Request your free initial assessment
Complete the short form with your name, phone number, email address and permission for the office to contact you.
Immigration Consultation Direction
Get legal clarity before your next immigration decision.
Begin with a free initial assessment request. Our team will understand the basic facts of your situation and explain whether a legal consultation or another next step may be appropriate.
The initial assessment is not legal advice, a promise of eligibility or the creation of an attorney-client relationship.
1. Submit
Send your contact information.
2. Discuss
Share the basic facts with intake.
3. Understand
Receive clear next-step direction.
Established in 2009
Structured immigration guidance
Immigrant-led
Guidance shaped by lived experience
Native Spanish speaker
English and Spanish communication
Truth-first review
Realistic options, risks and direction
How the Process Works
A clear first step—not another confusing process.
Immigration matters are highly fact-specific. Before legal advice can be provided, the firm must understand your objective, history and any facts that could affect the legal analysis.
Speak with the intake team
A team member may ask about your immigration history, family situation, prior applications, deadlines and the result you are seeking.
Receive appropriate next-step direction
The team will explain whether an attorney consultation, another service or a different resource appears appropriate.
If a legal consultation is recommended, its purpose and any applicable fee will be explained before it is scheduled. Formal representation requires a separate written agreement.
Assessment Before Consultation
Understand what this first step does.
The free initial assessment helps the office identify the general nature of your matter. It is not a substitute for attorney advice.
The assessment is:
- A free request for the firm to contact you
- A preliminary intake and direction step
- A way to identify the general immigration issue
- A chance to understand whether a consultation may be appropriate
- A calm starting point without pressure or unrealistic promises
The assessment is not:
- An attorney consultation or individual legal advice
- A guarantee that the firm will accept the matter
- A promise that you qualify for immigration relief
- An attorney-client agreement
- A government application, filing or emergency legal service
Complete Information Matters
We start with the truth.
Immigration advice can change when an important fact is missing. The intake team and attorney need accurate information, even when a detail happened many years ago or feels uncomfortable to discuss.
If there is a path forward, it should be explained clearly. If there are risks, they should be addressed honestly.
- Entries, departures, overstays or use of another identity
- Previous visa, petition or green card denials
- Immigration court cases, removal orders or missed hearings
- Arrests, charges, convictions or pending criminal matters
- Prior marriages, petitions or immigration applications
- Upcoming interviews, hearings, filing dates or other deadlines
Free Initial Assessment
Request your next-step review.
Enter your contact information. A member of the team may contact you to understand the essential facts and explain the appropriate next step.
Do not rely on this form for an imminent court hearing, filing deadline or emergency. Submitting the form does not pause, extend or protect any legal deadline.
Secure Assessment Request
Tell us how to reach you.
This form is provided through the law office’s GoHighLevel intake system.
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Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship and does not guarantee a consultation or representation. By submitting, you agree that the Law Office of Gilda McDowell may contact you by phone, text or email about your request. Having trouble with the embedded form? Open it in a new tab.
Immigration Matters
The consultation may help identify the correct legal path.
Family-Based Immigration
Guidance for spouses, parents, children and other qualifying family relationships.
Learn MoreGreen Cards
Understand possible permanent residence options and the process involved.
Learn MoreImmigration Waivers
Review whether a waiver may be relevant when an immigration barrier exists.
Learn MoreU.S. Citizenship
Clarify naturalization requirements, eligibility questions and possible risks.
Learn MoreFrequently Asked Questions
Before you submit.
These answers explain the difference between an assessment, a legal consultation and formal representation.
Is the initial immigration assessment free?
Yes. There is no charge to submit the initial assessment request. If a legal consultation may be appropriate, the team will explain the consultation process and any applicable fee before it is scheduled.
Is the assessment the same as a legal consultation?
No. The assessment is a preliminary intake step that helps the team understand why you are contacting the firm. Individual legal advice is provided only during an attorney consultation.
What happens after I submit the form?
A member of the intake team may contact you to learn the basic facts. The team will then explain whether a consultation, another service or a different next step appears appropriate.
What information should I be prepared to disclose?
Be prepared to discuss your immigration history, entries and departures, previous applications or denials, court or removal history, criminal matters, family relationships and important deadlines.
Does submitting the form create an attorney-client relationship?
No. Representation begins only after the firm agrees to accept the matter and a written engagement agreement is signed.
Can the firm guarantee that I qualify or that my case will be approved?
No. Immigration matters are fact-specific, and no law firm can guarantee eligibility or a particular result. The firm provides an honest evaluation of available options and potential risks.
Start With the Truth
The right next step begins with accurate information.
Request your free initial assessment and allow the team to help you understand what type of legal review may be appropriate.
Attorney advertising. The information on this page is general information and is not legal advice. Reading this page, submitting an assessment request or communicating with intake staff does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every immigration matter is fact-specific. Past outcomes do not guarantee future results. The Law Office of Gilda McDowell is a private law firm and is not affiliated with USCIS, ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State or any other government agency.