For years immigration firms have lacked transparency in regards to their attorney fees. Whether it’s due to competition or preference, firms refrain from publishing their fees for potential clients to see. Usually, consultations occur before delving into the case, which is when an attorney will reveal the costs, but what is the purpose of this? If you are looking for legal services, aren’t you entitled to know what will be coming out of your pocket? Most firms do not see it this way. By informing clients that additional information about the case is needed before giving a quote, law firms pressure you to come in for consultations without even knowing if you can afford their services or if they can even provide them.
Each client should be aware that every type of immigration case costs a different fee. Whether you are filing for asylum or applying for citizenship, your initial cost varies on a case-by-case basis. The longer a case takes and the more complex it is, the more you would have to pay. This goes to show that attorneys cannot predetermine a starting cost for a case without knowing the specifics, but they should be able to disclose their fee range for different types of cases.
To change this, countries around the world are taking measures to improve transparency in the legal sector. For example, the United Kingdom’s regulatory body, Solicitors Regulation Authority, recently issued a mandate requiring firms to publish price and service information of all types of immigration, except asylum by December 6, 2018. They detail requirements such as including a total cost, hourly rates, an explanation of the services provided/not provided, etc. Due to this, any potential client in the country will have access to information which would benefit their search for the perfect firm. This proves that the transparency movement is well into effect and could be beneficial for clients in the United States as well.
Taking a step in this direction, we have pooled our resources together to provide you, the client, with helpful information regarding attorney fees specifically in New York City. Keep in mind, each firm’s fees vary depending on both location and expertise. Nevertheless, here’s a list of fee ranges of immigration law firms in New York City we have compiled for you.
NEW YORK CITY IMMIGRATION LAW FIRMS FEE RANGES*
| Type of fee | Fee amount ($USD) |
| Consultation fees | 0-250 |
| Asylum cases | 1,500-10,000 |
| Naturalization cases | 1,300-2,500 |
| Deportation defense cases | 5,000-20,000 |
| Adjustment of status cases | 1,600-3,000 |
| U visa (crime victims) cases | 2,000-8,000 |
*This list was compiled by conducting phone inquiries with 23 law firms located in Manhattan, New York
Written by Soubia Hasan