A lot of people who call me do not understand the difference between a free consultation and free legal advice. The purpose of a consultation with an immigration lawyer is to discuss the services that the immigration attorney provides and to help determine if you would like to hire that immigration lawyer to represent you. Some lawyers charge a fee for an initial consultation for prospective clients to meet with them. I do not charge a consultation fee for individuals who are looking to hire an immigration attorney to meet with me.
Stating on my website that I provide free legal consultations does not mean that I provide free legal advice. If you have a question about immigration law or you are trying to figure out how to fill out immigration forms, you should not be calling immigration lawyers that provide free consultations. This is because you are not looking to hire an attorney. Instead, you should be calling a not-for-profit organization that provides free legal advice (i.e., CUNY Citizenship Now).