The first meeting with an immigration attorney is an evaluation — of your situation, not of whether the attorney likes you. Knowing what the attorney is looking for, what to bring, and what questions to answer clearly will make the consultation more useful and help you understand what to expect from the process.
What Happens at the Consultation
The attorney reviews your immigration history. They ask where you were born, how and when you entered the United States, what immigration status you have held, whether you have any criminal history, and what you are trying to accomplish — a green card, a work visa, citizenship, relief from removal, or something else.
This is not a casual conversation. The attorney is building a factual picture of your case so they can assess what immigration pathways are available to you, what the risks are, and what the likely timeline looks like. The more accurate and complete your answers, the more useful their assessment.
What to Bring
Bring every immigration document you have. That includes your passport (all pages, all passports), any visas you have been issued, your green card or employment authorization card if you have one, any USCIS approval or denial notices, any receipts from prior filings, and any correspondence from USCIS, the Department of State, or immigration court. If you received a Notice to Appear or have a pending court case, bring those documents.
If you have a criminal record — any arrest, charge, conviction, or deferred adjudication — bring whatever documentation you have about it. Court records, plea agreements, and disposition documents all matter. Do not leave criminal history out of the consultation. Attorneys cannot give you an accurate assessment without the full picture, and omitting this information guarantees a wrong answer.
If other family members are involved in your case — a U.S. citizen spouse, a petitioning employer, a child — bring documentation about them as well. Immigration cases rarely exist in isolation.
What the Attorney Is Assessing
The attorney is answering a sequence of questions: What is your current status? What are you trying to achieve? Is there a pathway to get there? What are the risks? What is the realistic timeline? How much will it cost?
They are also looking for problems you may not know about — a prior removal order you were unaware of, a bar to adjustment of status from a long-ago immigration violation, a criminal matter that affects eligibility. Part of a good consultation is surfacing problems before they become surprises.
The Attorney Cannot Promise an Outcome
A legitimate attorney will give you an honest assessment of your options and the likely outcomes — not a guarantee. Immigration law involves government agencies that make independent decisions. USCIS can deny an approvable-looking application. An immigration judge can rule against a strong case. An attorney who guarantees success or promises they can get you a green card is telling you what you want to hear, not what is true.
What you should hear at a consultation is: here are your options, here is the most likely path, here are the risks, here is what we cannot control, and here is what we will do to give you the best chance.
After the Consultation
If you decide to work with the attorney, you sign a retainer agreement that specifies what services are covered, what the fees are, and what you will owe. Some firms charge a flat fee per case type; others bill hourly. Get everything in writing before you sign.
The attorney will tell you what additional documents to gather and what the next steps are. In most cases the next step is preparing and filing an application or petition, and the timeline from that point depends on USCIS processing times, which vary significantly by case type and service center.
If You Are Not Sure Which Attorney to Use
It is completely reasonable to consult with more than one attorney before deciding. Compare their assessment of your case, their explanation of the process, and their fee structure. If two attorneys give you very different assessments of what is possible, ask each of them why — the answer often reveals something important about your case.
Adan G. Vega & Associates has handled immigration consultations in Houston for over 45 years. We offer confidential case evaluations. Call (713) 527-9606 to schedule yours, or see our full range of individual immigration services.
Reviewed by Adan Vega, Board-Certified Immigration Attorney, Founding Partner · Updated
About the author
Board-Certified Immigration Attorney, Founding Partner · Texas Board-Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law — Texas Board of Legal Specialization (1985); Admitted, U.S. Supreme Court (2004); Admitted, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (1980); J.D., The University of Texas at Austin School of Law (1979); B.A., Rice University (1976); Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) (1982); Texas Super Lawyers — Thomson Reuters (2004); Special Service Award — Migration and Refugee Services, United States Catholic Conference
Adan G. Vega is a Board-Certified Immigration Attorney and the founding partner of Vega & Associates, PLLC in Houston, Texas. He has practiced immigration and nationality law exclusively for more than 45 years, making him one of the longest-serving immigration attorneys in Houston. He earned a B.A. from Rice University in 1976 and a J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law in 1979. In 1985 the Texas Board of Legal Specialization awarded him a Certificate of Special Competence in Immigration and Nationality Law, authorizing the title Board Certified Specialist. He is admitted to practice before the Texas state courts, the EOIR Immigration Courts, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court, and has presented oral argument in the Fifth Circuit on three occasions, including one published opinion.
On August 23, 1988, Vega testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and International Law, on the effects of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. He has served as immigration legal counsel to foreign governments in the United States, including the governments of Mexico and El Salvador, and to multinational companies on employment-based immigration.
A member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association since 1982, he co-chaired the AILA Texas Chapter Conference in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2004, and has lectured on immigration law at AILA conferences and at the University of Texas. He authored the Guide of United States History and Government in 1989. The Migration and Refugee Services of the United States Catholic Conference presented him with a special service award for outstanding commitment and dedicated service to newcomers.
Vega was a founder and initial director of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 1984, served as President of Consejo Hispano from 1987 to 1988, and has served as special immigration legal counsel, board director, vice president and president of the Cámara de Empresarios Latinos de Houston. He has provided pro bono immigration services to Texas's indigent community throughout his career. He has been recognized as a Top Texas Lawyer by Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) since 2004. He represents individuals, families and businesses before USCIS, the Immigration Courts, the Board of Immigration Appeals and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and is bilingual in English and Spanish.
