Hiring An Immigration Solicitor – Questions To Ask Before Deciding Who To Hire
If you are planning to move and you need the help of an immigration solicitor to do so, then there are certain questions you should ask your solicitor before agreeing to hire them. Firstly, it’s important to know what experience they’ve had in the area before as this will tell you whether or not you think they’ll be able to handle your case. Also ask them for referrals from previous clients so you can receive references from people who have used their services before.
Some immigration cases can be long and complicated and decisions can take months or even years to come through. For this reason, you shouldn’t expect to hear updates from your solicitor every week but it’s still important that you know how to get in touch with them if you need to, so ask them about contact procedures. Also make sure you have a firm understanding of their procedures for contacting you so you can be certain they’ll keep you up to date with case developments.
Before hiring an immigration solicitor, when you have your initial consultation with them you should ask them for their opinion on your case. This is because it might be a good idea to look elsewhere for legal advice – or at least get a second opinion – if they think your case would be rejected. Getting a couple of opinions will not only give you an idea as to your likelihood of success but also the competence of the solicitor you have chosen.
While your solicitor may not be able to tell you up front how much your case will cost – as it will obviously largely depend on how complicated it is and how long it takes – you should still ask for a rough cost so you can work out if you can afford their services. Solicitors should be able to give you a break down of their charges and how they determine different costs. You could also consider getting a second opinion to compare the costs available at different firms.
Lastly, it’s important to ask your chosen solicitor how long they anticipate your case taking. It’s also a good idea to get some other opinions from a range of solicitors here so you can work out the likely length of your case and be certain your solicitor as your best interests in mind and not just their bottom line. Also, as some complicated immigration cases can drag on for years, it can be useful to know in advance just how long a wait you are likely to be in for.