Immigration Legal Cost Calculator
Estimate immigration attorney fees by petition type and case complexity.
About this calculator
The Immigration Legal Cost Calculator estimates the combined attorney and government filing fees for a typical U.S. immigration case, broken out by petition type -- family-based, H-1B, employment-based green card, naturalization, or asylum -- and case complexity. It applies a base attorney fee for the selected petition type, scales it by a complexity multiplier (1x for standard cases, up to 2.5x for highly complex ones), then adds a per-dependent fee, an optional Request for Evidence response fee, and an optional appeal or motion fee. Number of Dependents is the input Total Estimated Cost responds to most strongly across realistic scenarios, since each additional dependent adds both an attorney fee and a separate government filing fee, and that combination compounds faster than most single complexity or petition-type changes.
RFE Response Needed has no effect on Dependent Fees -- these are separate line items, so toggling on an anticipated Request for Evidence response only adds its own flat fee without changing what you owe per dependent. Government filing fees change periodically -- USCIS has revised its fee schedule multiple times in recent years -- and attorney fees vary enormously by firm, experience, and metro area, so treat every dollar figure here as a rough planning estimate to sanity-check against current USCIS fee tables and multiple attorney quotes, not as a quote you can rely on.
Legal Disclaimer
This calculator provides general estimates only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws, regulations, and court procedures vary significantly by jurisdiction. Consult a licensed attorney in your area for advice specific to your situation.
Inputs
Results
Total Estimated Cost
$14,010.00
≈ 7 gaming PCs
Attorney Fees
$11,000.00
≈ 7 months of rent
How to Use This Calculator
- Select Petition Type: Family, H-1B, Employment-Based Green Card, Naturalization, or Asylum.
- Set Case Complexity: Standard, Complex, or Highly Complex (RFEs, appeals, unusual circumstances).
- Enter Number of Dependents included in the case.
- Toggle RFE Response Needed and Appeal/Motion if anticipated.
- Review Total Cost broken down by Attorney Fees and Government Fees.
- Get multiple attorney quotes — immigration attorney fees vary significantly by experience and location.
How the result changes with Number of Dependents
| Number of Dependents | Total Estimated Cost | Attorney Fees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $11,975.00 | $9,500.00 |
| 1.5 | $12,992.50 | $10,250.00 |
| 3 | $16,045.00 | $12,500.00 |
| 5 | $20,115.00 | $15,500.00 |
What each input means
- Petition Type
- Type of immigration petition.
- Complexity
- Case complexity level.
- Number of Dependents
- Dependents included in the case.
- RFE Response Needed
- Whether a Request for Evidence response is anticipated.
- Appeal/Motion
- Whether an appeal or motion to reopen may be needed.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters5 parametersPetition Type (1=Family, 2=H-1B, 3=EB GC, 4=Naturalization, 5=Asylum) = 3, Complexity (1=Standard, 2=Complex, 3=Highly Complex) = 1, Number of Dependents = 2, RFE Response Needed (1=Yes, 0=No) = 0, Appeal/Motion (1=Yes, 0=No) = 0 = 5 input(s) provided
- Calculate Total Estimated CostTotal Estimated Cost14010 = $14,010
- Calculate Attorney FeesAttorney Fees11000 = $11,000
- Calculate Government FeesGovernment Fees3010 = $3,010
- Calculate Dependent FeesDependent Fees3000 = $3,000
Engine last updated . Checked against 3 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the attorney and government fees in this calculator accurate for my case?
Treat them as rough planning figures, not quotes. Government filing fees are set by USCIS and revised periodically -- they have changed more than once in recent years -- while attorney fees vary enormously by firm size, experience, and metro area. Get current fee information directly from USCIS's published fee schedule and multiple attorney consultations before budgeting for an actual filing.
Why does adding dependents increase the total cost so much?
Each dependent you add contributes both its own attorney fee component and a separate government filing fee, since dependents typically need their own petition or application filed alongside the primary applicant's case. That two-part cost per dependent is why Number of Dependents moves Total Estimated Cost more than most single changes to petition type or complexity level.
Does requesting an RFE response change how much I pay per dependent?
No -- the RFE Response Fee is a separate flat addition to the total, layered on top of the attorney fees, government fees, and per-dependent fees rather than changing any of them. Toggling RFE Response Needed on simply adds that one fixed amount to Total Estimated Cost without altering Dependent Fees or any other line item.
What determines the Complexity level I should select?
Standard complexity fits routine, well-documented cases with no unusual issues. Complex and Highly Complex reflect cases likely to need extra attorney time -- prior immigration violations, criminal history, inconsistent records, or unusual family and employment circumstances -- and the calculator applies progressively larger multipliers (1.5x and 2.5x) to the base attorney fee for those tiers. An immigration attorney can tell you which tier realistically fits your case.
Related Calculators
The questions that sit next to this one — chosen by subject, including calculators filed under a different category.
Immigration Fee Calculator
Calculate USCIS filing fees by petition type, dependents, and premium processing.
ImmigrationVisa Processing Timeline Calculator
Estimate visa processing time by category and service center.
Criminal LawCriminal Defense Cost Calculator
Attorney fees from case type and complexity.
Estate PlanningPower of Attorney Cost Calculator
Estimate legal fees for drafting power of attorney documents.
HR & PayrollBillable Hours Calculator
Track billable vs non-billable hours and calculate weekly, monthly, and annual revenue. Optimize your billing rate.
More in Legal & Professional.