Asylum seekers are not the wealthiest clients amongst several other immigration cases. The majority of asylum seekers face the odds of residence versus deportation without legal counsel and are often lost with no hope to hold on to. Secondary to these circumstances, many seekers have resorted to reaching out to non-profit organizations or charities that offer free legal consultation and lesser rates.
In the United States, the average cost for an asylum attorney can range from a minimum of $1500 to $6000, depending on the case’s complexity. Rarely, if additional family members or relatives are included in cases, there will be an additional fee to assist their application legally. An asylum application for a family member can range from $1000 to $2000 each with interview preparation, asylee application, and attendance of your lawyer during the interview.
Average Asylum Cost per Type
As there are two types of asylum application, both differ from the legal assistance it needs. Defensive asylum application involves a higher charge due to being more complicated than affirmative application. Costs for a defensive asylum case would revolve around an estimated $6000 due to added attendance in court hearings. It is lessened to half if you are applying for affirmative asylum. Approximately $3500 to $5000 can be charged provided that there are no complications in filing or requirements. Complications such as exceeding the 1-year filing of an asylum application can easily charge another $500 to your payment.
Some attorneys charge per hour for their services. This rate often charges around $150 to $300 per hour. Therefore, the more time commitment your lawyer exerts to your case, the more possibility it can exceed the average range of cost. In worst scenarios and severely complex cases, an asylum attorney may charge a $10,000 fee for all services done when he or she legally represented you. When faced with an hourly rate lawyer, it would be advisable to prepare with every proof of your persecution to save you an extra hour.
Remedy For Financial Incapability
As an asylum seeker, having the right amount of money can be hard to possess. Leaving your home country in a position between life and death can be a huge reason for you to be empty-handed. The majority of asylum cases often reach out to non-profit organizations, charities, or university legal clinics that offer free legal consultations to save them a few bucks. On average, a 30-minute consultation can cost from $75 to $150, which can scrape away a huge bracket in your pocket.
Moreover, it would be advisable to have legal representation rather than go through the asylum process alone. Since the type of case is complicated to understand and handle, it would be harder for you to do it in an unfamiliar country. Hiring an asylum attorney can help you have a chance to succeed in having a grant and lawfully reside in the United States.
Conclusion
Asylum attorneys often compromise their service fees to benefit you more. It is why there are not many top earners in the field of lawyers. However, lawyers who exert maximum effort for a case also involve a time commitment, physical and social work. For more information, ask an immigration lawyer near you.
