It is not mandatory for a foreigner to use an immigration lawyer to help you with your green card application. The government makes their website user-friendly and fairly easy to navigate. They encourage people to handle their own visa applications. In truth, this works to the government’s advantage. Keep in mind that the immigration process is a legal application requiring forms, fees, and concrete evidence that need to be submitted to a government agency. If it is not handled just right you may need to submit additional evidence, or more often that not, redo the entire process. For people who need to re-file their application, the government reaps double the amount of fees for all the forms that need to be filed!
I can’t tell you how many times people have come to me for help after filing for a green card on their own, having had their application rejected, or getting requests for additional evidence. This second round of paperwork and fees can be avoided by getting things done right the first time. So while it is not mandatory, I would strongly advise using an immigration attorney to help with the process.
Think about it. Would you file your own taxes without an accountant? If your car breaks down, would you attempt to repair your own transmission? No, you would go to an expert who knows the ins and outs of the process. Immigration lawyers are well versed in visa laws and regulations; they know what the government is looking for in terms of evidence. Best of all, having someone to guide you through the application process, you are kept aware of all your rights and responsibilities along the way.
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Some genuinely interesting information, well written and loosely user friendly.