experience to carefully formulate a legal strategy to maximize your chances for success. She gives personal attention to each client’s case and provides quality work for reasonable fees.
How Flat Fees Have Been Calculated
All flat fees with the Law Office of Amy A. Long, PLLC have been carefully calculated based on the average number of hours that goes into each case type. For example, a well-prepared adjustment of status application package (which includes attorney attendance at the local government interview) usually entails 16-30 hours of attorney representation. Other types of representation entail many more attorney hours. A Form I-601 or I-601A hardship waiver, for example, can involve sixty (60) hours or more of attorney representation. Fees have already been carefully calculated and are non-negotiable.
In some cases, there is no additional charge for an additional beneficiary. Federal Express charges and wire transfer fees are not included in the cost of legal fees. Fees are subject to change. Evening and weekend appointments are available.
This office does not accept international adoption cases. We are happy to provide a referral.
Financing is available.
The Type of Work Involved in Immigration Cases in General
Legal representation is comprehensive by its very nature. Immigration lawyers prepare benefit packages (not simply fill out forms). The type of work involved in your case will typically involve a combination of the following:
–Review of the facts of your case to determine benefit eligibility;
–Legal Research and Analysis;
–Document Analysis (if insufficient, working with client to obtain better documentation), including honest assessment of strength of case;
–Frequent Client Communication (to collect information/ documents including follow-up requests as needed, answering client questions as they arise, updating clients on the status of their case, post-interview follow-up);
–Development of Client Timeline Based on Factual History and Document Analysis (to gain complete understanding of the case we are presenting to the government and to spot any red flags);
–Preparation of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, if needed, and subsequent review of the contents of the FOIA Response CD;
–Analysis of immigration consequences of criminal convictions, if applicable;
–Review of the Client’s prior attorney’s case file, if applicable;
–Communication with other third-persons regarding your case, for example, previous attorneys of record on your case (if necessary), DHS/ USCIS, the National Visa Center, embassies/ consulates, criminal defense attorney/ public defender, expert letter writers, mental health professionals preparing a letter in support of your hardship waiver, third-persons supporting your good moral character, courts or other agencies from whom we are requesting documents on your behalf, etc;
–Drafting and Editing of Forms and Other Documents;
–Review and Drafting of Translated Documents or Other Communications;
–Submitting a required change of address with DHS/USCIS on the client’s behalf;
–Interview Preparation (client’s choice of in-person, over the phone or Skype);
–Attorney Attendance at local Client Interviews;
–Research of embassy/ consulate requirements for Family-Based Cases or for the Non-Immigrant Visa Stamp Application in employment-based cases, if applicable;
–Research and assistance with ancillary issues, for example, applying for a state driver’s license/ state ID and/or a social security card, and assisting with payment Immigrant Visa Fee through ELIS online.
Planning Tips to Afford an Attorney
Having an experienced attorney guide you through the immigration process can be a weight off your shoulders and prove to be an immensely rewarding experience. However, the immigration process can be expensive between government filing fees and attorney fees. To afford these expenses, petitioners and applicants should consider either:
(i) opening a separate bank account (just for immigration purposes) into which you make regular deposits each week;
(ii) borrowing money from a relative and working out a repayment plan with that relative,
(iii) opening a credit card to pay attorney’s fees and, where applicable, government filing fees, and/or
(iv) taking out a loan or a line of credit with your bank.
Nothing is More Expensive Than a Cheap Lawyer
Petitioners and applicants should seek an attorney who is thorough, detail-oriented, and easily accessible to clients. A lawyer who charges less than other lawyers is usually a newer attorney who is looking for experience. The more experience an attorney has the greater the attorney’s ability to guide, protect and advocate for the client.
2024 Fee Schedule
Government Filing Fees Effective as of April 1, 2024: