Getting Ready for Your Immigration Consultation

A document checklist and intake guide to help you get the most out of your immigration consultation

Prepared by Prasla Law Firm PLLC · Greater Houston, Texas

Why preparation matters

Immigration law runs on documents, dates, and details. A well-prepared consultation lets the attorney give you a much more useful evaluation in a single meeting — often the difference between "we need another meeting to understand your situation" and "based on what you brought, here are your options."

This guide walks through what to gather before your consultation, what questions to expect, and what to expect after. It is educational only, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is unique; only a licensed attorney reviewing your specific facts can evaluate your options.

Part 1 — Your personal identification documents

For every member of the family or group whose case will be discussed

[ ] Passport (current and any prior passports, including all visa stamps and entry/exit stamps)
[ ] Birth certificate (with certified English translation if in another language)
[ ] National identification card or equivalent
[ ] Marriage certificate(s) — current and any prior marriages
[ ] Divorce decrees or annulment documents
[ ] Death certificates for deceased spouses or parents
[ ] Driver's license or state-issued ID (U.S.)
[ ] Social Security card (if issued)

For naturalization or derivative citizenship consultations

[ ] Certificate of Permanent Residence (I-551) / green card — front and back
[ ] Parents' U.S. citizenship documentation (for derivative citizenship)
[ ] Prior passports showing entries and departures
[ ] Proof of continuous residence and physical presence (tax returns, leases, utility bills for the relevant period)

Part 2 — Your immigration history

Immigration-related documents to gather

[ ] All I-94 arrival/departure records (can be retrieved online at i94.cbp.dhs.gov)
[ ] All visa application records (DS-160 confirmations, approval notices)
[ ] All USCIS receipt notices (I-797 receipts and approvals) — every petition you have ever filed or been the beneficiary of
[ ] Any Requests for Evidence (RFEs) or Notices of Intent to Deny (NOIDs) you received, and your responses
[ ] Employment authorization documents (EADs) — current and prior
[ ] Any denial notices from USCIS, DOS consulates, or Immigration Courts
[ ] Advance parole documents
[ ] Any orders from an Immigration Judge
[ ] Any correspondence from ICE, CBP, USCIS, or any immigration agency
[ ] Notice to Appear (NTA) if applicable
[ ] Bond documents if applicable

Prior attorney files

If you have worked with an immigration attorney before, request your file from them. Even if you are seeking a second opinion or switching counsel, the prior file often contains documents you no longer have copies of.

Part 3 — Your U.S. presence and relationships

Proof of presence in the United States

[ ] Tax returns (past 5-10 years, or as far back as available)
[ ] W-2s and 1099s
[ ] Pay stubs
[ ] Employment letters (current and past employers)
[ ] Lease agreements or mortgage documents
[ ] Utility bills
[ ] Bank statements
[ ] School records for you or your children
[ ] Medical records
[ ] Letters from employers, religious institutions, community members, or civic organizations confirming your presence

Family relationships (for family-based cases)

[ ] Marriage photos and evidence of shared life (joint accounts, joint tax returns, joint lease, children's birth certificates, shared insurance, family photos over time)
[ ] Birth certificates of any children
[ ] Adoption documents if applicable
[ ] Documentation of any prior divorces on either side
[ ] Evidence of shared residence (mail addressed to both parties at the same address)
[ ] Evidence of good-faith marriage (for spouse-based cases)

Part 4 — Criminal and legal history

This category is essential. Omitting or underreporting criminal history is one of the most common and most damaging mistakes in immigration cases.

Gather complete records of any:

[ ] Arrests — even if no charges were filed
[ ] Criminal charges — even if dismissed
[ ] Convictions — felony, misdemeanor, traffic, everything
[ ] Deferred adjudications or pretrial diversion programs
[ ] Expunged or sealed records
[ ] Immigration violations (prior removals, deportations, voluntary departures, unlawful presence)
[ ] Civil judgments that affect immigration status (certain tax matters, certain domestic orders)
[ ] Restraining orders (as respondent or petitioner)
[ ] Child support orders

For any item: try to obtain certified court dispositions (the official record from the court clerk) for every criminal matter on your record, no matter how minor, and for every jurisdiction where any matter occurred.

Why this matters: Immigration law treats certain offenses differently than criminal law does. A deferred adjudication that is "dismissed" for criminal purposes may still be a "conviction" under immigration law. A misdemeanor that seems minor can trigger removability or bar eligibility for relief. Tell your attorney everything; let the attorney evaluate what is or isn't relevant.

Part 5 — Employment-based case additional items

For employer-sponsored visa or green card cases

[ ] Employment offer letter
[ ] Detailed job description
[ ] Company information (corporate documents, organizational structure, financial information as requested by DOL/USCIS)
[ ] Your resume with complete employment and education history
[ ] All degrees, diplomas, and transcripts (with certified English translations and credential evaluations if from foreign institutions)
[ ] Licenses and certifications in your field
[ ] Awards, publications, press mentions, or recognitions (for EB-1 or NIW cases)
[ ] Letters of reference from supervisors, peers, or industry experts
[ ] Prior H-1B or employment-based filings

For E-2 treaty investor or EB-5 cases

[ ] Business formation documents
[ ] Source of funds documentation (tracing investment capital back to its origin)
[ ] Business plan
[ ] Bank statements showing capital movement
[ ] Employee information (for U.S. hires)
[ ] Tax returns and financial statements

Part 6 — Removal defense additional items

If you are in removal proceedings

[ ] Notice to Appear (NTA) — the charging document
[ ] All hearing notices received
[ ] Bond information if detained (and location of detention)
[ ] Prior hearing transcripts if available
[ ] All government exhibits and filings
[ ] Your own prior filings if any
[ ] Any country-conditions evidence relevant to asylum or CAT claims
[ ] Any psychological, medical, or expert reports
[ ] Supporting letters from family, employers, religious leaders, community members
[ ] Tax returns (proof of financial support for family)
[ ] Evidence of good moral character (character letters, community involvement, no criminal history)

If you have a final order of removal

[ ] The final order (Immigration Judge decision and, if appealed, the BIA decision)
[ ] Any pending motions
[ ] Any I-246 Application for Stay of Removal
[ ] ICE ERO contact information and any communications with ICE

Part 7 — Consular processing additional items

For immigrant visa processing at a U.S. consulate abroad

[ ] NVC (National Visa Center) correspondence
[ ] Civil documents required by the specific consulate (police clearances, medical exams, birth/marriage records)
[ ] DS-260 or DS-160 confirmation pages
[ ] Affidavit of Support (I-864) documentation from the sponsor
[ ] Joint sponsor information if applicable
[ ] Prior visa denials and 221(g) letters

Part 8 — Questions to think about before your consultation

Come prepared to answer:

What is your current immigration status? (When did you enter? How? What status have you held?)
What is your goal? (Green card? Citizenship? Avoiding removal? A specific visa category?)
What is your timeline? (Are any deadlines approaching?)
What are the facts of your family? (Who are the family members? Their statuses? Where are they?)
Have you filed anything before? (With USCIS, DOS, EOIR, or ICE?)
Is there anything you are worried about? (Criminal history, prior overstays, prior denials, prior misrepresentations?)

Write these answers down before the consultation if possible. Bringing a written summary saves time and makes sure nothing is missed.

Part 9 — What to expect during and after the consultation

During the consultation

Confidential conversation about your situation
Review of the documents you brought
Initial evaluation of your options and their realistic timelines
Identification of any immediate issues or deadlines
Discussion of fees and engagement terms if you decide to move forward
Honest answers about strengths, weaknesses, and risks

After the consultation

If the firm takes your case, you receive a written engagement letter setting out the scope and fee arrangement
We begin work on the specific steps discussed (filing preparation, document gathering, hearing preparation, etc.)
If the firm cannot take your case or if another attorney is a better fit, we tell you honestly — and where possible, refer you elsewhere

Part 10 — Honesty and confidentiality

Tell your attorney everything. Immigration attorneys cannot give you accurate advice if they don't know the full picture. Criminal history, prior immigration violations, prior misrepresentations, marriage fraud, or any other sensitive facts — these affect your case whether or not you disclose them, and your attorney is bound by confidentiality. A case built on incomplete information often fails at the worst possible moment.

Your consultation is confidential. Communications with the attorney in a consultation setting are protected by attorney-client privilege in most contexts. The firm does not share your information with immigration agencies unless you authorize a specific filing.

Next step

If you are ready to schedule a consultation, we are happy to meet with you. Please bring the documents described in this guide — or bring what you have; we can work from partial records and fill in the rest.

Schedule a confidential consultation: 713-955-4045 · znp@praslalaw.com

If you or a family member is in ICE custody, has an imminent removal date, or has just received a Notice to Appear, do not wait — call us directly.

IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICES

The information in this guide is for general educational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading this guide does not create an attorney-client relationship. Immigration law is fact-specific and changes frequently; confirm current rules with a licensed attorney before acting.

Prasla Law Firm PLLC · 800 Bonaventure Way, Suite 154, Sugar Land, Texas 77479

Attorney Advertising. Not Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.