Immigration Paralegal

Immigration Paralegals assist Attorneys with legal issues involving foreigners who want to stay in the United States. They help immigrants get visas, green cards, citizenship and authorizations to live and work. An Immigration Paralegal’s typical duties include preparing clients for interviews; helping clients find, translate and certify foreign documents that verify their identities and credentials; drafting letters and other legal documents; and filing applications and petitions.

If you’re the kind of person who finds comfort in color color-coding your closet, labeling every container stored in the garage and making sure the spice rack is alphabetized, this might be your dream profession. Organization is an important part of an Immigration Paralegal’s duties, and can often mean the difference between having the right documents at the right time or delays that cost money, time and ultimately even a client’s citizenship.

What makes the Immigration Paralegal job most rewarding is the high amount of personal connection with clients. The Paralegal is often one who talks with clients while the Attorney is busy handling court appearances and other substantial legal matters. And if clients speak English as a second language, you act as the communication liaison between them and Attorneys, the Department of Labor, the Immigration and Naturalization Service or the Department of Homeland Security.