FAQs

Your Questions, Answered

Why should I hire an immigration lawyer?

Because of the complexity of immigration law it is often difficult for laypersons to determine which visa/permit might be best for their particular situation. For example, one type of status might be faster to obtain but might prevent you from bringing relatives. A lawyer can actually save you time and money by looking at your needs and ensuring your chosen immigration status is right for your situation. A lawyer can also make sure your application is as complete and thorough as possible. Incomplete applications may result in untimely delays or rejections.

Is this site operated by an Attorney or Solicitor?

Yes. Immigration One is a service of Clarus Law Group, a Chicago-based law firm with a London affiliate office concentrating on immigration and family law. We are collectively qualified in the United Kingdom, Illinois, and New York. An immigration lawyer will handle all of your immigration matters, not a paralegal, trainee, or law clerk. As qualified lawyers, we are accountable to our state bar association and law society and are therefore, committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and service.

What’s the difference between using Immigration One and using my own lawyer?

The biggest difference is cost. Most lawyers charge either a high fixed fee or fees ranging anywhere from $300 to $700 an hour. And if the application does not succeed, they charge another fee for appeal. Additionally, immigration law is a unique specialty. Unless your lawyer concentrates in immigration law, you may be paying him or her to learn this area of the law at your expense. Immigration laws are rapidly changing and it is crucial to keep updated on the new laws and regulations.

Why do I need to use the services of a Lawyer and why can I not apply on my own?

Our Lawyers assist you in a professional and orderly manner to supply exactly the information expected by the relevant agencies and authorities. We assist you to prepare and submit your Application forms and ensuring that they have been filled out correctly. The Lawyers draft the written, legal submissions, which accompany your application package to argue why you should be issued the appropriate visa and they also ensure that your letters of reference and supporting documentation comply with the govt’s standards to ensure the expeditious processing of your application. Immigration One only associates itself with Lawyers who can represent you at the highest level in their member jurisdiction, should this be deemed necessary; however, such is the success of this firm that in most of their cases the applicant interview is waived.

Why Lawyers and not Immigration Consultants?

It is our policy to undertake work as lawyers where we are fully qualified in the relevant jurisdiction due to the fact that Lawyers have a professional obligation to act in their clients’ best interest and can be professionally disciplined for failure to do so. Please note that ALL our affiliates are Immigration Lawyers and NOT Immigration Consultants. Consequently, they are in the best position to assist you with your immigration plans, as they are fully specialised, regulated and licensed to operate in this field. Most importantly, they are all governed by the Bar Associations and Law Societies of their respective country. A consultant situated in a country other than where you are being represented is NOT permitted, by law, to represent your interests in the respective court system, should an appeal of a negative Immigration decision be required in your case. Please keep this important information in mind when choosing who to represent you.

Your Questions, Answered

Why should I hire an immigration lawyer?

Because of the complexity of immigration law it is often difficult for laypersons to determine which visa/permit might be best for their particular situation. For example, one type of status might be faster to obtain but might prevent you from bringing relatives. A lawyer can actually save you time and money by looking at your needs and ensuring your chosen immigration status is right for your situation. A lawyer can also make sure your application is as complete and thorough as possible. Incomplete applications may result in untimely delays or rejections.

Is this site operated by an Attorney or Solicitor?

Yes. Immigration One is a service of Clarus Law Group, a London-based law firm with a San Francisco office concentrating on immigration and family law. We are collectively qualified in the United Kingdom, Illinois, and New York. An immigration lawyer will handle all of your immigration matters, not a paralegal, trainee, or law clerk. As qualified lawyers, we are accountable to our state bar association and law society and are therefore, committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and service.

What’s the difference between using Immigration One and using my own lawyer?

The biggest difference is cost. Most lawyers charge either a high fixed fee or fees ranging anywhere from $300 to $700 an hour. And if the application does not succeed, they charge another fee for appeal. Additionally, immigration law is a unique specialty. Unless your lawyer concentrates in immigration law, you may be paying him or her to learn this area of the law at your expense. Immigration laws are rapidly changing and it is crucial to keep updated on the new laws and regulations.

Why do I need to use the services of a Lawyer and why can I not apply on my own?

Our Lawyers assist you in a professional and orderly manner to supply exactly the information expected by the relevant agencies and authorities. We assist you to prepare and submit your Application forms and ensuring that they have been filled out correctly. The Lawyers draft the written, legal submissions, which accompany your application package to argue why you should be issued the appropriate visa and they also ensure that your letters of reference and supporting documentation comply with the govt’s standards to ensure the expeditious processing of your application. Immigration One only associates itself with Lawyers who can represent you at the highest level in their member jurisdiction, should this be deemed necessary; however, such is the success of this firm that in most of their cases the applicant interview is waived.

Why Lawyers and not Immigration Consultants?

It is our policy to undertake work as lawyers where we are fully qualified in the relevant jurisdiction due to the fact that Lawyers have a professional obligation to act in their clients’ best interest and can be professionally disciplined for failure to do so. Please note that ALL our affiliates are Immigration Lawyers and NOT Immigration Consultants. Consequently, they are in the best position to assist you with your immigration plans, as they are fully specialised, regulated and licensed to operate in this field. Most importantly, they are all governed by the Bar Associations and Law Societies of their respective country. A consultant situated in a country other than where you are being represented is NOT permitted, by law, to represent your interests in the respective court system, should an appeal of a negative Immigration decision be required in your case. Please keep this important information in mind when choosing who to represent you.

Just what is it you do? Isn’t it a matter of just filling in a form?

To fill in a form we generally charge an hourly rate. What we really do is represent you, the new migrant, to the Government of the country you wish to relocate to.

We persuade the Government that you meet all the requirements they have set out in law. We do this by helping you gather evidence to prove the criteria as set out by that Government. We present this evidence in such a way that it maximises your chances of success in your visa application. We have many years of experience of doing this and have all the necessary licences, registrations and insurances as required by the Governments of the countries we deal with.

Immigration law is time sensitive and constantly changing. If done carelessly, things could go wrong easily and delay your departure for up to 18 months, could cause you to “break cover” with your current employer earlier than you want to or perhaps put back the sale of a house in a volatile market. We save you time and money by getting it right first time.

Aside from legal fees, are there any other fees that I must pay?

Please note that, aside from the legal fees for managing your immigration procedure, you must also pay the Government filing fees, which vary depending on the visa you choose. The Government fees consist of non-refundable processing fees.

Why should I hire you as my lawyer?

  • Attorney-assistance: An attorney/solicitor will handle your case. Not a paralegal nor a law clerk. You will not be passed off to a paralegal after you have hired us, never to hear from your lawyer again.
  • Availability/Accessibility: If you have any questions or concerns, you can call or email and we assure that we will return your query within 24 hours. Our clients love this feature and appreciate that their questions are answered promptly.
  • Reasonable fees: Our legal fees are very reasonable compared to other law firms. We believe that it is important for clients to feel they received value for their money. Value comes from getting results at a fair rate.
  • Do I have to pay for the entire application all at once or can I pay as I go?
    We would expect only 50% of the total legal fee to start your application. And we will collect the remaining 50% when we actually file the application with the appropriate authorities.

Do I have to pay for the entire application all at once or can I pay as I go?

We would expect only 50% of the total legal fee to start your application. And we will collect the remaining 50% when we actually file the application with the appropriate authorities.

Can you guarantee that my application will be successful?

No. No lawyer can make this type of guarantee. We have a very high rate of success with our applications. During the application process, the govt agency may request further information before they can approve the case. Failure to provide more information can result in your application being rejected. The key is to provide the pertinent information in an organized and familiar manner for the appropriate authority, which is something that a good lawyer would do for you. That said, we believe that using our service will greatly streamline the application process for you.

Can you help me find a suitable job?

No. We are immigration lawyers. We can you help you with processing the necessary paperwork in order for you to work in a foreign country.

Just what is it you do? Isn’t it a matter of just filling in a form?

To fill in a form we generally charge an hourly rate. What we really do is represent you, the new migrant, to the Government of the country you wish to relocate to.

We persuade the Government that you meet all the requirements they have set out in law. We do this by helping you gather evidence to prove the criteria as set out by that Government. We present this evidence in such a way that it maximises your chances of success in your visa application. We have many years of experience of doing this and have all the necessary licences, registrations and insurances as required by the Governments of the countries we deal with.

Immigration law is time sensitive and constantly changing. If done carelessly, things could go wrong easily and delay your departure for up to 18 months, could cause you to “break cover” with your current employer earlier than you want to or perhaps put back the sale of a house in a volatile market. We save you time and money by getting it right first time.

Aside from legal fees, are there any other fees that I must pay?

Please note that, aside from the legal fees for managing your immigration procedure, you must also pay the Government filing fees, which vary depending on the visa you choose. The Government fees consist of non-refundable processing fees.

Why should I hire you as my lawyer?

  • Attorney-assistance: An attorney/solicitor will handle your case. Not a paralegal nor a law clerk. You will not be passed off to a paralegal after you have hired us, never to hear from your lawyer again.
  • Availability/Accessibility: If you have any questions or concerns, you can call or email and we assure that we will return your query within 24 hours. Our clients love this feature and appreciate that their questions are answered promptly.
  • Reasonable fees: Our legal fees are very reasonable compared to other law firms. We believe that it is important for clients to feel they received value for their money. Value comes from getting results at a fair rate.
  • Do I have to pay for the entire application all at once or can I pay as I go?
    We would expect only 50% of the total legal fee to start your application. And we will collect the remaining 50% when we actually file the application with the appropriate authorities.

Do I have to pay for the entire application all at once or can I pay as I go?

We would expect only 50% of the total legal fee to start your application. And we will collect the remaining 50% when we actually file the application with the appropriate authorities.

Can you guarantee that my application will be successful?

No. No lawyer can make this type of guarantee. We have a very high rate of success with our applications. During the application process, the govt agency may request further information before they can approve the case. Failure to provide more information can result in your application being rejected. The key is to provide the pertinent information in an organized and familiar manner for the appropriate authority, which is something that a good lawyer would do for you. That said, we believe that using our service will greatly streamline the application process for you.

Can you help me find a suitable job?

No. We are immigration lawyers. We can you help you with processing the necessary paperwork in order for you to work in a foreign country.