Office of International Affairs

Immigration Attorneys

Student Legal Services

The Office of International Affairs cannot evaluate specific attorneys' professional competence or experience. However, we recommend you seek advice from Students Legal Services (SLS) at Ohio State for help concerning immigration and naturalization legal matters. SLS contracts with Ohio State to provide legal services to eligible Ohio State students.

To be eligible to receive a legal consultation with SLS, students must attend classes on the Columbus campus, be in a degree-seeking program, be enrolled in at least one non-distance learning course and not have waived the SLS fee for the participation year they are seeking services. Students' roles must be primarily as students versus staff or employees.

SLS can provide legal counsel for the following immigration topics: 

  • Asylum/refugee status
  • Citizenship
  • Reinstatement
  • Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or other discretionary relief
  • Employment-based immigration
  • Family-based immigration
  • International travel
  • Nonimmigrant visa
  • Removal
  • Violence Against Women Act matters

Students can schedule appointments online or by phone at 614-247-5853.

Selecting an Attorney

If SLS cannot provide you with the help you seek, the following suggestions may help you select an attorney. You may wish to visit the American Immigration Lawyers Association website to select an attorney who has the expertise you seek.

Please note that this information is provided for personal immigration matters only. All immigration filings on behalf of Ohio State are handled either by the Office of International Affairs or the Office of Legal Affairs. An employee or student may not retain an attorney to represent the university when filing an I-129, I-140, labor certification or other employer-based filing. No one may sign an I-129, I-140 or labor certification application on behalf of the university without prior approval from either the Office of International Affairs or the Office of Legal Affairs. If you have questions about this policy, please contact the Office of International Affairs at 614-292-6101 or the Office of Legal Affairs at 614-292-0611.

Select an attorney early in the process

Immigration procedures can be very slow and time-consuming. Therefore, you should select your legal advisor early in the process. Do not wait until a few weeks before your deadline. To present your application in the best possible manner, you should allow sufficient time for your lawyer to research your case thoroughly.

Consult others concerning the immigration process

Before contacting an attorney, consult family members, friends or associates involved with the immigration process. They may be able to share their experiences with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), their legal costs and recommendations concerning attorneys with whom they worked.

Begin your evaluation of the attorney when you make your initial call

Once you have selected a prospective attorney, you should call to make an appointment to discuss your case. This call should be an important part of your evaluation of the attorney.

You should begin the call by briefly describing your situation and the immigration problem you wish to address. You do not have to give all the details at this time. You should merely describe in general terms the nature of the issue and include any deadlines you face.

You should then ask the following questions:

  • Do you handle these types of cases?
  • How long have you been doing this type of work? (It is best to hire a lawyer with much experience)
  • How many cases similar to mine have you handled?
  • What percentage of your practice is devoted to immigration law? (Some attorneys have a general practice, and immigration is only a small part of their work. It is best to hire a specialist who devotes a major percentage of their time to this area.)
  • Do you charge an initial consultation fee? (Some lawyers will charge a fee for your first meeting)
  • How do you set your fees for these types of cases?

You may wish to contact several attorneys to compare their answers to these questions. Once you have identified a lawyer you may wish to hire, you should schedule a meeting to discuss your case in greater detail.

The first meeting

It is important to remember that at this meeting, you are still evaluating the lawyer. You may seek another legal advisor if you are not confident that this person can do the best job for you.

You should be prepared to give a concise statement of your situation and the goals you would like to achieve. You may save time by writing a short chronology of your experiences and contacts with USCIS. Be sure to bring your passport (including visa stamps), copies of correspondence with government agencies and other immigration documents.

Questions that you should ask the lawyer during the initial meeting:

  • What are the USCIS procedures for handling my case?
  • How long might it take to resolve my case? (Every case is different, and more complex cases will take longer to resolve. The attorney should be able to give you some idea of the time it may take to get an Immigration and Naturalization Service decision in cases such as yours.)
  • What are my prospects for success? (The lawyer cannot guarantee a successful outcome. However, based on their experience, the attorney should be able to give you a preliminary evaluation of the strengths or weaknesses of your case.)
  • What is the fee that you will charge for my case? (It is important that you understand how you will be charged for the attorney's services and when you will be required to make payments.)

Questions you should ask yourself during the initial meeting:

  • Does the lawyer demonstrate an understanding of immigration law and procedures?
  • Does the lawyer communicate ideas to you clearly and effectively?
  • Do they seem to care about your problem?
  • Are you confident that this person can handle your case competently and honestly?
  • Do you understand the fee arrangement, and can you afford it?

If the answers to these questions are affirmative, you may want to proceed to retain the attorney to handle your case.

As the case proceeds, you should remember that you are paying the lawyer to provide a service to you. You should feel free to give explicit instructions on how you would like your case to be handled. If, at any time, you have concerns about the level of service you are receiving, you should be comfortable discussing this with the attorney.