WHAT DOES AN IMMIGRATION PARALEGAL DO?

Published: Aug 18, 2025 - The Immigration Paralegal drafts, prepares, and files immigration benefits applications while maintaining case records in the case management system. This position serves as a liaison between outside counsel, employees, candidates, and hiring managers to coordinate filings, gather required documentation, and ensure compliance with immigration requirements. The paralegal also prepares correspondence, tracks case statuses and expiration dates, maintains immigration files and notices, and screens potential clients for attorney consultations.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Immigration Paralegal

1. Immigration Paralegal Duties

  • Legal Research: Conduct legal research and prepare clear summaries with proper citations.
  • Document Preparation: Prepare, review, and edit requests for special immigrant juvenile findings, immigration applications, motions, memoranda, declarations, document translations, and other documents.
  • Client Communication: Conduct phone screenings, interviews, and other communications with clients, caretakers, and family members.
  • Case Management: Organize and maintain physical and electronic case files.
  • Data Entry: Input, update, and maintain client information and other data in the case management system.
  • Attorney Support: Communicate regularly with attorneys regarding the status of assignments.
  • Training Compliance: Attend and participate in training sessions and complete requirements to maintain paralegal certification.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Monitor and ensure compliance with state and federal regulations.
  • Document Drafting: Assist with the drafting and reviewing of legal documents.

2. Immigration Paralegal Responsibilities

  • Immigration Filing: Draft, prepare, and file immigration benefits applications in coordination with immigration corporate counsel.
  • Correspondence Preparation: Prepare and draft email correspondence, letters, and documentation for case matters to employees, government agencies, and colleagues.
  • Liaison Support: Work as a liaison between outside counsel and the employee to coordinate immigration filing and the gathering of necessary information.
  • Hiring Coordination: Coordinate with candidates and hiring managers during the new hire process.
  • Case Management: Maintain case records in the case management system.
  • File Maintenance: Post and maintain required immigration files and notices.
  • Case Monitoring: Monitor the status of cases, track expiration dates, and run reports.
  • Removal Defense: Removal defense matters, including cancellation of removal and asylum.
  • Legal Research: Keep up to date with new legal and procedural requirements and developments.

3. Immigration Paralegal Accountabilities

  • Petition Preparation: Prepare nonimmigrant and immigrant petitions and applications for attorney and client review, such as submission letters, immigration-related forms, and supporting documentation.
  • Legal Writing: Write and research for EB-1 petitions and specialty occupation H-1Bs, and draft waiver applications and responses to requests for evidence for attorney review.
  • Caseload Management: Manage a heavy client caseload, including case preparation, client email correspondence, and client status calls.
  • Agency Communication: Communicate with government agencies, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State, to check status.
  • Status Reporting: Create and maintain client status reports.
  • Case Evaluation: Evaluate cases, relay concerns, and proactively escalate to the appropriate team members.
  • Document Preparation: Prepare forms, letters, documents, and correspondence for attorney review.
  • Residency Applications: Manage temporary and permanent residence applications for corporate and individual clients, including defining case strategy and preparing, submitting, and monitoring applications post-submission.
  • Application Preparation: Prepare a wide variety of immigration applications, both temporary and permanent.

4. Senior Immigration Paralegal Overview

  • Case Coordination: Lead communication and coordinate with attorneys on the entire case lifecycle, including initial review and analysis of global immigration queries and nonimmigrant and immigrant visa petitions.
  • Client Liaison: Act as the primary point of contact for a network of local counsel across the globe and internal clients.
  • Case Intake: Perform case intake, including matter openings, initial fact-gathering, and document review once assigned, and provide status updates.
  • Resource Management: Continually update immigration resources, including FAQs, intranet content, and communications, to promote self-service.
  • Process Improvement: Identify opportunities for continuous process improvements to ensure scalability and devise creative methods for handling work intake, tracking, and reporting.
  • Client Communication: Serve as the initial client point of contact for assigned matters by communicating with internal clients, foreign nationals, managers, human resources, the in-house mobility team, external counsel, and other leaders on the immigration team regarding required documentation and case status.
  • USCIS Filings: Prepare and file applications with USCIS, including family-based petitions, adjustment of status, provisional waivers, naturalization, and U visas.
  • Court Filings: Prepare and file applications with the immigration court, with a high emphasis on asylum and cancellation of removal applications.

5. Immigration Paralegal Roles

  • Immigration Filing: Draft, prepare, and file immigration benefits applications in coordination with immigration corporate counsel.
  • Correspondence Preparation: Prepare and draft email correspondence, letters, and documentation for case matters to employees, government agencies, and colleagues.
  • Liaison Support: Work as a liaison between outside counsel and the employee to coordinate immigration filing and the gathering of necessary information.
  • Hiring Coordination: Coordinate with candidates and hiring managers during the new hire process.
  • Case Management: Maintain case records in the case management system.
  • File Maintenance: Post and maintain required immigration files and notices.
  • Case Monitoring: Monitor the status of cases, track expiration dates, and run reports.
  • Client Screening: Screen potential clients to decide if their situation meets the guidelines for a consultation with attorneys.

6. Immigration Paralegal Essential Functions

  • Petition Management: Prepare, manage, and monitor a wide variety of business-based non-immigrant petitions, including H-1B, H-3, TN, E, J-1, L-1, and O-1.
  • Immigrant Matters: Oversee a variety of business-based immigrant matters from initiation through approval, including PERM labor certification, I-140, and EB-1.
  • Visa Applications: Assist with applications and obtaining work visas with U.S. consular offices abroad.
  • Client Support: Work closely with clients, their employees, and families to provide comprehensive immigration services through the entire application process, including responses to applications, requests for evidence, interviews, and compliance.
  • Record Management: Compile and maintain records of immigration forms, other documentation, and records of activity on behalf of corporate clients’ employees.
  • Regulation Review: Review immigration regulations and apply them to various case scenarios.
  • Immigration Research: Perform research using all available immigration research tools, including government agencies’ websites.
  • Process Understanding: Develop and maintain a basic understanding of internal processes and procedures.

7. Immigration Paralegal Role Purpose

  • Application Preparation: Prepare the necessary application package for immigration-related applications, liaising with clients and colleagues to coordinate the collection of relevant supporting documents.
  • Application Filing: Assist with drafting and filing applications and petitions with government agencies.
  • Data Compilation: Compile and summarize data for clients, managers, and reporting needs.
  • Information Management: Gather and maintain confidential client contact information in the proprietary case management system.
  • Status Updates: Provide status updates to clients and senior-level team members.
  • Document Management: Request, collect, and file documents in proper order.
  • Team Support: Demonstrate flexibility and initiative regarding assignments for self and team.
  • Legal Research: Perform legal research utilizing both local and electronic research tools.
  • Immigration Support: Assist the immigration law function within the UPMC legal department.

8. Immigration Paralegal General Responsibilities

  • Paperwork Preparation: Prepare immigration paperwork, mostly affirmative USCIS filings, in collaboration with clients.
  • Petition Assistance: Assist the attorney in filing immigration petitions, including immigration forms and letters.
  • Client Support: Follow up with clients and assist them in filling out forms, collecting, and organizing documents.
  • Deadline Monitoring: Monitor timelines and deadlines.
  • Petition Preparation: Prepare petitions under attorney supervision.
  • Document Management: Maintain and organize filings and documents in proper order.
  • Case Updates: Update filings with case status and information.
  • Compliance Preparation: Prepare letters, forms, and compliance files for employment-based immigration law matters.
  • Legal Filings: Complete simple to moderately complex legal filings.

9. Immigration Paralegal Roles and Details

  • Consular Processing: Initiate consular processing, troubleshoot, and implement case strategy.
  • Document Review: Review DS-160 drafts online, advise clients on edits and corrections, and analyze case documents.
  • Interview Guidance: Provide detailed, location-specific guidance for scheduling interviews and prepare and submit appointment expedite requests.
  • Appointment Scheduling: Assist in scheduling appointments.
  • Trend Monitoring: Remain generally aware of availability trends regionally to advise the attorney and client on potential alternate application venues.
  • Waiver Requests: Prepare and submit requests for travel ban waivers under the State Department’s National Interest Exemption (NIE) policy.
  • Petition Drafting: Draft petitions, applications, and specialized support letters detailing eligibility for visa classification and other immigration benefits.
  • Caseload Management: Oversee and manage caseload and client correspondence.
  • Database Management: Maintain client databases and reports for approval and validity dates of visa petitions, assisting with case milestones and expiration monitoring.

10. Immigration Paralegal Roles and Responsibilities

  • Document Preparation: Prepare legal documents and forms for non-immigrant and immigrant visa applications.
  • Client Correspondence: Correspond with corporate clients and their employees.
  • Database Management: Build and maintain databases and files for a large volume of corporate clients.
  • Deadline Management: Manage deadlines and calendars.
  • Case Setup: Set up electronic case matter files, prepare requests, and obtain necessary case documentation.
  • Legal Research: Research immigration and general case laws and applicable regulations.
  • Petition Preparation: Analyze case documents and prepare immigration petitions and applications for filing with the appropriate government agency (H, L, TN, O, E, PERM, AOS, etc.).
  • Petition Drafting: Draft petitions, applications, and specialized support letters detailing eligibility for visa classification and other immigration benefits.
  • Issue Analysis: Analyze and identify legal and procedural issues.
  • Case Prioritization: Determine deadlines and prioritize cases.
  • Team Collaboration: Work closely in a team environment.
  • Project Support: Assist with team or office-wide projects, such as the revision of template documents.
  • Office Operations: Operate multi-line phone, calculator, cell phone, copier, fax, and scanner.
  • Attorney Assistance: Prepare documents to assist attorneys with matters.
  • Calendar Management: Determine and calendar deadlines.
  • Client Communication: Communicate with clients and visa beneficiaries.
Relevant Information
What Does An Immigration Attorney Do?
What Does An Immigration Consultant Do?
What Does An Immigration Specialist Do?