Immigration Consultation FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions about Immigration Consultations
Immigration consultations are available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from 9 am to 2 pm Pacific time.
If you are abroad in a different time zone and need a different consultation time, please email us and we will contact you to schedule the consultation.
Immigration consultations are scheduled for a one (1) hour block.
You should expect to spend at least 45 minutes, up to one hour, discussing your case with Attorney Andrea Montavon-McKillip.
Once you schedule your immigration consultation, you will receive an email with a link to complete an intake questionnaire. The consultation is your chance to have all of your immigration questions answered. In order to make the best use of your consultation time, please fill out the intake questionnaire as completely as possible. This information is maintained strictly confidential.
The initial consultation is a strategy session to evaluate your immigration situation, determine your immigration options, and recommend the best immigration option for you based on your unique circumstances and goals. It is a substantive meeting, not a sales pitch, and you will walk away with valuable information about your eligibility for U.S. immigration benefits.
You will be quoted the legal fees for the chosen strategy during the consultation and you will receive an email after the consultation with that quote in writing.
Attorney ethical rules and our malpractice insurance policy do not permit us to give legal advice over the phone based on one quick question. In order to give you accurate legal advice specific to your case, the attorney needs to gather comprehensive information about your personal and immigration history and have a detailed discussion with you.
The initial immigration consultation should be scheduled online HERE.
Please call us at (858) 519-9551 or email us at [email protected] at least 24 hours in advance of your scheduled consultation to reschedule.
We do not provide free consultations and payment is required in advance to schedule the appointment. If you hire us within 15 days of the consultation, we will credit the consultation fee towards the retainer. However, even if you do not hire our firm, you will receive an hour’s worth of valuable knowledge and expert advice from a Board-certified immigration attorney that can help you plan for the future. Firms that offer free consultations typically only provide limited and general information. You will need to decide which type of consultation you are looking for.
If you are unable to afford the consultation fee, we are happy to recommend non-profit legal service providers in your area.
Yes, as long as you notify the law firm at least 24 hours before your consultation, we will refund your consult fee. If you notify us less than 24 hours before your consultation, we cannot refund the fee but we will reschedule you one time for the next available appointment.
If you retain the firm within 15 days of your consultation, your consultation fee will be credited toward the attorney’s fees in your case.
It depends on a lot of factors, including the type of process and whether your case involves complicating factors.
At Montavon McKillip Immigration Law, we charge on a flat-fee basis for most services. All fees are made clear in the written representation and fee agreement that must be signed prior to commencing any work on your immigration case.
Fees can’t be quoted until after the initial consultation, because the fees range based the specific facts of your case, the specific process and strategy chosen, and any complicating factors. The legal fees will be quoted by the attorney during the consultation and you will receive a written quote afterwards by email.
For a consultation in any language other than English or Spanish, let us know and we can arrange to have an intepreter available for your meeting. There may be an additional charge for this service, but we will let you know if there will be an additional cost prior to the appointment.
