Do I need an immigration lawyer, and who can legally help me?

Who can legally help with an immigration case?

Only certain people may represent you before USCIS or give you legal advice, USCIS says. The table shows each one, and how to check them:

A representative files Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative, to show USCIS they may represent you. Once it is filed, they can advise you which forms to file and when, help with the evidence, go with you to interviews and talk to USCIS about your case. USCIS: Legal services · USCIS: Form G-28

Notario fraud and immigration scams: the red flags

A notario público is not authorized to provide you with any legal services related to immigration. Only an attorney or an accredited representative working for a Department of Justice recognized organization can give you legal advice and represent you, USCIS warns. Its tips:

• A promise to be faster. Scammers may claim special connections or "guarantee" a visa, green card or work permit faster for a fee; only USCIS can decide to expedite a case.
• Paying for forms. USCIS forms are free to everyone on its website. Do not pay for a blank form.
• A blank or false form. Do not sign a blank form, or any form with false information; review every form before you sign.
• No copies. Ask for receipts, copies of notices and letters from USCIS, and copies of the forms prepared for you, and keep them safe.
• Not on the lists. Check a lawyer's license with the state, and an accredited representative on EOIR's roster, before you pay.

Find an accredited representative or free immigration help

For a free or low-cost lawyer for another kind of problem, see Find a lawyer or free legal aid.

In immigration court: your right to a lawyer, at your own expense

The law says you shall have the privilege of being represented, at no expense to the Government, by counsel of your choosing who is authorized to practice in those proceedings. As in most civil cases, the government does not provide or pay for one; you can also represent yourself. 8 U.S.C. § 1229a(b)(4)(A)

• The court gives you EOIR's pro bono list. The providers on it committed to at least 50 hours a year of pro bono legal services at that court location.
• Notarios, visa consultants and non-lawyer immigration specialists are not allowed to represent you in immigration court.
• Even with a lawyer, you must keep your address current with the court and go to every hearing. See Immigration court: your Notice to Appear and first hearing.

What immigration costs: USCIS fees, fee waivers and lawyer fees

USCIS fees are set by federal rule and listed in its fee schedule, Form G-1055. Fees this guide has already checked:

• Fee waiver: Form I-912. USCIS may waive fees for eligible forms based on a demonstrated inability to pay, for example because you, your spouse or a parent or child living with you receives a means-tested benefit. It cannot waive the fees required by H.R. 1 (Public Law 119-21). USCIS: Form I-912
• Check the edition before you pay. An incorrect fee gets the application rejected. For any other form, see the current USCIS fee schedule, Form G-1055.
• A lawyer's fee is separate. No federal rule sets it. Ask for the scope of the work and the fee in writing, as the ABA model rule expects, and ask whether the government filing fees are included.

Bar-run referral services connect you with a lawyer for your kind of problem. The ones this guide has checked publish a first-consultation price: the State Bar of Texas service up to $20 for up to 30 minutes, The Florida Bar service up to $25 for 30 minutes, and the New York State Bar Association service normally $35 for the first half hour; California certifies its referral services, which you search by county. See Find a lawyer or free legal aid for the details.

Check a lawyer's license in your state before you hire

Immigration is federal, so a lawyer in good standing in any U.S. state can represent you before USCIS. Check the license in the state that admitted the lawyer, and check EOIR's list of currently disciplined practitioners too.

Lawyers are licensed by a state agency in each state, and that agency can tell you whether a person has a law license and may practice there, the American Bar Association says. Its list names the agency in every state: in some it is the state bar, in others the state's highest court or one of its agencies. The table below gives each one, with a link where the site is a government or state-bar site this guide links to. ABA: Lawyer Licensing

• Search the exact name on the license, and check that the status is active and the person is allowed to practice now.
• Look for public discipline. Many of these searches show it, and the same agency handles complaints about lawyers.
• A lawyer from another state usually cannot handle a case in your state's courts unless the court lets them in for that case.
• A business name is not a license. Ask for the lawyer’s own name and check that person, not the firm.

Your first meeting with an immigration lawyer: what to bring and ask

Bring every paper you have received from USCIS or the court, your passports and your Form I-94 record of arrival, and ask:

• “In which state are you licensed, or are you an accredited representative, and with which recognized organization?”
• “Will you file a Form G-28 for me?”
• “Which forms do I need, and which deadlines apply?”
• “What is your fee, what does it cover, and are the USCIS fees included?”
• “Do I qualify for a reduced fee or a fee waiver?”
• “Will I get copies of everything you file for me?”

Common questions about immigration lawyers

Official sources

1. USCIS: Legal services (who can represent you, form preparers, finding a representative) uscis.gov
2. USCIS: Common scams (notarios públicos, free forms, reporting fraud) uscis.gov
3. USCIS: Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative uscis.gov
4. EOIR: Recognition and Accreditation (R&A) Program (8 C.F.R. § 1292.1(a)(4); non-profit, tax-exempt organizations) justice.gov
5. EOIR: Recognition and Accreditation roster reports (organizations and representatives, by state) justice.gov
6. EOIR: List of currently disciplined practitioners justice.gov
7. EOIR: List of pro bono legal service providers (at least 50 hours a year; published quarterly) justice.gov
8. 8 C.F.R. § 292.1: Representation of others before DHS ecfr.gov
9. 8 C.F.R. § 1292.1: Representation of others before EOIR ecfr.gov
10. 8 U.S.C. § 1229a(b)(4)(A): representation at no expense to the Government govinfo.gov
11. USCIS: Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver (fees required by H.R. 1 cannot be waived) uscis.gov
12. USCIS: Form N-400, Application for Naturalization (5 years or 3 years; filing 90 calendar days early; fees of $760 on paper and $710 online, $380 reduced fee, Form I-912 fee waiver) uscis.gov
13. USCIS: Frequently asked questions on the USCIS fee rule (fees in effect since April 1, 2024; $710 online, $760 paper; $380 for incomes between 150% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines) uscis.gov
14. USCIS: Form G-1055, Fee Schedule, edition 10/26/26 (fee page) uscis.gov
15. USCIS: Form G-1055, Fee Schedule (PDF, edition 10/26/26): Form I-90 $465 paper, $415 online, $0 cases; Form I-751 $750 paper, $700 online uscis.gov
16. 8 C.F.R. § 106.2: USCIS fees ((a)(1) Form I-90, $465; Form I-751, $750) ecfr.gov
17. EOIR Policy Manual, Part I, 5.1: Representation and address obligations justice.gov
18. EOIR: Learn about legal representation justice.gov
19. ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.5: Fees (written fee terms, contingent fees, the ban in criminal and divorce cases) americanbar.org
20. ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.15: Safekeeping property (fees paid in advance go into a client trust account) americanbar.org
21. State Bar of Texas: Lawyer Referral & Information Service texasbar.com
22. The Florida Bar: Lawyer Referral Service floridabar.org
23. New York State Bar Association: Lawyer Referral Service nysba.org
24. State Bar of California: certified lawyer referral services calbar.ca.gov
25. American Bar Association: Lawyer Licensing (the agency that licenses lawyers in each state, with its search), opened November 1, 2026 americanbar.org
26. Arkansas: Arkansas Judiciary attorney search, as the ABA lists it attorneyinfo.aoc.arkansas.gov
27. California: State Bar of California attorney search, as the ABA lists it apps.calbar.ca.gov
28. Connecticut: Connecticut Judicial Branch attorney and firm inquiry, as the ABA lists it jud.ct.gov
29. Florida: The Florida Bar member search, as the ABA lists it floridabar.org
30. Idaho: Idaho State Bar attorney roster, as the ABA lists it isb.idaho.gov
31. Indiana: Indiana Roll of Attorneys, as the ABA lists it courtapps.in.gov
32. Maine: Maine attorney directory, as the ABA lists it maine.gov
33. Maryland: Maryland Courts attorney search, as the ABA lists it mdcourts.gov
34. Minnesota: Minnesota Lawyer Registration Office public search, as the ABA lists it lro.mn.gov
35. Nebraska: Nebraska lawyer search, as the ABA lists it mcle.wcc.ne.gov
36. New York: New York State Unified Court System attorney search, as the ABA lists it iapps.courts.state.ny.us
37. North Carolina: North Carolina State Bar license verification, as the ABA lists it portal.ncbar.gov
38. North Dakota: North Dakota Courts lawyer search, as the ABA lists it ndcourts.gov
39. Ohio: Supreme Court of Ohio attorney search, as the ABA lists it supremecourt.ohio.gov
40. Texas: State Bar of Texas Find a Lawyer, as the ABA lists it texasbar.com

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