Advice: is it a good idea to pay a lawyer for help with K-3?

[Myrhh 0]

I'm seriously considering hiring a lawyer to make sure all's in order. I'd hate for this to take an extra year because I fill out the papers incorrectly or a variety of other things I can think of which may go wrong.

I guess the K-3 is our only option but I'm so sad to be apart for so long. We haven't spent more than a couple weeks apart in the five and a half years we've been together. Any other options which are faster? We're both North American, doesn't that count for anything?!

[pushbrk 12,092]

I'm seriously considering hiring a lawyer to make sure all's in order. I'd hate for this to take an extra year because I fill out the papers incorrectly or a variety of other things I can think of which may go wrong.

I guess the K-3 is our only option but I'm so sad to be apart for so long. We haven't spent more than a couple weeks apart in the five and a half years we've been together. Any other options which are faster? We're both North American, doesn't that count for anything?!

Please start by reading the guides here and some relevant posts. That will help you determine whether you want to get an attorney.

To begin with though, K3 is not your only option and may well not be your best option. Start with the guides.

[Eric_and_Corinna 0]

I just fired mine. He was a weasel who didn't care one bit about our situation and actually extended our timeline. If you do decide to hire one, check as many out as you can. Ask around, and definitely meet them in person. If I had to do it over, I would just use the great resources and personal experience of the people on VJ. I just didn't know about it at the time...

[Bforbarree 4]

I'm seriously considering hiring a lawyer to make sure all's in order. I'd hate for this to take an extra year because I fill out the papers incorrectly or a variety of other things I can think of which may go wrong.

I guess the K-3 is our only option but I'm so sad to be apart for so long. We haven't spent more than a couple weeks apart in the five and a half years we've been together. Any other options which are faster? We're both North American, doesn't that count for anything?!

Everyones circumstance is different; our situation is as straight forward as you can get...but when we first started looking into this we were so overwhemed! I thought there was NO way we could do this on our own BUT WE HAVE and I am amazed by what we have accomplished so far and this site and community deserves so much of the credit.

I am SO glad we did not hire a lawyer!

Reading the guides and forums here have answered our questions and helped us along every step so far. They give you sample letters and tell you exactly how to fill in all the forms, step by step! We would have had to of filled all the forms ourselves anyway....and we didn't need someone else to charge up $250/hour to look them over or type up our intent or cover letters...especially when you can cut and paste them right off this site!

Best of luck on your journey!

[Bforbarree 4]

I'm seriously considering hiring a lawyer to make sure all's in order. I'd hate for this to take an extra year because I fill out the papers incorrectly or a variety of other things I can think of which may go wrong.

I guess the K-3 is our only option but I'm so sad to be apart for so long. We haven't spent more than a couple weeks apart in the five and a half years we've been together. Any other options which are faster? We're both North American, doesn't that count for anything?!

Please start by reading the guides here and some relevant posts. That will help you determine whether you want to get an attorney.

To begin with though, K3 is not your only option and may well not be your best option. Start with the guides.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...amp;page=guides

[mojorisin 5]

I recommend avoiding attorney's at this stage.

[Dan J 277]

Everybody's case is unique. You can start with reading the guides to understand your options and the process to obtain a visa. Provided you don't have any complications in your case, and you are capable of understanding the instructions with the forms, then you don't need a lawyer to file your case for you.

[rebeccajo 14]

I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think those of you who haven't got your visa yet should be advising people to not seek legal counsel. After all, you really don't know yet if you have been successful in your 'do-it-yourself' venture.

Furthermore, the use of the word 'straightforward' is overused around here. As a very valuable member used to say (when he was around) "the devil is in the details". We rarely know the details of each others cases.

[Minya's wife 24]

I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think those of you who haven't got your visa yet should be advising people to not seek legal counsel. After all, you really don't know yet if you have been successful in your 'do-it-yourself' venture.

Furthermore, the use of the word 'straightforward' is overused around here. As a very valuable member used to say (when he was around) "the devil is in the details". We rarely know the details of each others cases.

Darnit, why doesn't VJ have a hand clapping smiley?! So true RJ!

It should be a personal decision, whether to hire a lawyer or not...once you've researched and informed yourself about the whole process, from filing and getting the petition approved all the way to the applying and getting the visa issued. :-)

-P

[Elbereth 0]

dont get a lawer unless ou have complications such as criminal background, no tax history, problematic divorces in the past etc

[Minya's wife 24]

dont get a lawer unless ou have complications such as criminal background, no tax history, problematic divorces in the past etc

I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think those of you who haven't got your visa yet should be advising people to not seek legal counsel. After all, you really don't know yet if you have been successful in your 'do-it-yourself' venture.

Furthermore, the use of the word 'straightforward' is overused around here. As a very valuable member used to say (when he was around) "the devil is in the details". We rarely know the details of each others cases.

[mawilson 2,133]

Generally speaking, if you're not an idiot, you can do it yourself.

If you are an idiot when it comes to filing papers and decide to hire an immigration

attorney to do it for you, no problem - just make sure the attorney you hire is not

an idiot. A lot of "immigration lawyers" out there are complete idiots who don't

know the first thing about immigration.

A friend of mine hired one such idiot lawyer who told him that the I-130 could

not be filed concurrently with the I-485. The idiot filed the I-130 first and wasted

6 months of my friend's time while he was out of status waiting for its approval.

Be very careful who you hire.

Just my 2c.

[Elbereth 0]

Generally speaking, if you're not an idiot, you can do it yourself.

If you are an idiot when it comes to filing papers and decide to hire an immigration

attorney to do it for you, no problem - just make sure the attorney you hire is not

an idiot. A lot of "immigration lawyers" out there are complete idiots who don't

know the first thing about immigration.

A friend of mine hired one such idiot lawyer who told him that the I-130 could

not be filed concurrently with the I-485. The idiot filed the I-130 first and wasted

6 months of my friend's time while he was out of status waiting for its approval.

Be very careful who you hire.

Just my 2c.

so... where's that clapping emoticon?

[Minya's wife 24]

Ah...but mawilson's statement is a little different than the few others in this thread....and he's a couple of "do-it-yourself" steps ahead of most of the people who've replied. One could say he knows what he's talking about.

[Elbereth 0]

I am offended by the implication that I dont know what I am talking about