What is Immigration Consultation?
An immigration consultant is an expert in helping you immigrate to the USA. He or She gives advice on which type of immigration application you should make and what documents you will need to make the application. In some countries an immigration consultant does not need to be legally qualified but should have experience in dealing with many immigration cases. In the US immigration consultants are not allowed to give legal advice unless they are legally qualified. So if you choose an immigration consultant in the USA always check their qualifications carefully.
Why you Need an Immigration Consultation?
There are several ways to immigrate to the USA such as work visa, family visa, asylum visas, student visas, etc. A consultant will ask you a lot of questions about your situation such as your occupation, your qualifications, he will ask about your family, your financial status and your criminal record. He will also ask about why you want to immigrate to the USA and what you plan to do in the USA. The consultant can then make an assessment based on the information you gave him. Then he will advise you which type of visa you should apply for.
What happens in an Immigration Consultation?
The consultant may ask you to fill in a form to get basic details about you and he will also ask questions about your situation. He will also ask you if you plan to work in the USA or if you have family there. The consultant will take notes of your case. If your case is simple he will give you advice immediately or if your case is complicated at the end of the consultation he will tell you that he will look at your details more carefully and let you know after a few days by phone or email what type of visa application to make.
How to Prepare for a consultation?
Bring your bank statement, your qualification certificates, your employment contract, a list of family members in the USA(if any) and bring anything else that you think may help in your visa application such as any friends in the USA. Also, prepare a list of questions you would like to ask the consultant about the immigration application such as how long it will take, how much will it cost, what are your chances of getting the visa, etc.
How to Choose an Immigration Consultant?
By far the best way to choose an immigration consultant is by recommendation from a friend. But even this is not a guarantee that you will be successful. The consultant must be experienced in the type of visa you are trying to get. You do not want the consultant to advise you to get a visa that is not good for you just because he has a lot of experience with that type of visa. For example, If you are looking for a work visa and the consultant only has experience in getting family visas, then you need to look for another consultant.
In the USA a consultant needs to be a lawyer or legally certified person to be able to give you legal advice over your immigration case. Because of this, it will be more expensive but you will assured that the consultant is giving you correct and up to date legal advice. If the consultant is based in your country then the chances are that he will not be legally qualified, so will be a lot cheaper. But his advice may not be legally correct. However, if you choose a consultant with a lot of experience with your type of visa application then he could still do you a good job. In most cases where it is not a difficult legal case then this is probably the best option for you.