Like so much else in life, choosing to contract the services of immigration lawyers in Chicago is ultimately a value decision. You need to decide what you need from it, how much it costs you and how much of it you think that you can do for yourself.
It may also be worthwhile to consider the consequences of not hiring an immigration lawyer. This article seeks to explore those various issues.
Instances When an Immigration Attorney is Necessary
First, there may be instances where you may actually need an immigration lawyer. For example, if you’re applying for a fiancé visa, you actually cannot represent yourself or your betrothed throughout the proceedings. Only a licensed legal professional can, all but necessitating that you find for yourself legal representation.
For matters you can handle yourself, though, there are very real costs, some financial some intangible, of choosing to go it alone through the immigration process.
First, there are fees, fines and surcharges that may find you if you fail to adhere to various court protocols – all of which immigration lawyers in Chicago will know.
These vary, and could be the costs of anything from re-applying improperly filled-out paperwork to being held in contempt of court for a procedural gaffe.
These costs could be in the form of money, but they could also be in the form of time. And for those that will need to be taking time off, they could be one in the same.
Beyond that, though, there’s something to be said for general unpreparedness. As I’ve often said, sometimes in life, there are things you didn’t even know you didn’t know.
Suffice it to say, that with the help of immigration lawyers in Chicago or anywhere, you would be ready for each step of the process, and not be susceptible to surprises.
This is particularly true of interviews and other such processes, where it would, at the very least, be nice to be confident in your ability to best reflect who you are.
