Best Immigration Lawyers in Oxnard, CA

Since the handling and adjudication of your case will be undertaken by U.S. government agencies, and out of the control of the immigration attorney, there is no way to guarantee the processing time or even the result. It would be unethical for any attorney to make such a guarantee. The attorney will have experience in other cases and should have information about the average processing time for your type of case. This data will be informational only and act as a guide, but not a guarantee, as to how and when your case will be completed.

There is no legal requirement to have an immigration attorney. However, the immigration laws are complex and the consequences of even a minor mistake in preparing and filing immigration benefit applications are severe. An immigration attorney can help to make sure your case stays on track and he or she can represent you and help you navigate the bureaucracy that otherwise might delay your case.

When you meet with an immigration attorney, you should bring with you all of your immigration documents, including your passport, birth certificate, C.V. or resume, and any other immigration receipts, notices, or copies of applications that have been submitted. It is also helpful to prepare a written list of questions to ask the attorney so that you do not forget anything during your consultation. At the end of the meeting, make sure it is clear whether you have retained the attorney to represent you. Simply meeting with an attorney and asking questions does not normally result in an attorney-client relationship.

Immigration attorneys, like all other attorneys, have an ethical duty to avoid conflicts of interest. Even if everything is fine between you and your spouse or you and your employer when you retain the attorney, the engagement agreement may contain language requiring that you retain separate attorneys in the event a conflict arises in the future. Keep in mind that the attorney owes a duty to each client, so do not tell the attorney anything you want to keep confidential from your spouse or employer.

Subject to the dual-client representation comment above, once you establish an attorney-client relationship, all communications with your attorney will be kept confidential, subject to a few narrow exceptions that do not apply in most immigration cases.