HOW TO HIRE · BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire an immigration lawyer in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
An immigration lawyer in Ireland costs €150–€600 per case, typically around €300. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring an immigration lawyer in five steps
- Are you on the Roll of Solicitors, and what is your number?A number you can look up yourself before you agree a price — representation in Appeals — immigration lawyers represent clients in appeals against visa refusals or deportation orders.
- How does complexity of the case change the price?Unusual work is quoted higher because it cannot be estimated from habit. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does lawyer's experience change the price?Experience costs more per hour and shows in the finish. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does region change the price?Travel time to your area is part of what you are quoted. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Legal Advice — they provide legal advice on immigration laws and policies, helping clients understand their rights and obligations — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a immigration lawyer job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
the Roll of Solicitors
A person must be on the Roll AND hold a current practising certificate. Being qualified is not the same as being entitled to practise. Restricted to solicitor holding a current practising certificate: acting as a solicitor; conveyancing and the drawing of certain documents for reward; describing oneself as a solicitor.
Search the Roll of Solicitors for the name or the registration number before you agree a price. lawsociety.ie →
Costs in writing
A legal practitioner must provide a written statement of costs (a section 150 notice) as soon as practicable after taking instructions. If no written costs notice arrives, ask for it before anything else happens. It is the document every later argument about fees depends on.
Ask for the notice before you instruct anyone, and keep it: it is the document any later dispute about the bill is read against.
Insurance
Expect professional indemnity insurance is compulsory for solicitors in practice. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: A number you can look up yourself before you agree a price — representation in Appeals — immigration lawyers represent clients in appeals against visa refusals or deportation orders.
A good answer: Unusual work is quoted higher because it cannot be estimated from habit. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Experience costs more per hour and shows in the finish. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Travel time to your area is part of what you are quoted. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Legal Advice — they provide legal advice on immigration laws and policies, helping clients understand their rights and obligations — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a immigration lawyer job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect professional indemnity insurance is compulsory for solicitors in practice — visa Applications — immigration lawyers assist clients with various visa applications, including work, student, and family reunification visas.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the immigration lawyer starts, and an itemised invoice after — family Reunification — assisting families in navigating the legal processes required to reunite with loved ones through immigration channels.
Getting the quote right
- Complexity of the case — unusual work is quoted higher because it cannot be estimated from habit.
- Lawyer's experience — experience costs more per hour and shows in the finish.
- Region — travel time to your area is part of what you are quoted.
- Type of application being pursued — the choice of style changes the skill the job needs.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They are not on the Roll of Solicitors, or the number does not resolve to the name on the quote
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the case — unusual work is quoted higher because it cannot be estimated from habit
- They will not talk about it: lawyer's experience — experience costs more per hour and shows in the finish
- They will not talk about it: region — travel time to your area is part of what you are quoted
- A price for the immigration lawyer before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
What an immigration lawyer costs: €150–€600 per case
The figures are for the job, per case, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Visa application assistance and Green card applications each carry their own band. Immigration Lawyer price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Immigration lawyers near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstComplexity of the case — unusual work is quoted higher because it cannot be estimated from habit — that is what the immigration lawyer is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneLawyer's experience — experience costs more per hour and shows in the finish — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfRegion — travel time to your area is part of what you are quoted — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherType of application being pursued — the choice of style changes the skill the job needs — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the immigration lawyer is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, document preparation — it is agreed before the work starts, not after.
- Visa Applications
- Immigration lawyers assist clients with various visa applications, including work, student, and family reunification visas.
- Legal Advice
- They provide legal advice on immigration laws and policies, helping clients understand their rights and obligations.
- Representation in Appeals
- Immigration lawyers represent clients in appeals against visa refusals or deportation orders.
- Visa Application Assistance
- Helping clients prepare and submit applications for various types of visas, including work, student, and family visas.
- Green Card Applications
- Guiding clients through the process of obtaining permanent residency in the country, including eligibility assessment and documentation.
- Deportation Defense
- Representing clients in immigration court to contest deportation orders and seeking relief options.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring an immigration lawyer: questions people ask
The cost can vary based on the complexity of the case, the lawyer's experience, and the region. More complicated cases, such as asylum applications or appeals, typically incur higher fees.
The duration can vary widely depending on the type of application and the specific circumstances. Simple visa applications may take a few weeks, while complex cases can take several months or even years.
While general practitioners can provide some assistance, a qualified immigration lawyer is recommended for complex cases. They have specific expertise in immigration law and are often more familiar with current regulations.
Some immigration lawyers may offer emergency services for urgent cases, but this will depend on their availability and the nature of the case. It's best to contact them directly for immediate assistance.
Yes, many immigration lawyers offer packages that cover multiple services, such as visa applications and appeals. This can sometimes lead to cost savings compared to booking each service separately.
Immigration lawyers typically do not handle cases outside of immigration law, such as criminal defense or family law matters. They focus specifically on visas, residency, and related legal issues.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in business & professional
Immigration lawyers near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- Law Society of Ireland — find a solicitor
- Legal Services Regulatory Authority
- Legal Services Regulation Act 2015
- Consumer Rights Act 2022
- Revenue — LAWYERS/SOLICITORS SERVICES (LEGAL SERVICES) — Standard rate
- Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
- Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only