Government filing fees are not legal fees. Flat fee, scope, and what happens on a request for evidence are the three things to settle in writing.
Reviewed by Ekaterina Fitenko, Esq. — Florida Bar #1064536. With 20+ years of experience in the legal field, she advises Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking clients on immigration filings and case strategy, in English and Russian.
Every immigration case involves at least two kinds of money, and confusing them is the most common reason a quote turns out to be wrong. Government filing fees are set by the agency and paid to it; legal fees are paid to the firm for the work. A number that does not say which it covers is not a quote.
Filing fees also change, so they are confirmed against the agency's current schedule at the time of filing rather than from the figure someone remembers.
Most straightforward filings are quoted flat, because the work is predictable: a defined petition, a defined set of documents, a defined submission. Matters where the volume depends on what happens — litigation, complex waivers, cases with a long adverse history — are often hourly, because a flat quote would either overcharge the simple version or underprice the difficult one.
Neither structure is inherently better. What matters is that the structure matches the predictability of the work.
A fee covers a defined scope, and the useful questions are about its edges. Does it include a request for evidence? An interview? A refiling if the case is denied? Translations, courier costs, the medical examination? Dependants, or only the principal applicant?
These are not small print. A request for evidence can require as much work as the original filing, and whether it is inside the fee is the single largest variable between two quotes that look identical.
Ask each firm the same four questions: what the fee covers, what is excluded, what happens on a request for evidence or denial, and what the government fees are on top. Written answers make two quotes comparable; verbal assurances do not.
The initial consultation is $200 for 30 minutes, in English or Russian, paid before the meeting and credited against the fee if you retain us. It exists to answer the threshold questions — which route applies, what the obstacles are, what it would cost — rather than to sell a case that does not fit.
Normally no. Filing fees are set by the agency and paid to it; legal fees are paid to the firm. A quote should state both separately, and filing fees are confirmed against the current schedule at the time of filing.
Neither is better in itself. Flat fees suit predictable filings; hourly suits matters whose volume depends on how they develop, such as litigation or complex waivers.
That depends entirely on the engagement, and it is the largest hidden difference between quotes. A request for evidence can require as much work as the original filing, so ask explicitly.
Ask before engaging. Practices differ on refiling, appeals and motions, and outcomes cannot be guaranteed by anyone, so what is defined is the work, not the result.
Sometimes the principal applicant only. Dependants often carry separate filings and separate government fees, so confirm which people the quoted number covers.
$200 for 30 minutes, in English or Russian. Call (305) 315-3425 or email fitenkolaw@gmail.com to schedule, or start with the intake form.
This article is informational only and is not legal advice. Immigration rules, fees and processing times change; confirm current requirements with the agency or with counsel before relying on anything here.
Fitenko Law PLLC, 11555 Heron Bay Blvd, Suite 277, Coral Springs, FL 33076 (main office); 600 Three Islands Blvd, Hallandale Beach, FL 33009 (by appointment only). Phone: (305) 315-3425. Email: fitenkolaw@gmail.com