green card how much attorney fees for self-petition i-130

by Amos Jacobson 7 min read

Most attorneys charge a flat fee for preparing an I-130 petition. An average flat fee for the I-130 approval process is around $800; but again, this is only step one in a lengthy process, and the total fee to see it through will likely be a few thousand dollars. (Also see this survey of what people paid lawyers for family-based green card help.)

Immigration Attorney Fees
Most attorneys charge a flat fee for preparing an I-130 petition. An average flat fee for the I-130 approval process is around $800; but again, this is only step one in a lengthy process, and the total fee to see it through will likely be a few thousand dollars.

Full Answer

How much does it cost to file an I-130 petition?

Most attorneys charge a flat fee for preparing an I-130 petition. An average flat fee for the I-130 approval process is around $800; but again, this is only step one in a lengthy process, and the total fee to see it through will likely be a few thousand dollars. (Also see this survey of what people paid lawyers for family-based green card help.)

How much does it cost to get a green card attorney?

Feb 10, 2022 · I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. Use this form if you are a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (LPR) and you need to establish your relationship to an eligible relative who wishes to come to or remain in the United States permanently and get a Permanent Resident Card (also called a Green Card).

How much does it cost to hire an attorney for I-140?

$535 for the I-130 petition; $85 biometrics services fee; See this chart under “Special Instructions” for the cost of filing the I-485 application; It is important to note that these are only the mandatory costs required by the USCIS. You should also consider any travel costs as well as attorney fees when evaluating the total cost of your green card. K-1 Visa to Green Card

How much does it cost to apply for an eb-1c green card?

Permanent Residence / Green Card – Self Sponsored: Green Card by National Interest Waiver Attorney Fee: $4,995 USCIS Fee: $700 Processing time: 8-14 months. Please complete and submit the following National Interest Waiver Assessment Form below. We usually are able to reply within 24 hours with our assessment.

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How much does the I-130 petition cost?

The filing fee for Form I-130 is $535. The filing fee for this petition cannot be waived. NOTE: The filing fee is not refundable, regardless of any action USCIS takes on this petition.

How much does an immigration attorney cost?

This can be anywhere from $150 to $500+ per hour. However, some immigration lawyers charge a set fee for a specific service. For example, for filing a specific immigration form, an immigration lawyer may charge a flat rate between $350 to $1,500.Mar 4, 2021

Do I need a lawyer to file Form I-130?

When to Hire an Attorney to Help Complete Form I-130 A petitioner will usually not need an attorney for completing many of the Parts from Form I-130. Many questions can probably be answered by a USCIS immigration official over the phone or in person.

How much does it cost to file I-130 and i485 together?

For family-based immigrants, the cost to adjust status, including an immigrant visa petition, is approximately $1,760 for the typical case. The table below is based on an I-130 petition that can initiate the adjustment of status path....Cost to Adjust Status.USCIS FeesFee (USD)Total for Typical Adult Applicant$1,7607 more rows•May 3, 2021

How much is the green card fee?

How much does it cost to apply for a green card? The government filing fees for getting a family-based green card is $1,760 for an applicant living in the United States or $1,200 for an applicant living outside the United States.

How much does an immigration lawyer cost in Australia?

The cost of an immigration lawyer in Australia can range from $250 to $500 per hour, depending on their skill level and your case requirements. Each part of the immigration process can be priced according to application fees, the current price of visas and unforeseen problems, like an appeal.

How do I pay the I-130 fee?

$535. You may pay the fee with a money order, personal check, or cashier's check. When filing at a USCIS Lockbox facility, you may also pay by credit card using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions. If you pay by check, you must make your check payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.Feb 10, 2022

How much does I-485 cost?

If You Are…Form FeeTotalUnder 14 and not filing with the I-485 application of at least one parent$1,140$1,140Age 14–78$1,140$1,225Age 79 or older$1,140$1,140Filing Form I-485 based on having been admitted to the United States as a refugee$0$01 more row•Jan 21, 2022

How long does I-130 take to get approved 2020?

After filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, the approval process can take anywhere from 5 to 12 months for immediate relatives and could take several years for family preference categories. This is an approximation.

Can we file I-140 and 485 together?

Can I file I-140 and I-485 concurrently? Yes, for some cases, USCIS does allow for the concurrent filing of Form I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker and Form I-485 Adjustment of Status application for employment-based green card preference categories, including EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3.

Can I submit I-130 and I-485 together?

In other words, some applicants can submit Form I-130, the visa petition, together with Form I-485, which is the USCIS application for "adjustment of status" within the United States.

Can I file I-130 and I-485 together online?

3. Can Form I-485 be filed online? You must file Form I-485 via mail to a USCIS service center. If you and your relative are filing Form I-130 and Form I-485 together, you can still file Form I-130 online, but you must physically send Form I-485 to the correct USCIS Service Center.

How to get an I-130?

An attorney will typically perform the following services for a flat fee: 1 Preparing the I-130 form. 2 Assembling the documents that need to be submitted with the I-130 form. 3 Drafting affidavits (signed personal statements), if needed. 4 Drafting a legal memo for more complicated cases, where needed. 5 Preparing and submitting a response to a USCIS Request for Evidence (RFE), and, 6 If you wish further services once the I-130 is approved; or if you're allowed to file the I-130 concurrently with an adjustment of status application; preparing all paperwork for that step of the process and even accompanying the immigrant to the USCIS interview, or preparing the paperwork for consular processing.

What is an immediate relative?

An "immediate relative" is the spouse or unmarried child under the age of 21 of a U.S. citizen. If you are a permanent resident sponsoring more than one relative, ...

How much does it cost to consult with an attorney?

When you first meet with an attorney, you will almost always have to pay a consultation fee. A consultation fee can range anywhere from $75 to several hundred dollars depending on where the attorney is located and the size of the firm he or she works for.

Nonimmigrant Work Visas

Attorney Fee: $2400 (does not include RFE responses, if applicable). Please note that the legal fee may be higher in certain complex cases. In any event, you’ll be provided a written quote before retaining our firm.

Addressing Potential Issues

In every possible instance, we do our best to anticipate any potential issues and address them in advance. For that reason, it’s imperative that you be completely honest and transparent regarding the details of your case during the initial consultation.

Immigration Consultations

SGM Law Group only offers free general consultations to certain individuals/businesses who are looking to retain a law firm for the following cases:

What is a LPR in the US?

Use this form if you are a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (LPR) and you need to establish your relationship to an eligible relative who wishes to come to or remain in the United States permanently and get a Permanent Resident Card (also called a Green Card).

When was the Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds vacated?

Alert: On Nov. 2, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois vacated the Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds final rule (84 Fed. Reg. 41,292 (Aug. 14, 2019), as amended by Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds; Correction, 84 Fed. Reg. 52,357 (Oct. 2, 2019)) (Public Charge Final Rule) nationwide. That decision was stayed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. On March 9, 2021, the Seventh Circuit lifted its stay, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois’ order vacating the Public Charge Final Rule went into effect.

Can I file an I-130 online?

You can file Form I-130 online even if your relative is in the United States and will file Form I-485 by mail. Once you submit your Form I-130 online, we will send a receipt notice to your USCIS online account. Provide a copy of the receipt notice to your relative to include in their Form I-485 packet.

What is a child's birth certificate?

Child: A copy of your child’s birth certificate (s). Parent: A copy of your birth certificate. Brother/Sister: A copy of the birth certificate for you and your sibling. Evidence of the bona fides of the marriage, if petitioning for a spouse: Documentation showing joint ownership of property;

When did the 7th Circuit lift the public charge rule?

On March 9, 2021, the Seventh Circuit lifted its stay, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois’ order vacating the Public Charge Final Rule went into effect. We immediately stopped applying the Public Charge Final Rule to all pending applications and petitions that would have been subject to the rule.

What is the evidence of citizenship?

citizenship: A copy of your birth certificate, issued by a civil registrar, vital statistics office, or other civil authority showing you were born in the United States; A copy of your naturalization citizenship certificate issued by USCIS or the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS);

What is a copy of a passport?

A copy of your unexpired U.S. passport; or. An original statement from a U.S. consular officer verifying that you are a U.S. citizen with a valid passport. Evidence of family relationship, such as a final adoption decree; Evidence you have had legal custody of the adopted child for two years; and.

What is the first step in the green card process?

The first step in a marriage-based green card process is for the petitioning spouse (citizen or permanent resident) to file an I-130, Petition for Alien Relative with the USCIS. After the I-130 approval, the next steps will depend on whether the beneficiary is staying in the U.S. or is living abroad.

How long does it take to get a green card if you are a citizen?

The citizen and the foreign spouse must prove that the marriage is bona fide. If the citizen and foreign spouse have been married less than 2 years at the time the spouse becomes a permanent resident, a conditional 2-year green card will be issued.

Does USCIS have backlogs?

If the number of applicants exceeds the number of available visa numbers, then a backlog will build. Unfortunately, there is usually a backlog for each marriage-based green card category.

How old do you have to be to get a green card?

However, you must be at least 18 years old and have a residence in the United States before you can sign the Affidavit of Support Form. The affidavit form is one of the mandatory items for a marriage-based green card application, so the minimum age is effectively 18.

What do I need to file an I-485?

After the approval of the I-130, the beneficiary will need to file an I-485, Petition to Adjust Status with the USCIS. The I-485 must be submitted with supporting evidence, which includes a birth certificate, proof of nationality, and proof of lawful entry to the U.S. (I-94 travel record).

What is a VAWA petitioner?

A person who files a VAWA self-petition is generally known as a VAWA self-petitioner. If your self-petition is approved and you meet other eligibility requirements, you may be eligible to apply to become a lawful permanent resident. For more information, see Battered Spouse, Children & Parentsand VAWA Questions and Answers.

What are grounds of inadmissibility?

Grounds of Inadmissibility. To qualify for a Green Card, you must be admissible to the United States. Reasons why you may be inadmissible are listed in INA 212(a)and are called grounds of inadmissibility.

Can you be barred from adjusting status?

Bars to Adjustment. Depending on how you entered the United States or if you committed a particular act or violation of immigration law, you may be barred from adjusting status. However, VAWA self-petitioners and beneficiaries are exempt from all of these bars to adjustment.

Can a 21 year old get a green card?

If you are the unmarried child under 21 years old of a VAWA-based principal applicant, you may also be eligible to apply for a Green Card as a derivative family member of an approved VAWA self-petitioner.

Fees and expenses when getting an immigrant visa from a U.S. consulate

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Consular Processing Application Fees

The category of green card that you apply for, and the applications that you need to file accordingly, determine the exact amounts that you will need to pay the U.S. government as the process goes forward.

Attorney's Fees

You might want to hire an attorney to help with the analysis of your green card eligibility as well as the paperwork. If your case presents major complications, you could even hire the attorney to accompany you to the interview at the U.S.

Other Costs of Applying for an Immigrant Visa

A variety of other costs will add to your expenses when applying for a U.S. green card. These include:

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Nonimmigrant Work Visas

  • H-1B Visa Attorney Fee: $2400 (does not include RFE responses, if applicable). Please note that the legal fee may be higher in certain complex cases. In any event, you’ll be provided a written quote before retaining VisaNation Law Group. USCIS Fee: $460 to $2460. Premium Processing fee: $1440 (as of December 2, 2019) H-4 Visa Attorney Fee: $500 USCIS Fee: $370 H-1B1 Visa f…
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Permanent Residence / Green Card – Employer Sponsored

  • Green Card by Employer-Sponsored Labor Certification with PERM Attorney Fee: $3350 (for PERM process), $2200 for I-140, $1500 for I-485/AP/EAD (*PERM Audit response fee = $1000, if applicable) USCIS Fee: $700. Premium Processing fee: $2500 (optional). EB-1C Green Card for Multinational Executives and Managers & L-1A Visa Holders Attorney Fee: $5000 (*does notincl…
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Permanent Residence / Green Card – Self Sponsored

  • Green Card by National Interest Waiver Attorney Fee: $5200 (Does not include RFE response or Adjustment of Status filing) USCIS Fee: $700 + $1225 Adjustment of Status Green Card by Extraordinary Ability (EB-1) Attorney Fee: $5200 (Does not include RFE response or Adjustment of Status filing) USCIS Fee: $700 + $1225 Adjustment of Status
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Other Visas/Green Card

  • B-1 Business Visa Attorney Fee: $1000 USCIS Fee: n/a Department of State Fee: $160 B-1 / B-2 Visa – Renewal / Extension or Change of Status Attorney Fee: $750 USCIS Fee:$370 + $85 for Biometrics. Fiance Visa K-1 Visa Petition – For the Fiance of a US Citizen: Attorney Fee: $2600 (1/2 due in two stages) USCIS Fee: $535 Family-Based Petition filed by a U.S. Citizen Attorney Fe…
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Addressing Potential Issues

  • In every possible instance, VisaNation Law Group does its best to anticipate any potential issues and address them in advance. For that reason, it’s imperative that you be completely honest and transparent regarding the details of your case during the initial consultation. Be advised that withholding information may affect not only the cost for your case but also the approach they ta…
See more on immi-usa.com

Immigration Consultations

  • VisaNation Law Group only offers free general consultations to certain individuals/businesses who are looking to retain a law firm for the following cases: 1. H1B Visas 2. Marriage-Based Visas/Green Cards 3. Family-Based Green Cards During your free case evaluation, VisaNation Law Group will provide you with a general overview of your immigration options. However, the firm ca…
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