Refugee Lawyer Vancouver BC

Looking for a refugee lawyer in Vancouver? Are you currently inside Canada?

Vayeghan Litigation acts for individuals who seek to make refugee or asylum claims in Canada. Our Vancouver refugee lawyer works with a range of clients regardless of citizenship to provide the best representation for their asylum application.

Please note that the Firm does NOT assist individuals who are currently outside of Canada. The Firm will only provide consultation to individuals who are inside Canada and require refugee assistance.

The Firm prides itself with providing fast and accessible legal representation to its clients. Recognizing that it is important for many refugee clients to meet tight deadlines, Vayeghan Litigation is often able to offer speedy turnaround for the preparation and completion of the necessary forms for initiating the refugee process. If you are facing a fast approaching deadline for your refugee application, please make sure to bring this to the attention of the Firm.

Are you looking to claim refugee status in Canada?

Claiming refugee status in Canada has legal requirements. Individuals must have a reasonable fear of persecution if they were to return to their own home country.

This persecution must be based on any one (or more) of the five factors below:

Race
Religion
Nationality
Political Opinion
Membership in a social group, such as gender and sexual orientation (LGBT)

In particular, the fear of persecution must apply to the individual who is applying for refugee status. This means that the individual is under threat for one of the above five factors, and not an entire group of people that is oppressed within a country.

Furthermore, a person can obtain refugee protection in Canada if the evidence shows that he or she is “in need of protection” because of a serious risk to his or her life in their country of origin. To succeed on this ground, it will be important to demonstrate that police agencies in the applicant’s home country are unable or unwilling to provide protection. As such, successful refugee applications have also been made in cases of individuals who could demonstrate the risk of torture or death, should they return to their country of citizenship.

NEW: We have a FAQ for commonly asked Canadian Refugee Claims questions

What is a refugee status applicant?

Applying for refugee status from outside Canada are rare, and in most cases, requires a designated refugee status provided by the United Nations High Commission on Refugees.

When an individual is already in Canada, and identifies that one or more of the above situations applies to them, they are able to make a refugee claim. It is important to note that if you have made a refugee claim at Port of Entry (POE), such as the first airport or land crossing that you stop at in Canada, you must submit a Basis of Claim (BOC) form within 15 days. As each individual’s case is unique, there may be other requirements and timelines to consider.

The refugee claim is made to a special court-like body called the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB). Submitting this application by itself, however, does not confer permanent residence or Canadian citizenship to the individual. The application must first be approved by the Immigration and Refugee Board. If this application is not approved, you may have a possibility of appeal.

Once the applicant is approved, this legally entitles the individual to apply for Canadian permanent residence, and eventually, citizenship.

Why hire a refugee lawyer in Vancouver?

If you are inside Canada and wish to obtain asylum protection, retaining an experienced Vancouver lawyer before submitting your asylum documents can be critical to your case. Obtaining asylum in Canada is a complex undertaking that has strict requirements and timelines.

Vayeghan Litigation has extensive experience in refugee law. While there are many immigration lawyers in Vancouver B.C., the Firm’s area of focus is on a specific area of immigration law, namely, refugee law and asylum applications. Working with a refugee lawyer from the Firm provides individuals with legal guidance through the entire refugee claim process.

The Firm is headed by Mr. Mo Vayeghan, who is a former Canadian Crown Prosecutor. He is a nationally recognized lawyer who has provided legal analysis to such Canadian media outlets as CBC News: The National, CBC News: Live with Carole MacNeil, The National Post, The Vancouver Sun, and The Star.

Ensuring your highest chances of a successful refugee claim

With an increased number of refugee applications, the existing legal structures and processing times have become longer. Many individuals report that preparing documents and evidence of the basis of their refugee claim, as well as working with a refugee-focused law firm, has helped advance their applications smoothly and successfully.

The Firm’s clients include refugee applicants from countries as diverse as:

Malawi
Mexico
Zimbabwe
Bangladesh
Afghanistan
the Occupied Palestinian Territory
Kosovo
Turkey
Saudi Arabia
Fiji
Egypt

Colombia
Rwanda
Guatemala
Mali
Turkmenistan
Syria
Chile
Papua New Guinea
Iran
Yemen
Libya

Legal Fees

The Firm is committed to providing legal representation to those who are fleeing persecution. We will work with you to come up with a fee arrangement that meets your personal financial circumstances. Where necessary, the Firm is happy to provide its clients with monthly payment plans.

Legal fees for refugee matters are charged on a “fixed fee” or “flat fee” basis. After an initial consultation, Mr. Vayeghan will request a fixed fee that will cover the legal costs for handling your case from the moment the Firm is retained until its conclusion before the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

The amount that Mr. Vayeghan will request for the fixed fee will depend on the complexity of your case and the number of family members included in your refugee application. Simpler cases will attract lower fees, while more complicated files demand higher fees.

We believe that our fixed fee system is more advantageous to our clients as opposed to the usual per hour lawyer fee structure. This is because under our fixed fee system, you will know from the very beginning the exact dollar amount that your refugee application will cost. This means that there will not be any hidden fees, and your legal costs will always be controlled as the Firm will never charge you more than the agreed upon fixed fee.

Consultation

Working with an experienced refugee lawyer can help you and your family put forward your strongest case to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. For a detailed discussion of your case, please email law@mvlitigation.com or call 778-327-2565 for a preliminary consultation.