Get started with a US immigration lawyer based in New Zealand
Do you want to renounce your US citizenship?
Please visit our renunciation page to select your preferred service and get started working with us.
All other cases begin with a paid consultation.
The consultation process involves fact-finding and assessment. There is a $670 fee (GST inclusive). This process involves a thorough review of your circumstances and a virtual meeting with our US immigration lawyer, Amanda Sadlier, for up to 45 minutes.
In the meeting, expect to:
- provide details about your goals, background, and other relevant information;
- be presented with your options;
- receive answers to your questions;
- have next steps or decision points explained; and
- where there is more work for us to do, receive a quote for the cost of our legal services going forward.
To make a booking:
Request a time and booking type (choose by clicking on one of the buttons above).
Be prepared to provide requested information, documents, and consultation fee when requested to secure your appointment.
Once received, we will confirm your consultation appointment.
At your appointment time, you will have a secure and confidential video conference with our attorney via Google Meet.
Note: No software or login is required when joining on a computer/laptop. If you plan to join on a mobile, you will need to download the free Google Meet app (Apple, Google Play) to join.
WHY IS A CONSULTATION NECESSARY? This process allows us to fully understand your situation in order to provide the best assessment possible of your case, including your options, next steps, and pricing of our services. It’s also a chance for attorney and client to determine whether we’re a good fit to work together going forward. There is no obligation for either party to work together after the consultation.
WHO SHOULD BOOK A CONSULTATION? You should book a consultation if you:
—> have a family-based US immigration case (ie you or your family member is a US citizen wanting to bring a spouse, fiancé(e), child, son or daughter, parent, or stepchild to the USA),
—> you are at the top of your profession and have a job offer or agent in the US,
—> are a US permanent resident moving to New Zealand and want advice on keeping or abandoning your US green card,
—> have an arrest or conviction record (even if covered by the Clean Slate scheme) or past US immigration violation/deportation and want to visit the US or immigrate to the US,
—> have received a denial from USCIS or the US consulate and want to know your options, or
If you are a US citizen living in Aotearoa New Zealand who wants to renounce your US citizenship, you should select a service and book through our renunciation page. If you have another type of US immigration matter, please contact us before booking a consultation.
WHY IS THERE A CHARGE FOR THE CONSULTATION? The charge is set to recognize the value that we bring to the consultation process by using our education, expertise, and experience to give you the full assessment, time, and attention that you and your circumstances deserve. To make the most of the process, please provide full information and documents before the meeting.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CONSULTATION TYPES? The cost and duration are the same. We have slightly different availability between the two types of consultations. Moreover, knowing if the goal is a one-time assessment or laying the foundation for future work together helps us to provide tailored service and best use the meeting time together. The type of consultation does not obligate you to hire us for further work, nor does it prohibit you from hiring us to do further work if it’s needed.
I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION - DO I NEED A CONSULTATION? In our experience, very few US immigration questions can be answered within five minutes (our definition of a quick question) or without getting significant background information. For this reason, most ‘quick question’ inquiries will be referred to this page to book a consultation in order to give you accurate and complete information.
HOW MUCH WILL MY CASE COST IN TOTAL? Because our pricing is customised to the specifics of each case, we cannot give a price estimate until we’ve first had a consultation and fully understood the particulars of your circumstances and goals. Further, we contract and quote prices per phase of the case because many of our cases span years. Any legal fees quoted in the consultation will be honored for at least 90 days following the consultation. Government filing fees that may be discussed are subject to change without notice.
HOW DO I HIRE A US IMMIGRATION LAWYER IN NEW ZEALAND? First, you need to follow the steps above to request and confirm a consultation. If, at the conclusion of the consultation or in the 90 days following the consultation, you and the attorney agree to work together, we will send you a contract to review and sign and an invoice for the initial payment. Once we receive those, we can start working on your case.
I WANT TO BOOK A CONSULTATION, BUT I CAN’T WAIT UNTIL YOUR NEXT AVAILABLE APPOINTMENT…OR I CAN’T SEE THE NEXT AVAILABLE APPOINTMENT. Thank you for your patience. We often have full books and run a waitlist because we are a small firm and want to provide our existing clients the service they deserve before taking on new clients.
—> If your case has a deadline or is otherwise particularly time sensitive, please contact us to see if we have any flexibility in our schedule. Be aware that we are not always able to handle urgent cases due to commitments to existing clients.
—> If you can’t see availability for an appointment, it is probably because our existing times are booked out. Please check back for additional dates to be open. To give our best attention and bespoke services to existing clients, we limit the number of consultations we book. Thank you for your patience.
WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW? These are the terms and conditions for the consultation process. While the information disclosed leading up to and during the consultation remains confidential to the extent permitted by law, a consultation only creates an attorney-client relationship for the duration of the consultation. It does not make us your lawyer. To receive legal advice/representation beyond the consultation, you and the attorney must agree to further engagement. A consultation does not guarantee that we will take your case.
Do you have other questions? See our general FAQ section. If it’s not answered there, flick us an email.
