It's important to avoid mistakes when you need the services of a green card attorney. Clients sometimes make mistakes that unnecessarily increase stress or costs for them.

The following are six things that you should not do when you hire a green card attorney. 

Failing to take advantage of free consultations when they're available

Green card attorneys often will provide a free initial consultation. Taking advantage of a consultation is a good way to get a general idea of what it will take for you to acquire a green card. During your free consultation, you can learn about the process of applying for a green card and discuss legal fees with an immigration attorney. 

Being impatient about results

Getting a green card takes time. You will need to be patient and persistent throughout the process. Unfortunately, your green card attorney won't be able to do anything to speed up document processing once documents are submitted to USCIS. 

Procrastinating about hiring a green card attorney

Clients sometimes make the mistake of putting off hiring a green card attorney or thinking they can get a green card without an attorney's services. However, having an attorney will really put you ahead when you need to get a green card.

The sooner you hire a green card attorney and start the process, the sooner you will have your green card. 

Failing to provide your green card attorney with all the needed documents

Your attorney will need you to provide many different documents as part of the process of applying for and acquiring a green card. If you don't provide all the necessary documents, this will delay your application. 

Make a list of the documents you need with your green card attorney so that you can get the needed documents to your attorney as soon as possible. 

Hiring a green card attorney before you understand what the total costs will be

Legal fees may be costly when you hire a green card attorney. When you initially consult with a green card attorney, you should figure out what the total costs of the process will be. This way, you'll be sure that you'll have enough funds to get through the entire process. 

Discussing legal fees during your consultation can also allow you to compare costs between attorneys and find an attorney offering competitively priced green card services. 

Hiring a lawyer who doesn't specialize in immigration law

Immigration law is a complex area of law. If you want to get through the green card process as smoothly as possible, it's best to hire an attorney who specializes in immigration law and therefore has the knowledge needed to navigate the legal process efficiently. 

For more information about working with a green card attorney, contact a local law firm.