Immigration Legal Assistance FAQs
How much does the immigration process cost?
When looking at the cost involved with the immigration process, there are three categories of fees:
Application fees
The federal government charges a fee for most applications. Fees are generally between $465 to $1440. Depending on what you are applying for, you may need to file more than one application form. You may be eligible for a reduced fee or a fee waiver if you meet certain income requirements or receive public benefits. The application fees will apply whether you hire an attorney or not.
Legal fees
Colibri Legal charges a flat fee for most immigration cases, which covers the attorney’s time spent working on your case. During the initial consultation, the attorney will determine the legal fee. Brenda’s fees generally range from $750 to $2,750 depending on how many forms will be involved and how complex your case is. You will not have legal fees if you decide to represent yourself.
Miscellaneous fees
You may have to pay for certain additional expenses yourself or reimburse Colibri Legal for miscellaneous items such as obtaining records (birth certificates and criminal records, for example), travel costs if the attorney must travel to meet with you or attend an immigration interview, photocopies for large documents, and translation or interpreter’s fees. Colibri Legal will also charge postage fees if the expense is greater than $20. Finally, you may be required to have a medical exam or wish to apply for a medical waiver as part of your application and will need to pay for this exam yourself. The representation agreement you sign with Colibri Legal will describe miscellaneous fees in more detail. You only pay them if your case requires it. Most of these miscellaneous fees will exist whether you hire an attorney or not.
I'm worried that I won't be able to afford an attorney. What are my options?
The best way to find out how much the process will cost you is to talk with an experienced immigration attorney. After our initial consultation, Colibri Legal will let you know what the legal fees will be.
The immigration process is a large investment of time and money. It is understandable to be concerned. Colibri Legal offers the option for a payment plan for cases that will take several months to make the process more affordable.
Depending on your financial situation, you may qualify for a pro bono (free) attorney through legal aid or an immigration non-profit. In Minnesota, you may contact Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, Advocates for Human Rights, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid or Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services. (See Resources below for links to those organizations.)
Finally, you may choose to represent yourself. If you choose to represent yourself, consider scheduling a consultation to make sure you are eligible for what you intend to apply for. The small investment up front can save you significant time and money, and possibly reduce the chances of complications to your situation in the future.
Do I really need an immigration attorney?
You can represent yourself; however, there are many reasons to hire an attorney. Here are six of the top reasons:
1. An experienced immigration attorney will give you personalized advice based on your situation and goals. Google and social media are not substitutes for the knowledge and experience of a qualified immigration attorney.
2. Some types of cases are too complex to handle on your own. If you need a waiver, have criminal issues, or entered the United States without a visa your case may be too complex to handle on your own.
3. An experienced immigration attorney will advocate for you throughout the process. We understand the law and can advocate for you from start to finish.
4. You may save time and money by hiring an attorney from the start. Applying for immigration benefits is more than filling out forms. An immigration attorney will help you avoid expensive mistakes like applying for something you are not eligible for, failing to submit the proper evidence with the application or failing to take the right steps at the right time.
5. An immigration attorney will give you peace of mind knowing your case is being handled correctly the first time. Navigating immigration law can be stressful and confusing. An immigration attorney is trained to notice important details and spot potential issues, and assures they are addressed properly.
6. The current immigration policy environment in the United States is complex and changing very rapidly. Working with an immigration attorney assures you that any changes affecting your case are being monitored and considered.
How do I work with you?
The first step is to schedule a consultation. During the consultation, I will learn more about you, your immigration history, and your goals. With that information, I will explain your options and the process and answer your questions. We will also talk about the fees involved.
If you decide to hire me after the consultation, I will email a representation agreement for you to sign and a link to make your first payment. Once you sign and make the payment, I will begin working on your case.
What is a representation agreement?
A representation agreement is your client service contract that describes the expectations and responsibilities for working together. It includes a description of the work I will do for you, the cost, and the payment terms.
What happens once I hire you?
After you sign the representation agreement and make your initial payment, I will email you with a list of documents needed for your case.
Once I have all of your documents and information, I will prepare your application forms and mail them to you to review and sign. We can meet by phone or zoom to review the forms together if you have questions. When you return the signed forms, I will prepare your application package and mail it to the government.
Throughout the process, I encourage clients to email or call whenever they have a question, concern or their personal circumstances have changed. There is no extra cost to talk to me. I want you to understand and feel comfortable with what is happening.
While your case is pending, I do a lot behind the scenes to make sure your case goes as smoothly as possible. Some of those things are:
Staying up to date on the law, policies and procedures so that I can advocate for you or adjust, as needed.
Monitoring expiration dates for employment authorization so that we can renew on time.
Watching for new trends that may affect your application.
Who will work on my case?
Attorney Brenda Pfahnl is responsible for all of the work on every case. A legal assistant or law student may assist on your case, but Brenda will serve as your attorney and will be available when you have questions.
How long will my case take?
This is really a two-part question. First, how long will it take to prepare and submit the application. And second, how long will it take for immigration to review and make a decision.
The first part, preparing the application, depends in large part on how responsive you are to questions and requests for information or documents. It also depends on which type of application is being prepared – some are much more complicated than others. Brenda will be sure to take note of any impending deadlines and will let you know approximately how long it will take to prepare and submit the application.
The second part is much harder to answer, because once the application is submitted, we have very little control over how long USCIS (immigration) will take to review the application and make a decision. The processing time varies greatly depending on what you are applying for, where your application goes, and whether you will need an interview. As you may have heard, processing times can take many months and, in some cases, years – depending on which application you are submitting. At the initial interview we can look online and see how long the application you are interested in submitting is currently taking.
Will I be able to reach you while you are working on my case?
Of course! You can email, call, or text me. I strive to respond within 24 hours from Monday to Thursday. You can also schedule a phone or video appointment. If I plan to be on vacation and am actively working on your case, I will be sure to let you know ahead of time.
What will you need from me for my case?
Which documents are needed will depend on what immigration benefit you are applying for and your individual circumstances. When you hire me, I will send you a complete list of the documents I will need for your case. The more quickly you are able to provide these documents to me, the faster I can prepare your application. There will likely be some communication back and forth between us as I review documents and begin working on the application.
Do you have an office, and will we meet in person?
Colibri Legal is primarily a “virtual” office, meaning we can do most of our work together over phone, video, email, text, or mail. Not having a physical office saves significant expense in running the law firm and is one of the reasons my rates can remain reasonable. If your case is complex and you’d prefer to meet in person, we can set up a face-to-face meeting. Sometimes meeting in person can be beneficial and I’m happy to work with you in the way works best for you.
I don't live in Minnesota. Can you still represent me?
For small business matters, I only represent small businesses based in Minnesota. However, I can represent immigration clients in their U.S. immigration matters regardless of where they live in the United States.
How can I pay my bill?
I try to make it very easy for you to pay your bill! You may pay the legal fees online with a credit card, debit card or check. You can also set up a payment plan for some immigration services.
For immigration application fees to the federal government, you may pay with a check, cashier’s check or money order. If we are able to submit your application online you can pay those fees with a credit or debit card.
Immigration Resources
Check the Status of Your Case with USCIS:
Once you have filed an application, you can go to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ website to check the status of your case.
Free Immigration Legal Services through Minnesota’s Immigration Legal Services Hub Initiative:
There are several non-profit organizations you may be able to provide free immigration legal assistance if you are a low income resident of Minnesota. They are all members of an Immigration Legal Services Hub. Each organization offers different services, and their ability to help you may depend upon their demand/capacity.
The individual websites for each organization can be found here: Immigration Law Center of Minnesota, the Advocates for Human Rights, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, Volunteer Lawyers Network, and SMRLS.
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The information on this web site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should contact an attorney for advice on your individual situation. Contacting Colibrí Legal PLLC does not create an attorney-client relationship. Do not send confidential information to Colibrí Legal PLLC until an attorney-client relationship has been established.
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