ImmigrationLA Guides · Planning Your Case

How Much Does an Immigration Lawyer Cost in Los Angeles? (2026)

Short answer: most Los Angeles immigration lawyers charge a flat fee somewhere between about $1,500 and $5,000 for a standard family case such as a marriage green card, with consultations typically running from free to about $300. But the honest answer depends on your case type, its complexity, and how the lawyer bills — so here is the full picture, including the government fees that are always separate.

Last updated October 2026 · Fee ranges are typical market ranges for planning only — every firm sets its own prices · Leer esta guía en español

Typical immigration lawyer fees by case type

Los Angeles is a major-metro legal market — expect prices toward the upper half of national ranges. The figures below reflect commonly published 2026 fee ranges for U.S. immigration attorneys. They are planning estimates, not quotes; your actual quote comes after a lawyer reviews your facts.

How immigration lawyers charge

Flat fees (the norm for filings)

Most family immigration work — green cards, petitions, naturalization — is quoted as one flat fee because the steps are predictable. A written flat-fee agreement should say exactly what is included: which forms, whether responding to a Request for Evidence costs extra, whether the lawyer attends your interview, and whether the later I-751 is included or separate. Those exclusions are where "cheap" quotes grow.

Hourly billing

Hourly rates typically run $150–$500 depending on experience, and are most common where the scope can't be predicted: immigration court, appeals, motions, and cases with criminal or prior-removal complications. If a lawyer quotes hourly, ask for a realistic hour range and what would push the case beyond it.

Consultation fees

Expect anything from a free screening call to about $300 for a full consultation with an experienced attorney. A paid consultation that produces a real eligibility analysis is usually money well spent — it is how you find out whether you have complications before the government does.

Payment plans

Many LA firms split flat fees into stages — for example, part at signing, part at filing, part before the interview — or accept monthly payments and credit cards. Ask up front; it is a normal question in this area of law.

Government fees are always separate

No attorney fee includes USCIS or State Department filing fees — those are paid to the government, and they are the same whether you hire a lawyer or file alone. For a marriage case in 2026, the core government fees are $625–$675 for the I-130 petition and $1,440 for the I-485 adjustment application, before optional add-ons like the work permit. Our marriage green card guide lays out the complete fee table, and you can always verify current amounts on the USCIS Fee Schedule. Budget also for the immigration medical exam (a few hundred dollars, paid to the doctor), certified translations, and passport photos.

What makes a case cost more — or less

• Complexity: prior denials, unlawful presence, entry without inspection, criminal history, prior removal orders, or a previous marriage petition all add legal work and raise the fee.
• Path: consular processing and waiver cases usually cost more than a clean adjustment of status.
• Scope: interview attendance, RFE responses, and appeals may be bundled or billed separately.
• Experience and location: a senior attorney in downtown LA charges more than a newer solo practitioner — and both charge more than a notario, who cannot legally do the work at all (see below).
• Your preparation: organized documents and honest, complete information reduce the hours any lawyer must spend on your file.

Ways to lower the cost

• Free case review first: ImmigrationLA's intake (below) is free and helps you understand your case type before you pay anyone for a consultation.
• Nonprofit legal services: Los Angeles has legal-aid nonprofits and Department of Justice–accredited representatives who help low-income immigrants free or at low cost. Capacity is limited and waits can be long, but for straightforward cases they are an excellent option.
• Law school clinics: LA-area law schools run immigration clinics where supervised students represent clients at no charge.
• Limited-scope help: some attorneys will review a self-prepared filing for a smaller fee than full representation — ask.
• Do the straightforward parts yourself: gathering records, getting translations, and completing biographic forms carefully saves billable time.

A warning about "notarios": in the United States a notary public is not a lawyer — despite what the word means in many Latin American countries — and cannot give legal advice or represent you. Neither can "immigration consultants" who are not attorneys or DOJ-accredited representatives. Notario fraud is one of the most common and most damaging scams in Los Angeles immigration communities: the money is gone and the case is often worse than when you started. Whoever you hire, verify they are a licensed attorney (check the State Bar of California) or a DOJ-accredited representative.

Questions to ask before you hire anyone

• Are you a licensed attorney, and is immigration your main practice area?
• What is the total fee, in writing — and what exactly does it include and exclude?
• Are USCIS fees, the medical exam, and translations separate? (They almost always are.)
• Will you attend my interview? Is that included?
• What happens — and what does it cost — if USCIS issues a Request for Evidence or denies the case?
• Do you offer a payment plan, and what are the stages?
• Who will actually handle my case day to day, and how do I reach them?
• What complications do you see in my case, and how do they change the price or the strategy?

Frequently asked questions