immigrationnews's Journal: Is an Immigration Lawyer Really a Necessity?

Immigration is a big step. It means leaving behind your family and all the places you know and taking up a totally different life somewhere else. After all the heartache involved in that decision, it seems like insult added to injury that many popular destinations for immigrants make the process so very difficult. Immigration cases are so complicated for so many people that an entire industry of immigration attorneys has sprung up to give them the help they need. The good news is that such lawyers are available to help almost any immigrant who needs it.

X Filing âoePro Seâ

Many immigrants file their paperwork on their own, or âoepro se,â without the help of an immigration lawyer. The legal term âoepro seâ is no mystery; it is just Latin for âoefor oneself.â Some people actually get visas this way. Others cause themselves problems that take many hours of work by an immigration law firm to straighten out. A few mess things up to the point that their visas are refused outright. All of them, through lack of familiarity with the system and its requirements, make things far harder for themselves than if they had accepted help during the immigration process.

X Using an Immigration Attorney

There is no need for anyone to go through the hassle and stress of filing âoepro se.â A consultation with an immigration lawyer about oneâ(TM)s circumstances and resources will make it plain whether there is any impediment to obtaining a visa. Such a lawyer will also know the exact forms and other paperwork to be filed, what documentation and fees must be submitted at each step and where to file everything. If the law has changed, an attorney who specializes in immigration will know it and know how to help immigrants deal. These representative are worth more that they charge just in avoided headaches.

X Being Part of the Process

Any immigrant can profit from legal advice, but no one should expect to just drop some paperwork on a lawyerâ(TM)s desk and have everything done with no further involvement on the immigrantâ(TM)s part. Immigration lawyers know the questions to ask and the documentation to request, but the immigrant has to supply the answers and, usually, the paperwork. It should go without saying that the answers should be complete and truthful, as cases filed on the basis of incorrect information will be dismissed no matter how many lawyers are working for the immigrant. Just as no one should file such a case without legal counsel, no one should expect a lawyer to do it all without the help of the client.

Getting a permanent visa to live in a country where one is not a citizen is a significant achievement, and a milestone in anyoneâ(TM)s life. The requirements are strict and the procedure is complex, as befits such an important event. Few of us would consider giving birth or getting married without the support of qualified specialists in those fields, and immigration should be no different. The help of a qualified immigration lawyer should be considered a necessity.