How can I find a lawyer for asylum/residence law?

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Find out in 7 steps how to find a lawyer for asylum or immigration law. A quick overview:

  • Plan 150-350 Euros for the first consultation with a lawyer.
  • Search for lawyers at the Bundesanwaltskammer1Search under specialist area for Migration Law. (Federal Bar Association) or DAV-Anwaltauskunft.2Search by DAV working group or field of law for Migration Law.
  • Contact two to five law offices by phone or email. Prepare your documents and questions.
Click on headlines to open steps
  • For more information, click on the small numbers.3Example
1. Check if you need help from a lawyer

  • A lawyer can help you if you have problems with your stay in Germany. This consultation is especially important if your application was denied or you are facing deportation.
  • If your application for residence was denied or your asylum decision is unfavorable and you want to appeal, you should look for a lawyer.4To meet the deadline for an appeal, you can sometimes submit the appeal without a lawyer. For this, you can go to the legal application office (Rechtsantragsstelle) of the administrative court (Verwaltungsgericht) responsible for you. However, it is best to consult a lawyer directly afterwards.
2. Estimate the costs

  • You will need to pay for a lawyer. Plan to spend 150-350 Euros for the first consultation. If the lawyer communicates with authorities or represents you in court, it will cost additionally (e.g., 50 € to 100 € per month).
  • Ask if you can get legal aid (Prozesskostenhilfe) if the case goes to court.5If the court approves the application for legal aid, part of the lawyer’s fees will be covered by the state. However, your lawyer will probably still want an advance payment. Ask how much you need to pay in advance and if you can get part of the money back later.
  • If you have no money, you can look for free counseling centers6The Refugee Law Clinics offer free counseling in many cities. You can find other counseling centers here.. They can provide an assessment but they do not offer legal advice or represent you in court.
3. Find out which lawyers are suitable

  • If you have problems with your asylum process or residence permit, look for lawyers that specialize in immigration and asylum law (migration law)(Ausländer- und Asylrecht / Migrationsrecht).
  • Lawyers with the title Specialist Lawyer for Migration Law (Fachanwalt für Migrationsrecht) have completed specialized training and examination.
4. Find a fitting lawyer

  • At the Federal Bar Association (Bundesrechtsanwaltskammer), you can find all lawyers in Germany. When searching, select Specialist Lawyer Designation (Fachanwaltsbezeichnung) and choose the category Migration Law (Migrationsrecht). If you do not find results in your city, select your region under “Member of the Bar Association” (“Mitglied der Rechtsanwaltskammer”).
  • You can also use the lawyer search of the DAV (Deutscher Anwaltsverein) or RAV (Republikanischer Anwaltsverein). Enter your postal code and a radius in kilometers. Select under “DAV-Arbeitsgemeinschaft” or “Rechtsgebiet” Migrationsrecht.7You can also filter by language. With the filter “DAV-Arbeitsgemeinschaft” you will get fewer results, but they may be more specialized. You can also search on the list of lawyers of the Legal Advisors Conference (Rechtsberaterkonferenz)..
  • You can also search on Google or other websites. Many of these websites display paid ads. That can influence the results.
5. Contact multiple lawyers

  • Not all lawyers have time for new cases. For urgent cases, it is good to contact two to five law offices at the same time.
  • You can contact the lawyers by phone or email. Ask for an appointment and the costs for an initial consultation.8Possible content of the conversation or email: Your problem in 2-3 sentences; potential deadlines; ask for a date and the amount of costs for an initial consultation; ask about the lawyer’s language skills; ask which documents are needed.
  • In the email or by phone, shortly explain in a few sentences why you need help (for example, a rejected asylum application) and if there is deadline that must be met or another reason why your request is urgent.
6. Prepare for the initial consultation

  • Describe your problem in a brief email and send it along with the documents9Take good photos of all the pages and sides of important documents (e.g., the Ablehnungsbescheid (official rejection notice)). If possible, create a PDF from the photos, e.g., using the free app “Adobe Scan”.in advance to the law office.
  • Prepare questions for the consultation, such as:
    • What are the chances of success?
    • How would the lawyer proceed?
    • What is the expected duration of the process?
    • What costs will I have to pay?
  • Bring the money for the initial consultation, the paper documents, and, if necessary, a person to translate.
7. Hire a lawyer who convinces you

  • Make sure that you have asked all the questions that are important to you (chances of success, approach, duration of the process, costs).
  • If you are convinced by the lawyer, you can hire them directly.
  • If you are unsure, you can ask for time to think. You do not need to make a decision during the consultation.

This page was realized with the support of the Postcode Lottery and lawyer Nora Ebeling (Last updated October 2024).
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Fußnoten
  • 1
    Search under specialist area for Migration Law.
  • 2
    Search by DAV working group or field of law for Migration Law.
  • 3
    Example
  • 4
    To meet the deadline for an appeal, you can sometimes submit the appeal without a lawyer. For this, you can go to the legal application office (Rechtsantragsstelle) of the administrative court (Verwaltungsgericht) responsible for you. However, it is best to consult a lawyer directly afterwards.
  • 5
    If the court approves the application for legal aid, part of the lawyer’s fees will be covered by the state. However, your lawyer will probably still want an advance payment. Ask how much you need to pay in advance and if you can get part of the money back later.
  • 6
    The Refugee Law Clinics offer free counseling in many cities. You can find other counseling centers here.
  • 7
    You can also filter by language. With the filter “DAV-Arbeitsgemeinschaft” you will get fewer results, but they may be more specialized. You can also search on the list of lawyers of the Legal Advisors Conference (Rechtsberaterkonferenz).
  • 8
    Possible content of the conversation or email: Your problem in 2-3 sentences; potential deadlines; ask for a date and the amount of costs for an initial consultation; ask about the lawyer’s language skills; ask which documents are needed.
  • 9
    Take good photos of all the pages and sides of important documents (e.g., the Ablehnungsbescheid (official rejection notice)). If possible, create a PDF from the photos, e.g., using the free app “Adobe Scan”.