A total of 85,000 new H1B visas are issued each year. The H1B visa is an employment-based visa for foreign nationals that allows them to work in the US for three years. The employer is required to process the application on behalf of the potential talent, and while the system may sound straightforward on paper, the actual work is complex. No matter whether you are looking to hire foreign professionals for your startup or need help with an application, you should consider hiring an immigration attorney. In this post, let’s learn more about finding the best lawyer for H1B visas.
Start with a potential listn
Do you know someone who has worked with an immigration attorney in the past? References are useful, but when you don’t have ready names to consider, check online. Most immigration-related legal services have websites these days, and you will find valuable information on their portals. Make sure to make a list of at least two to three names that you can consider
Ask the right questions
When you meet an immigration lawyer for the first time, you must step in with a bunch of questions, including –
- How long have you been practicing law? Do you specialize in immigration law?
- Are you a member of AILA (American Immigration Lawyers Association)?
- How often do you deal with H1B visa-related issues?
- Are you personally available for my case?
- Have you handled similar H1B visa matters? If yes, what were the outcomes?
- Can you also help with family immigration issues?
- How can I communicate with you?
Consider reviews
You can also rely on the social media profiles of the firm or check search engines to find reviews of shortlisted immigration lawyers. If a firm has too many negative reviews, consider the nature of the complaints. A bad review every now and then is not a bad thing, but watch out for general info.
Check the fee
Ultimately, you should be able to afford an immigration lawyer. Ensure that you understand the costs, and a lot also depends on what the lawyer does for your case. Many services are at the forefront, have bigger teams, more staff, and are also more responsive. Yes, hiring an attorney does increase the budget for employers, but in the long run, the advantages are way too many to ignore.
The H1B visa is one of the best options for US companies to hire talent from various continents. Employers have to do many things before the hired professionals can come to work. Hiring an immigration lawyer only makes things easy.