Attorney on the interview

[dchamero 6]

Ok, a little background information.

My case is pretty straight forward. I applied under the 5 year option, I had my green card 7 years ago on a work visa. I am now self employed (but still doing work for the company that sponsored me). I am living in the same place since 1997 (before having a green card, I was all the time on H1bs). I had 3 speeding tickets during all these years, that were dismissed doing defensive driving, and in the last 5 years I only went out of the country on vacation once or twice a year for a week each time.

Now, last week I was talking with the attorney that I used all these years (he represented me on all the H1s and on the Permanent Residence, labor certification, etc.), and I told him that I have an interview scheduled for next month, and since he is also a friend, he said that he wanted to send one of his attorneys to come with me to the interview (and he will do it for free, so I don't have to pay anything)

My question is... would it be a problem to go to the interview with an attorney? Do you think it would be seen like I have something bad that had to be protected with an attorney?

[Tom_Jim 40]

There would be no need to send a lawyer.

[kovacs 20]

I agree with Tom_Jim. No need.

[dchamero 6]

I understand that there is no need, but I don't want to be rude with my attorney, who is also my friend, and since it won't cost me a penny, I find it difficult to say no...

[Tom_Jim 40]

I understand that there is no need, but I don't want to be rude with my attorney, who is also my friend, and since it won't cost me a penny, I find it difficult to say no...

Leave the codependency behind. If it's that difficult for you to say no, then, say yes.

Really simple stuff here.

[DC85 113]

take him , it won't hurt

[Buckyball 22]

No need but if your friend would be somehow offended if you deny lwt him come with you. And it's free, free is always good

Edited June 30, 2015 by Buckyball

[Penguin_ie 5,984]

Attorneys at naturalisation interviews are extremely rare. If I was a USCIS officer, and someone with what looked like a very vanilla case came with an atty, I would be suspicious and look at their case very closely. So my recommendation would be to not bring an atty, and if you feel your friend would be offended, maybe have him look at the evidence you plan on bringing for a second set of eyes instead.

[JimmyHou 610]

There's nothing wrong with taking an attorney to an interview. Several of my friends work for companies that retain immigration lawyers. These lawyers accompany any employee who is applying for naturalization at no cost to the applicant.

However, there is a form (G-28) that should have been sent with the application to inform USCIS that an attorney will be handling the application. This form is intended to give the attorney access to your case so that he or she can attend Infopasses or make calls on your behalf. The form also contains information on the lawyer which prevents you from taking a friend to the interview and pretending he's a lawyer. However, I read one case where an interviewer was annoyed that someone showed up with an attorney without filing that form because the interviewer didn't expect the attorney. I don't know how strictly this is enforced.

Personally I do think that there is one benefit to having an attorney with you. We repeatedly see cases on here where interviewers are overly aggressive, rude, threatening, or in some cases openly racist or sexist. These are definitely a small minority of interviewers, but they do exist. I think that these interviewers are much less likely to behave poorly if a lawyer is present. Immigration lawyers know how to file complaints and they know when the interviewer is asking for things that are not required. If they regularly work interview cases then they will know many of the interviewers and supervisors.

Is a lawyer necessary? Absolutely not.

Is a lawyer worth paying for? Probably not.

Would I take lawyer for free? Absolutely.

The only thing I would worry about is that I would want a lawyer whom I had worked with and was comfortable with. I wouldn't want a lawyer who picked up my file for the first time on the morning of the interview.

[tine71 12]

I went with my attorney and there was nothing wrong with it, in fact they wanted me to reschedule my appointment because we were late for a few minutes and if it wasn't for my Attorney I am sure they wouldn't let me have the interview that day, so I would go with him

[Shauna&Wael 211]

"he wanted to send one of his attorneys to come with me to the interview (and he will do it for free, so I don't have to pay anything)"

This doesn't seem peculiar to anyone else? Can anyone explain a possible motivation for the lawyer to do this? It's not even the lawyer offering to go, he's offering his lawyer friend "for free!" This seems very odd to me?

[madtownguy 164]

"he wanted to send one of his attorneys to come with me to the interview (and he will do it for free, so I don't have to pay anything)"

This doesn't seem peculiar to anyone else? Can anyone explain a possible motivation for the lawyer to do this? It's not even the lawyer offering to go, he's offering his lawyer friend "for free!" This seems very odd to me?

Friends help friends out, maybe you need to find some better friends. It would be odd for a lawyer you didn't know but my family always had a lawyer when I was younger for free because it was a friend of the family. I've had friends give me way more than what would probably be a $500 fee for a lawyer to come along. It also may benefit the attorney if the guy is new and he wants him to get some face time with USCIS.

If the OP is truely worried why not just spell it out first thing. Say listen it may or may not be normal to have an attorney for this interview but it is a friend doing it for me and I figure it can't hurt any. Good luck OP and congrats on your business!

[Shauna&Wael 211]

Friends help friends out, maybe you need to find some better friends. It would be odd for a lawyer you didn't know but my family always had a lawyer when I was younger for free because it was a friend of the family. I've had friends give me way more than what would probably be a $500 fee for a lawyer to come along. It also may benefit the attorney if the guy is new and he wants him to get some face time with USCIS.

If the OP is truely worried why not just spell it out first thing. Say listen it may or may not be normal to have an attorney for this interview but it is a friend doing it for me and I figure it can't hurt any. Good luck OP and congrats on your business!

I mean, for me personally I wouldn't want to be used as a guinea pig for my naturalization interview. If that's the only purpose of him going, and if it might raise flags for him to be there on an otherwise straightforward case, I would lean towards no. I see no benefit to him going other than protection purposes against harassment I suppose.

[dchamero 6]

This doesn't seem peculiar to anyone else? Can anyone explain a possible motivation for the lawyer to do this? It's not even the lawyer offering to go, he's offering his lawyer friend "for free!" This seems very odd to me?

???? He is my friend!!!, I know him since 1997 since he started representing me, besides he is also my client now (I have done some IT services for him,)

Out friendship, even our professional friendship, goes beyond his work as an Attorney, he is also a writer (he published several books), and I have done some favors myself for him (providing translation for one of his books), so honestly, I don't see it as strange, that he wants to return the favor.

Anyway, I decided will take the attorney. I'll let you know how it was at the end of July, after my interview

[Shauna&Wael 211]

???? He is my friend!!!, I know him since 1997 since he started representing me, besides he is also my client now (I have done some IT services for him,)

Out friendship, even our professional friendship, goes beyond his work as an Attorney, he is also a writer (he published several books), and I have done some favors myself for him (providing translation for one of his books), so honestly, I don't see it as strange, that he wants to return the favor.

Anyway, I decided will take the attorney. I'll let you know how it was at the end of July, after my interview

I never said your lawyer wasn't your friend lol. I was speaking about the 3rd party whom he wants to include. But anyways, good for you and please don't forget to let us know how it went