Are you on edge about the complicated process of applying for a green card, immigrant visa or U.S. citizenship, or even of avoiding deportation? Trying to figure it out on your own will quickly send you over the edge.

Research shows that a sharp increase in applications for U.S. citizenship both prior to and following the November 2016 presidential election resulted in a backlog of a whopping 708,000 requests across the country. In addition, applicant wait times toward the end of 2017 had doubled since the previous year.

That means even if you move through the process without a hitch, you can still experience delays. So, imagine how much more of a headache you’ll experience if you make a mistake in your application process.

It simply doesn’t pay to go it alone. Here are a few reasons why you should hire a Tampa immigration lawyer when dealing with the nation’s immigration services.

Tampa Immigration Lawyer May Get Your Foot in the Door

One of the most common issues that aspiring U.S. immigrants face is a claim by the consulate or by immigration services that they cannot enter the United States for a variety of reasons.

These reasons may include the following:

  • Previously lying to the federal government
  • Committing a crime previously
  • Not being properly vaccinated
  • Having tuberculosis or another type of communicable disease
  • Being a drug addict or abuser
  • Being a drug trafficker
  • Violating immigration laws previously
  • Having a likelihood of becoming reliant on government assistance that is need-based

If officials consider you to be inadmissible, securing a lawyer is paramount to get your foot on the American side of the border.

In some cases, you can submit a waiver application, where you ask officials to overlook your problem and welcome you anyway.

And sometimes it works depending on your unique circumstances.

You’re Facing Deportation

Hiring an attorney is absolutely critical if you are currently involved in deportation proceedings in an immigration court.

In this situation, the courts have all of the power needed to dictate the outcome of your immigration situation if your immigration court proceedings are on appeal or have not yet been completed.

In other words, using the same application process that other people who are not facing deportation use will not help you.

If officials are threatening to push you out the door, you have no choice but to push back with a legal expert by your side if you want personally favorable results.

Even if your proceedings have ended, it may be helpful to ask a Tampa immigration lawyer if the proceedings’ outcome will affect your existing application.

Things Are Moving Too Slowly

Another situation that typically demands the assistance of a Tampa immigration lawyer is the consulate’s or immigration services’ failure to approve an application for bureaucratic reasons.

For instance, maybe you have filed an application for a green card and then decide to move from one city to another city in the same state. Your application may end up disappearing rather than transferring to your new city’s immigration service office.

These types of hiccups and their resulting delays happen often and can understandably be frustrating. An attorney, however, can inquire about problems or delays via inside email or fax inquiry lines that you cannot access on your own.

Just think: you may be a single question away from finally getting your application approved and experiencing the life change you desire as a result.

You’re Sick of the Paperwork

A relatively simple immigration application process still involves completing forms, which can be overwhelming. You’ll likely need to gather and include other paperwork along with fees as part of the process.

And if you think you’ll receive mercy if you make a seemingly small mistake, think again. Your application may end up returned to you, delayed or perhaps on top of the rejection pile.

You may have never seen an immigration form before embarking on the application process. However, a qualified immigration attorney has likely seen it hundreds or thousands of times already.

On top of that, the attorney has the streamlined system and knowledge necessary to prepare your application smoothly. For instance, with a computer program, the attorney can input your data and then generate the form you need right away.

This ultimately saves you time and energy, and it also gives you the peace of mind you need when your future is at stake.

But Immigration Officers Can Help me Instead…

Yes, information officers with immigration services certainly can provide you with advice as you navigate the immigration court system.

But not all advice is good advice.

For instance, if you want to find out if you’re a candidate for heart surgery, you wouldn’t seek out the hospital receptionist for this medical advice.

You’ll pursue the advice of a licensed and certified heart surgeon.

In the same way, it’s not safe to ask immigration service information officers for advice outside of that regarding basic procedures. These include what your filing fees will be and where an application should be filed.

If information officers’ advice to you ends up being incorrect, they will assume no responsibility for what happens to your application situation as a result.

And there will be no tears of sympathy on their part, either. Just tears of despair on yours.

So, always seek the guidance of a Tampa immigration lawyer. You’ll increase your chances of crying happy tears in the end.

How We Can Help

We offer a wide range of immigration solutions for both businesses and families. Our processes can help you to cut through all of the red tape, resolve complex legal issues, and eliminate confusion.

Contact us to find out more about how we can help you avoid getting your petition or application denied and thus achieve the status you desire in the United States.