Immigration ad rules in New York

What are the key facts for immigration ads in New York?

• What each ad must include. The name and contact information of at least one lawyer or firm responsible for the communication (7.1(d)); the comment says contact information should include a phone number or a physical office address.
• Ads in Spanish and other languages. No state rule on ads in other languages found in the sources reviewed. Our default applies: every required statement appears in each language the ad uses.

Ads should talk about advice and representation, not about getting the visa, card or benefit itself.

How does New York sit on the basics a immigration firm runs into?

• Ad filing in New York: No filing
• Call recording in New York: One-party consent
• Texting law in New York: State rules, state-enforced
• Privacy law in New York: No comprehensive law

What have New York’s ethics opinions said?

• New York State Bar Association, Committee on Professional Ethics, opinion 1306 (2026-10-15), on unadmitted Law Graduate’s Signature Block and Law Firm Website Listing: A firm may list not-yet-admitted law graduates on its website and let them sign proper letters, if it clearly says they are not admitted to practice. What to do: Label unadmitted graduates on your website and emails clearly, for example "Law Clerk" or "Not yet admitted to practice."
• New York County Lawyers Association, Professional Ethics Committee, opinion 748 (2015-03-10), on the ethical implications of attorney profiles on LinkedIn: A LinkedIn profile listing only education and jobs is not an ad, but adding practice areas, skills or endorsements likely makes it one; lawyers must remove inaccurate endorsements.
• New York State Bar Association, Committee on Professional Ethics, opinion 1301 (2026-09-03), on virtual law office; advertising a VLO as the lawyer’s office address: A New York lawyer may list a virtual office as the address in ads and online if mail reaches the lawyer there and clients can meet there on notice. What to do: If you list a virtual office address, make sure you get mail sent there and can meet clients there on reasonable notice.
• New York State Bar Association, Committee on Professional Ethics, opinion 1298 (2026-08-11), on description of foreign lawyer who has passed bar examination but is not admitted: A candidate who passed the New York bar exams but is not yet admitted may describe himself as having passed the bar, with the words "passed not admitted." What to do: If you are not yet admitted, say so plainly next to any statement that you passed the bar exam.
• New York State Bar Association, Committee on Professional Ethics, opinion 1295 (2026-03-12), on conflicts of interest; advertising; trust account; opening a solo law practice: A lawyer working at a New York firm while running a New Jersey firm must follow New York ad and solicitation rules for ads aimed at New York. What to do: If you advertise into New York, follow New York ad rules, show your practice limits, and avoid implying ties to another firm you work for.
• New York State Bar Association, Committee on Professional Ethics, opinion 1294 (2026-03-11), on solicitation; Advertisement; Lead Generators: Paying a platform to contact users who agreed to share their details is a permitted lead payment if it recommends no lawyer, uses neutral disclosed criteria, and fees ignore retention. What to do: Before paying a lead platform, confirm it does not recommend you, picks lawyers by neutral disclosed criteria, and charges the same whether or not you are hired.

Which Google, Local Services and Meta policies matter for immigration ads?

• Google Ads: Other restricted businesses: Government documents and services (October 2026 update). Since October 5, 2026, only governments and 'authorized providers' may run ads that promote getting a government document or service. To count as authorized, a government website must link to your domain and name you as authorized for that document or service.
• Google Ads: Government documents and services: are law firms in scope?. Google's 2020 version of this policy said legal services and consultation-focused immigration lawyers were not restricted. The current policy page and the October 2026 notice don't repeat that exemption. Whether a given law-firm ad is caught is Google's call.
• Local Services Ads: Local Services Ads: service categories (US). Google's US list has 17 lawyer categories: bankruptcy, business, contract, criminal, disability, DUI, estate, family, immigration, IP, labor, litigation, malpractice, personal injury, real estate, traffic, and a general 'Lawyers' category. Unlike some other categories, none of the lawyer categories is limited to certain states.
• Meta: Advertising Standards: Lead Ads questions. Without Meta's prior written permission, lead ad forms can't ask about criminal or arrest history, bankruptcy or debt, health or disabilities, insurance details, or government ID numbers such as Social Security numbers.

The full list for every platform is in the ad platform policy tracker.

What else in New York touches immigration marketing?

• Call recording. One-party consent: a person on the call may record it.
• Privacy and health data. No comprehensive consumer privacy law in force.

How much Spanish-speaking demand is there in New York?

• New York: about 2,772,893 (±13,482) people aged 5 and over who speak Spanish at home. ACS 2020-2024 survey estimate.
• New York: about 1,235,249 (±12,400) Spanish speakers aged 5 and over who speak English less than "very well". ACS 2020-2024 survey estimate.
• New York: about 214 (±30.8) Spanish speakers with limited English (less than "very well") for every Spanish-speaking lawyer, judge or judicial worker. ACS 2020-2024 survey estimate.

Test Spanish pages and ads next to English ones.

Which New York metros do we cover?

Each metro page covers how clients there find a lawyer, what AI answers show and the local courts:

• Long Island law firm SEO, AI search and Google AdsWhat Nassau and Suffolk clients search, how AI answers pick a lawyer, Spanish demand, Eastern District venue and New York's 2026 ad rules.
• New York City law firm SEO, AI search and Google AdsHow New York City clients search, how AI answers pick a lawyer, Spanish demand, federal court venue and New York's 2026 ad rules for local firms.

What does this mean for your firm?

• Check the New York filing duty before the first immigration ad runs, and ask your attorney to approve each ad.
• Plan each immigration campaign around the platform’s own policies, so ads are not disapproved after launch.
• Test Spanish and English side by side where the Spanish-speaking audience is large.

Not legal advice. Probative Growth is a marketing firm, not a law firm. Rules change; your attorney decides what runs.

Questions firms ask about immigration ads in New York

What must a immigration ad say in New York?

The name and contact information of at least one lawyer or firm responsible for the communication (7.1(d)); the comment says contact information should include a phone number or a physical office address.

Can a immigration firm in New York run Local Services Ads?

Google's US list has 17 lawyer categories: bankruptcy, business, contract, criminal, disability, DUI, estate, family, immigration, IP, labor, litigation, malpractice, personal injury, real estate, traffic, and a general 'Lawyers' category. Unlike some other categories, none of the lawyer categories is limited to certain states.

How much Spanish-speaking demand should a immigration firm plan for in New York?

New York: about 2,772,893 (±13,482) people aged 5 and over who speak Spanish at home. ACS 2020-2024 survey estimate.