lawyers

[heavyeyes 0]

i haven't started the k-1 visa process yet but was wondering if i should use a lawyer? is it even worth it?? it's already expensive enough and i researched what a lawyer costs and it was about $1750!! that just seems too much for me. can they really bring a fiance to the u.s. faster???? to me it just seems like it would take the same amount of time. i'm pretty organized so i think i can do the process by myself without problems. sometimes it's just if you're lucky or not. just wondering........

[william_wallace 8]

i haven't started the k-1 visa process yet but was wondering if i should use a lawyer? is it even worth it?? it's already expensive enough and i researched what a lawyer costs and it was about $1750!! that just seems too much for me. can they really bring a fiance to the u.s. faster???? to me it just seems like it would take the same amount of time. i'm pretty organized so i think i can do the process by myself without problems. sometimes it's just if you're lucky or not. just wondering........

My opinion and most in here will say do it yourself. A lawyer cant speed the process, they probebly slow it down if anything else.

[F1Belle 0]

A lawyer can't get the process done any faster. If you read the instructions of the forms carefully it is not a difficult process.There are lost of people here ready to offer help to you along the way.

[sara..... 371]

if u can not find the answers to special issues that may apply to ur case on VJ or by asking others on VJ then u should look for a attorney but other wise im sorry to say we used one and has not as of yet done us any good.............if i had found this site before hiring an attorney i would have realized we did not need an attorney..............

[Carol and Bruno 0]

i haven't started the k-1 visa process yet but was wondering if i should use a lawyer? is it even worth it?? it's already expensive enough and i researched what a lawyer costs and it was about $1750!! that just seems too much for me. can they really bring a fiance to the u.s. faster???? to me it just seems like it would take the same amount of time. i'm pretty organized so i think i can do the process by myself without problems. sometimes it's just if you're lucky or not. just wondering........

Do not, I repeat, do not use an attorney. I hired an attorney because I didn't have a clue about how to file the K-1 and I hadn't learned about this website. It was my biggest mistake and not to mention a complete waste of money, $1900. Basically, I threw my fiance's plane ticket money away.

The attorney took my money quickly and took his time responding to any of my emails. The customer service became nonexistent after he received my money. The good that came out of me hiring this attorney was the fact that I had to research this entire K-1 process because I couldn't get answers from him. I am now very familiar with the process.

By the way, you don't even deal with the attorney. Your case is handed to an assistant and the assistant is who you contact.

In hindsight, I realize that the lawyers lead you to believe that it's in your best interest to hire an attorney, but in reality, this process is so simple, you can do it yourself using the guidelines here. Many petitioners file themselves. I just wish I had learned of this website before I threw that money away.

What the attorney does is send you a list of the required documents that you will have to fill out, print and sign. Your fiance will also have to do the same. You will have to have copies of certain documents such as your passport and have some forms notarized. When YOU gather all of your documentation as well as photos, you will then mail this to the attorney. He then mails the documents to the USCIS. So basically YOU do all the work and he just adds a coversheet and sends it off. It is not worth hiring an attorney. You can print the list of documents and items from this website, organize the docs and add a coversheet and save yourself a $1750 stamp.

When I received my NOA1 (the receipt from the USCIS showing that they received my petition), the assistant sent an email informing me of the receipt and said to not contact the office for 4 months!!

All members of this forum are all here helping one another. Any questions you post will definitely be answered and you will be steered in the right direction. Do not be afraid to attempt this on your own.

I will send you a PM (private message) so check for it.

[TRELAWNY PARISH 10]

All the information and support you need is right here. Ask as many questions as you want. Never a silly question, just ask it anyway. I did. I started the process in Janaury (NO LAWYER)...and my interview is next month. The support you get here is tremendous. There's a wealth of info here from the VETS...

But it's your choice still....wishing you all the best.

One Love

[LaL 418]

Please guys - no one should be advocating *not* using an attorney. There are many circmstances in which an attorney is warranted - and even I would go so far as to advocate getting at the very least a consultation. Tell your experiences with your lawyer and how you chose to proceed but to straight out tell members not to is toying with their cases.

Likewise anyone sending immigration suggestions through PM is treading very dangerous waters and the recipiant should be wary of any information passed in this manner.

[Carol and Bruno 0]

Please guys - no one should be advocating *not* using an attorney. There are many circmstances in which an attorney is warranted - and even I would go so far as to advocate getting at the very least a consultation. Tell your experiences with your lawyer and how you chose to proceed but to straight out tell members not to is toying with their cases.

Likewise anyone sending immigration suggestions through PM is treading very dangerous waters and the recipiant should be wary of any information passed in this manner.

You are correct in the sense that if you have a difficult case, then a reputable immigration attorney is necessary. However, if it's as simple as filing the petition, then the attorney is not necessary. I had consulations with several attorneys before hiring the one I hired and each one of them lead me to believe that I needed to be represented. My case couldn't have been any easier. It's pretty straight forward and an attorney was not necessary. If it's concerning receiving money, I'm not sure an attorney would honestly decline.

By the way, don't assume that a private message = immigration advice.

Edited May 31, 2008 by Carol and Bruno

[Steve'sGirl 0]

From personal experience I can only recommend not to hire a lawyer. All they did was fill out forms and assembled our supporting information. The paralegal that was assigned to our case was unorganized and not very pro-active. I'd say she delayed the entire process for about a month.

Anyway, lesson learned and money wasted.

You can do it yourself. All you need to do is set some time aside to ensure everything's in order.

Good luck and all the best!!!!

[jeffcloe 0]

i haven't started the k-1 visa process yet but was wondering if i should use a lawyer? is it even worth it?? it's already expensive enough and i researched what a lawyer costs and it was about $1750!! that just seems too much for me. can they really bring a fiance to the u.s. faster???? to me it just seems like it would take the same amount of time. i'm pretty organized so i think i can do the process by myself without problems. sometimes it's just if you're lucky or not. just wondering........

Hi Good day. Me and my fiance` were on the same situation two months ago... But the mistake we made was we hired the lawyer first then we asked the opinions of the VJ People. (ayyyy yes not good haha).

Then later when we submitted our documents to the lawyer, we then realized that we should not have hired the lawyer because the only thing the lawyer does was filled out our application and send it to USCIS. It is true that it will take the process longer since before USCIS receives your application it should go to your lawyer first... We sent our documents to the lawyer April 15 but the lawyer sent it to USCIS April 23.

So far in my opinion, the lawyer has not done anything extra special to our case hehe! So I suggest you should just do it your self, everything you will need to know is in here, sometimes VJ people knows more than the lawyer because what they will share here are their own experiences.

If you would like to see some more of the VJ's opinions about lawyer you can check this out, this was the post I made before...

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...=122689&hl=

Good luck on you journey!

[LaL 418]

Please guys - no one should be advocating *not* using an attorney. There are many circmstances in which an attorney is warranted - and even I would go so far as to advocate getting at the very least a consultation. Tell your experiences with your lawyer and how you chose to proceed but to straight out tell members not to is toying with their cases.

Likewise anyone sending immigration suggestions through PM is treading very dangerous waters and the recipiant should be wary of any information passed in this manner.

You are correct in the sense that if you have a difficult case, then a reputable immigration attorney is necessary. However, if it's as simple as filing the petition, then the attorney is not necessary. I had consulations with several attorneys before hiring the one I hired and each one of them lead me to believe that I needed to be represented. My case couldn't have been any easier. It's pretty straight forward and an attorney was not necessary. If it's concerning receiving money, I'm not sure an attorney would honestly decline.

By the way, don't assume that a private message = immigration advice.

I am not assuming anything Just stating the facts. As for hiring or not hiring - as Yodrak always used to say - "The devil is in the detail". and there is absolutely no way we can know all the details by what we read here. Im just saying proceed with caution when suggesting anyone not hire a lawyer.

[TRELAWNY PARISH 10]

Please guys - no one should be advocating *not* using an attorney. There are many circmstances in which an attorney is warranted - and even I would go so far as to advocate getting at the very least a consultation. Tell your experiences with your lawyer and how you chose to proceed but to straight out tell members not to is toying with their cases.

Likewise anyone sending immigration suggestions through PM is treading very dangerous waters and the recipiant should be wary of any information passed in this manner.

I don't think anyone is advocating NOT using an attorney...it's your personal choice. Even if I had the $$$$$$ I still would not have used an attorney. If your case is straight forward...I don't see it's necessary. For some reason people have the misconception that using an attorney will SPEED or place your FILE on the top of the PILE. I have friends that have used attorneys because they have a busy schedule...they filed before me and we were approved around the same time. So, like I said, it's your personal choice.

[rebeccajo 14]

Define 'straight forward'.

I've been a member here for over three years. The longer I am here the more I realize there are wrinkles to this process that I haven't a clue about. And I'm pretty well versed and still feel that way.

Also the longer I am here the more I realize that you can hardly tell if a member's case is 'straight forward' or not from what they type. In order for me to know that answer, I'd have to know each of them personally; I'd have to have a pretty good grasp of immigration procedures and regulations; and I'd have to have in depth knowledge of the consulate the visa will process through.

So, if you feel comfortable after reading the guides here for a few weeks that you have become an authority in the ways and wherefores of the immigration process, then by all means continue to advise members they should not seek legal representation. If you are comfortable in the knowledge that your 'advice' could potentially impact their case to the negative, continue to advise against using an attorney.

I idly note that many of you offering this advice haven't even gotten your NOA 2 yet - which by the way is a FAR easier process than getting the visa approved at the consulate.

Edited May 31, 2008 by rebeccajo

[Devkpaik 1]

i haven't started the k-1 visa process yet but was wondering if i should use a lawyer? is it even worth it?? it's already expensive enough and i researched what a lawyer costs and it was about $1750!! that just seems too much for me. can they really bring a fiance to the u.s. faster???? to me it just seems like it would take the same amount of time. i'm pretty organized so i think i can do the process by myself without problems. sometimes it's just if you're lucky or not. just wondering........

Heavyeyes,

No, they cannot make the process faster, and if they CLAIM THEY CAN then they are 100% lying and you need to look elsewhere.

I am using a lawyer, and so far they have been great. My reason for doing so is because I am a college student and organizing all this paperwork, etc., can be compared to having to do another school report. That's not to say that this isn't important to me, as this is the single MOST IMPORTANT thing in my life, and I used a lawyer (after doing research, calling a gazillion different law firms) to make sure that everything gets done correctly, and in a timely manner.

Now, that's not to say that this happens with all lawyers, as we have all heard horror stories of lawyers being total jokes/idiots and screwing over clients. Make sure if you find a lawyer, you find one that you are comfortable with, and one who seems to genuinely know what he is doing/cares.

We have been fortunate in that our lawyer has been great. He has done everything ON TIME (knock on wood) and has been good at making sure he gives us ample time to gather documents/evidence so that we have plenty of time before each item is due.

Of course, it helps if your fiance is helping out with the lawyer fee, as my fiance is a student as well but she wanted to split the costs down the middle so not only I had to pay for it, which has been great.

We spent about 1,800.00 on the lawyer. It's expensive as hell (you can buy a crappy car for that price) but so far it has been worth it.

The process of gathering and organizing documents has nothing to do with luck. You can either organize things on your own and make sure that all your information and all the documents are correct, or you can't.

I feel as though this process really isn't too difficult (the organizing and gathering of documents, filling out paperwork, etc). Of course the other side is the emotional aspect of it, such as the waiting (which is very agonizing and heart breaking) and the time apart. I have been fortunate enough to spend nine of the past 12 months with my fiance, so that has made things a lot easier for us.

All in all, I think you will be just fine going with a lawyer (who is reputable) or doing it on your own.

Good luck!

[BTalley 0]

I hired a lawyer long before I even knew VJ existed, so the dye has already been cast. Not cheap, but with an NOA2 in 77 days I'm not complaining, either.

I guess an interesting poll would be to see whether using a lawyer typically reduces the chances of receiving an RFE (since they've done this hundreds of times, and this is uncharted territory for most of us). Of course, if your petition is done properly you should not receive one. But we're all human, right?

Given what I know now I might not hire one. But I had peace of mind for those 77 days. I can't say I would have if I had done it myself (worried sick that something might have been left out).