Board Certification in Immigration and Nationality Law is a voluntary credential awarded by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. It is not required to practice immigration law in Texas, but earning it requires passing a written exam, demonstrating significant experience in the field, and receiving favorable evaluations from peers and judges. Here is what the certification actually requires and how to verify whether an attorney holds it.
What the Texas Board of Legal Specialization Is
The Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) is an arm of the State Bar of Texas. It certifies attorneys in 24 legal specialty areas — from family law to tax to immigration and nationality law. Board Certification identifies attorneys who have demonstrated particular expertise in a specialty through testing, experience, and peer review.
Certification is not a marketing title an attorney can claim voluntarily. It requires an application, documentation, examination, and approval. The TBLS website lists currently certified attorneys in each specialty. You can search the list directly to verify any attorney’s certification status.
What Immigration and Nationality Law Certification Requires
To earn Board Certification in Immigration and Nationality Law in Texas, an attorney must:
- Be licensed and in good standing with the Texas State Bar
- Have practiced law for at least five years, with a substantial portion dedicated to immigration and nationality law
- Handle a specified minimum number of immigration matters over a recent five-year period — covering categories like removal proceedings, family-based petitions, employment visas, and federal court appeals
- Pass a written examination covering all major areas of immigration law
- Receive favorable peer review evaluations from other attorneys and judges who are familiar with their immigration work
- Complete ongoing continuing legal education requirements in immigration law
Recertification is required every five years and involves the same ongoing education and peer review standards.
How Many Texas Immigration Attorneys Hold This Certification
Fewer than 5% of Texas attorneys hold any Board Certification. Immigration and Nationality Law is one of the smaller certification categories. The TBLS directory lists the active certified attorneys in this specialty. The list is shorter than most people expect — which reflects the actual difficulty of meeting the requirements, not limited interest among immigration attorneys.
What Board Certification Does Not Mean
Board Certification does not mean the attorney wins every case or that they are the right fit for every type of immigration matter. Some immigration attorneys without Board Certification have decades of experience and strong track records. Certification is one indicator of expertise — not the only one.
It also does not substitute for verifying current license status. An attorney can let a certification lapse or lose it due to a disciplinary matter. Always verify both the Board Certification and the active license status on the Texas State Bar directory before hiring.
Why the Credential Matters in Complex Cases
Immigration law spans family petitions, employment visas, asylum, removal proceedings, federal court appeals, and more. Attorneys who practice primarily in one area — say, family-based petitions — may have limited exposure to removal defense or complex employment-based cases. Board Certification requires demonstrated experience across multiple immigration practice areas, which means the attorney has handled more than just the straightforward case types.
For cases involving removal proceedings, federal court appeals, or situations where a prior mistake by another attorney needs to be corrected, an attorney who has been tested on the full scope of immigration law is a meaningful advantage.
How to Verify Certification
Search the Texas State Bar attorney search and look at the attorney’s profile. Board Certifications held are listed on the profile alongside the specialty area. You can also search directly on tbls.org under the Immigration and Nationality Law category to see the full list of currently certified attorneys.
If an attorney says they are Board Certified but the credential does not appear on their State Bar profile, it has either lapsed or was never awarded.
About Adan G. Vega
Adan G. Vega has been Board-Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for over three decades. His certification is verifiable on the Texas State Bar attorney directory. The firm has practiced immigration law exclusively in Houston for over 45 years. Call (713) 527-9606 to schedule a confidential consultation, or see our business immigration and individual immigration practice areas.
