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How much does an immigration lawyer cost?

There are two bills: the lawyer's fee, which each lawyer sets (flat, hourly or per consult) and must explain to you, and the government filing fees, which are fixed by regulation. A marriage green card filed inside the US, for example, carries $2,115 in USCIS fees for the I-130 and I-485 alone, before any lawyer's fee.

If you are pricing an immigration lawyer, you are really pricing two things. The first is the lawyer's own fee. No federal rule sets it. Each lawyer decides how to charge, within their state's ethics rules, which say the fee must be reasonable and must be explained to you. The second is the government's fees. Those are fixed in federal regulations, they are the same whoever files, and they are paid on top of anything a lawyer charges.

This page explains both. It does not quote a typical lawyer price. We have not found a primary source for one, and survey figures on comparison sites cannot tell you what a particular lawyer will charge for your case. What we can show you is how lawyers structure their fees, what your fee agreement has to contain, and the exact government fees as at 9 October 2026.

Two separate bills

The lawyer's fee pays for advice, preparing and filing the forms, answering USCIS letters, and appearing at interviews or in court. The lawyer sets it.

The government fees pay USCIS (part of the Department of Homeland Security), the Department of State if a visa is issued abroad, or the immigration court. They are set by regulation: 8 CFR 106.2 for USCIS and 22 CFR 22.1 for the State Department.

When a lawyer quotes a price, ask whether it includes the government fees or not. Some quotes are for legal work only, with filing fees listed separately. Neither approach is wrong, but the two numbers can differ by more than $2,000 on a single family case.

How immigration lawyers charge

Lawyers use a few standard structures. A lawyer may use more than one on the same matter.

  • Flat fee. One price for a defined piece of work, such as preparing and filing a specific petition. Anything outside that definition (an interview, a Request for Evidence, an appeal) may be billed separately. The scope is what matters, so read it.
  • Hourly rate. You pay for time spent, usually in fractions of an hour. The total depends on how much work the case turns out to need.
  • Consultation fee. A charge for a first meeting to review your situation. Some lawyers charge for this; some offer it at $0; some credit it against the later fee if you hire them. Ask which applies before you book.
  • Advance payment (retainer). Money paid before work is done. Under the ethics rules described below, unearned advance payments are generally held in the lawyer's trust account and drawn down as the work is done.
  • Availability fee. Some states' rules allow a separate fee just to secure a lawyer's availability for a period or matter. It must be stated in writing as being for availability only.

None of these is better than the others in general. What matters is that you understand which one you are agreeing to and what it covers.

What the ethics rules require of a lawyer's fee

Every state adopts its own version of the professional conduct rules, and Rule 1.5 deals with fees. The quotes below are from Minnesota's Rule 1.5, as published by the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes and read on 9 October 2026. Your lawyer's state has its own text, which is usually similar but not identical.

  • Reasonableness. "A lawyer shall not make an agreement for, charge, or collect an unreasonable fee." The factors include the time and labour required, the difficulty of the questions, the fee customarily charged in the locality, time limits, and the lawyer's experience.
  • Explaining the fee. "The scope of the representation and the basis or rate of the fee and expenses for which the client will be responsible shall be communicated to the client, preferably in writing."
  • Advance payments. Fee payments received before services are rendered "are presumed to be unearned and shall be held in a trust account".
  • Flat fees. A flat fee paid in advance can become the lawyer's property on payment only if a written agreement signed by the client sets out the scope of the services, the total fee and payment terms, that the fee will not be held in trust, that the client may end the relationship, and that the client is entitled to a refund if the agreed services are not provided.
  • No "nonrefundable" fees. Fee agreements "may not describe any fee as nonrefundable or earned upon receipt". If the relationship ends early, the lawyer "shall refund to the client the unearned portion of the fee".

If your lawyer is licensed in another state, the state bar's website publishes that state's version of Rule 1.5.

Government fees for common cases (as at 9 October 2026)

Paper filing fees from 8 CFR 106.2 and 22 CFR 22.1, read on eCFR at the 1 October 2026 point in time. Under 8 CFR 106.1(g), forms filed online with USCIS cost $50 less unless the rule says otherwise.

| Form or fee | What it is | Fee | |---|---|---| | I-130 | Petition for a relative | $675 | | I-129F | Fiancé(e) petition | $675 | | I-485 | Green card application inside the US, age 14+ | $1,440 | | I-485 | Under 14, filing with a parent | $950 | | I-765 | Work permit (standard) | $520 | | I-765 | Work permit with a pending I-485 filed with a fee after 1 April 2024 | $260 | | I-131 | Advance parole / travel document | $630 | | I-864 | Affidavit of support | No USCIS fee | | I-751 | Remove conditions on a 2-year green card | $750 | | I-601A | Provisional unlawful presence waiver | $795 | | I-290B | Appeal or motion on a USCIS decision | $800 | | N-400 | Naturalization | $760 ($380 at or below 400% of the poverty guidelines) | | N-600 | Certificate of citizenship | $1,385 | | State Dept | Immigrant visa, family category (per person) | $325 | | State Dept | K (fiancé) visa | $265 | | USCIS | Immigrant fee, after a visa is issued abroad | $235 |

Some fees change soon. USCIS has announced inflation increases for requests postmarked on or after 16 October 2026 to four fees: the annual asylum fee ($102 to $105), the immigration parole fee ($1,020 to $1,050), the initial work permit for asylum applicants, parolees and TPS ($560 to $570), and the TPS fee ($510 to $520). None of the family forms in this table is affected. EB-5 fees change on 30 November 2026. Check the USCIS G-1055 fee schedule on the day you file.

Fee waivers and the reduced rate

Under 8 CFR 106.3(a)(1), USCIS can waive a fee if you show you cannot pay it, by one of three routes: receipt of a means-tested benefit, household income at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or extreme financial hardship.

Only listed forms can be waived. The list in 106.3(a)(3)(i) includes the I-90, I-751, N-336, N-400, N-565 and N-600. The I-485 can be waived only for people exempt from the public charge ground (106.3(a)(3)(iv)). The I-130 and I-129F do not appear on the waiver list.

A fee waiver covers the government fee only. It has no effect on what a lawyer charges.

What changes the amount of legal work

We will not predict how much work your case needs. But the regulations show where extra work comes from, and these are the points to ask a lawyer about when you compare fee quotes.

  • Requests for Evidence (RFEs) and Notices of Intent to Deny (NOIDs). Under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(8)(iv), an RFE response window can never exceed 12 weeks and a NOID window can never exceed 30 days, and "additional time to respond… may not be granted." Ask whether answering one is inside a flat fee or billed separately.
  • Denials. An appeal or motion on Form I-290B costs $800 in government fees and must generally be filed within 30 days after service of the decision (8 CFR 103.3(a)(2)). Some denials go to the Board of Immigration Appeals instead. Either way it is a new piece of work.
  • Interviews. Ask whether attendance is included.
  • Waivers. A case that needs an I-601 ($1,050) or I-601A ($795) involves more preparation than one that does not.
  • Immigration court. Representation before the immigration courts is limited to attorneys and fully accredited representatives (8 CFR 1292.1, 1292.12), and court work is usually priced separately from USCIS filings.

Lower-cost options and what they may charge

DOJ-accredited representatives work for non-profit organizations recognized by the Department of Justice. To be recognized, an organization must serve "primarily low-income and indigent clients" and, if it charges fees, must have a written policy for clients unable to pay (8 CFR 1292.11(a)(1)). Ask each organization what it charges. The rosters are published by the EOIR Recognition and Accreditation Program.

Form preparers can give limited help filling out forms but "cannot represent you or give you legal advice", and USCIS says they "can only charge you a nominal fee" (USCIS, Find Legal Services, updated 4 August 2026).

Notaries are not lawyers. USCIS: "notary publics are not attorneys and cannot represent you in legal matters, including immigration cases."

Comparing fee quotes: what to get in writing

Before you pay anyone, ask for these in writing:

  1. Which forms and steps the fee covers, and which it does not (RFE, NOID, interview, appeal, court).
  2. Whether the fee is flat, hourly, or a mix, and the hourly rate if any.
  3. Whether government fees are included or extra, and who pays them to USCIS.
  4. When payments are due, and whether advance payments are held in trust.
  5. What happens to unearned fees if you end the relationship.
  6. Who will actually work on the case, and the lawyer's state of admission so you can check their licence with that state's bar.

You can also check the EOIR list of currently disciplined practitioners.

Find an attorney or accredited representative

See attorneys and accredited representatives in the Migratio directory. Listings are shown in a neutral order with factual filters only (state, language, practice area, attorney or accredited representative). Migratio does not recommend, rank or match any lawyer.

Notaries public, notarios and immigration consultants are not lawyers and cannot give immigration legal advice. Only a licensed attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative can.

Migratio is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. Only a licensed attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative can advise you.

Questions people ask

How much does an immigration lawyer charge per hour?

There is no official rate. Each lawyer sets their own, and their state's Rule 1.5 requires it to be reasonable and to be explained to you, preferably in writing. Some lawyers price immigration matters as flat fees instead. Ask each lawyer for their rate or flat price in writing before agreeing.

How much does an immigration lawyer cost for a marriage green card?

The lawyer's part depends on the lawyer and on what the fee covers. The government part is fixed: for a spouse filing inside the US, the I-130 is $675 and the I-485 is $1,440 (age 14+), $2,115 in total on paper as at 9 October 2026. A work permit filed with the pending I-485 adds $260, and advance parole $630.

Are USCIS filing fees included in a lawyer's flat fee?

Sometimes. Some lawyers quote legal work only and list government fees separately; others quote an all-in figure. Ask which, because USCIS fees on a single family case can exceed $2,000.

Is an immigration lawyer's first consultation free ($0)?

It depends on the lawyer. Some charge a consultation fee, some offer the first consult at $0, and some credit the consultation fee against later work. Ask before booking.

Can I get money back if I stop using my immigration lawyer?

Under Minnesota's Rule 1.5, which is typical, fee agreements may not call a fee nonrefundable, and the lawyer must refund the unearned portion when the relationship ends early. Your lawyer's state has its own wording; the state bar publishes it.

Do DOJ-accredited representatives charge?

They work for recognized non-profit organizations that serve primarily low-income clients. If the organization charges fees, it must have a written policy for clients who cannot pay (8 CFR 1292.11(a)(1)). Ask the organization about its fees directly.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

  • Do I need an immigration lawyer? What the rules say — No federal rule requires you to hire anyone to file with USCIS; the regulations say a person "may be represented". If you do get help, only attorneys, DOJ-accredited representatives and a few narrow categories may represent you. Whether to get one is your decision; this page sets out the rules and deadlines that bear on it.
  • Who can legally give US immigration advice? — Attorneys in good standing and DOJ-accredited representatives of recognized non-profits can advise and represent you; a few narrow categories can appear unpaid. Notaries, notarios and immigration consultants cannot give immigration legal advice. Form preparers may only fill in blanks for a nominal fee.
  • USCIS fees, October 2026: every main form — As at 9 October 2026 the paper fee is $675 for the I-130, $1,440 for an adult I-485, $520 for a standard I-765, $750 for the I-751 and $760 for the N-400. Four fees rise on 16 October 2026, EB-5 fees change on 30 November 2026, and several changes are only proposed.
  • Free ($0) and low-cost immigration legal help: where it comes from — Legal help at $0 or low cost comes mainly from three official sources: EOIR's List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers (for people in immigration court), DOJ-recognized non-profits with accredited representatives, and supervised law school clinics. Government filing fees usually still apply.
  • Questions to ask at an immigration lawyer consultation — A first consult is your chance to confirm that the person is allowed to represent you, to get the scope and fee in writing, and to learn who will do the work and how you will hear about notices. The rules behind each question are quoted below, with sources.
  • How to choose an immigration lawyer: 10 checks — Check the licence and discipline record, confirm who will do the work, get the scope and fee in writing, and walk away from guarantees. These ten checks are facts you can verify; the decision is yours.