lawyer or not

[John*&*his*GG 2]

Is it better to have a lawyer or not?

Does a lawyer speed up the process?

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

first a lot depends on the country of the party outside US

and lawyer can not speed it up

I did get lawyer because of my husband's cnoutry.

and i think advise from attorney is always better than not. After all, they do this daily and know the ins and outs. After all, what do we know about the process. And i say that as a paralegal but i worked for ligator not immigration attorney. the rules of process change constently. You must have the best advise to go thru this process.

Is it better to have a lawyer or not?

Does a lawyer speed up the process?

[Ryan H 3,790]

Since the 3rd question does not apply to me and I can't record my opinions in the other 2 questions without answering the 3rd, I'll inject my two cents this way:

#1:

Doesn't matter. What's better is usually in the eye of the beholder and in some cases, a lawyer may be necessary.

#2:

No

[BlueBonnet 84]

Ive read of people getting lawyers, unfortunatly they end up at VJ because the lawyers messed up .. hence this is how I hear about lawyers.

Im no expert, but I did alot of reading, alot alot of reading. Alot of learning, alot of questions. Not only are the people here knowledgable, but they are also very quick to respond. The process can seem overwhelming, it feels like a ton of preperation and filing. But if you just tackle a little here and a little there, you guys will get through it. And the people here are always willing to help.

I wouldnt get one, I didnt get one, and we did ok even though there are some issues with us that others here have called a "red flag" yet we never had a problem.

[Casprd 167]

I would have to say that getting a US immigration attorney for a standard case is a waste of money and time, but, getting a foreign based immigration attorney who is familiar with that country and consulate and available to help your spouse prepare and gather all the information is, in many cases, worth the extra expense. But as with all things, be careful who you get. It is too easy for some shmoo off the street to say they are versed in the process and can help you and you only find out later that they aren't worth their salt. I think this is what happens with a lot of US attorneys.

In our case, we used an attorney in China and he was not only much more affordable, but a god send for helping us get everything together through the process. But we never took anything for granted and double and triple checked everything against the government websites and with knowledgable people here on VJ.

[frabra 3]

we did not used a lawyer, check timeline.

[John*&*his*GG 2]

we did not used a lawyer, check timeline.

how did you get so lucky to get approved so fast? military? work for them? gun point? or what?

[TBoneTX 43,058]

Since the 3rd question does not apply to me and I can't record my opinions in the other 2 questions without answering the 3rd, I'll inject my two cents this way:

#1: Doesn't matter. What's better is usually in the eye of the beholder and in some cases, a lawyer may be necessary.

#2: No

Exactly the same here, si man. An initial consultation with a good lawyer can uncover some potential red flags, for example. Lawyers were invaluable to me after we got hosed by the consulate. We haven't used them during the petition/application process, however.

[elya 17]

we consulted a lawyer because we had several what could be considered "red flags" - willing to spend the extra money trying to be on the safe side. Our lawyer f$#*@ up so bad that we have now lost over a year with who knows how much longer to go, if we ever get approved. If you're able to do research and pay attention to detail you're better off not over-relying on some idiot with a law degree to whom you're just one of many cases on their desk. Just my personal opinion based on bad experience (and yes I am a little bitter!!)

[Damian&Kelly 16]

I think there's cases that need lawyers, like with criminal records... But for the most part I think they're a waste of money, and I honestly think they slow things down. As the lawyer gets the paperwork and then sends it on. That's just an extra step. I'd rather be in charge of my future, and the speed in which we file each step. That's just my opinion though.

I did all the paperwork myself, and haven't had a problem/RFE thus far. And our K-1 was one of the quickest I've seen on VJ.

[frabra 3]

how did you get so lucky to get approved so fast? military? work for them? gun point? or what?

i do no work for them, i'm not military , nothing of all that you listed i think was just luck and prayers and also a very clear well done documentation with enough proof i think they just had no doubts about our relationship.

[John*&*his*GG 2]

i do no work for them, i'm not military , nothing of all that you listed i think was just luck and prayers and also a very clear well done documentation with enough proof i think they just had no doubts about our relationship.

very lucky congrats

[Saddle Bronc 124]

IMO, you have way more than enough info in the guides; if you have money to burn, use a lawyer by all means.

[웃 910]

Using a lawyer will slow you down.

Can you fill out a couple documents and write down your SS, DOB, Name, Address, etc.?

Can you make a copy or two of a passport and a birth certificate?

Can you include 1 or 2 itineraries as well as a few photos with dates on back?

Can you take a headshot of yourself and your fiancee and go to Wal-Greens to print them out in size 2x2?

I think you can complete these tasks faster than a lawyer!

[^_^ 5,021]

passed/failed?