is attorney needed?

[Cacerez 19]

Also, just curious as your reason to wait on the K1 application process. If this is your 3rd visit, then you have already met the requirement to meet in person (as long as it was since Feb 2007). Now if you need that time, or documents from the US, to complete the process, then that's one thing. But if it were me I'd go ahead and get a start on this instead of waiting the 3 months - you'll have plenty of wait time later! Good luck!

[Isaac and Pia 0]

I plan to start the k1 visa process within the next 3 months after i return from the philippine to meet requirment for having met in person in the last to year (btw this will be our 3rd meeting). Do the people here on VJ feel it wise to retain a immigration attorney or service for this process?

[Isaac and Pia 0]

I took personal law in college, but I still retained an attorney.

I actually found Visa Journey after I had started the process with an attorney, but before our I-130 was filed and fired my attorney because he was moving too slow and I could see I could get things done faster myself. EVERY PERSONS CASE IS DIFFERENT!

MY ANSWER to the question of If you retain an attorney or not? is that you decision should be based from your personal situation and comfort level with doing it yourself.

READ THE GUIDES - Then look at YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL circumstances and decide.

YOU SAID...

"I plan to start the k1 visa process within the next 3 months after i return from the philippine to meet requirment for having met in person in the last to year (btw this will be our 3rd meeting)."

From what I read, why wait until you get back to file? File now and have your NOA1 sitting in your mailbox when you get backto the US -

If you decide to use an attorney, there are THOUSANDS of them that "SPECIALIZE" in immigration and you can fill out everything online then they tell you what you need to do, print your filled out forms, check them over, mail them back to you so you can sign and send...

(Personal Experience... Stay away from ATTY Michael S. Solomon - Slow Moving and Expensive)

OR you can save a few thousand dollars by READING THE GUIDES and downloading the forms for free fill them out in Adobe yourself, print them and mail them...

If you can read and understand English and FOLLOW DIRECTIONS then MY PERSONAL OPINION is that I don't see why anyone can't DYI just as fast as an attorney can or even faster.

DON'T LOOK AT ANYTHING ON THIS SITE AS FACT - IT IS REFERENCE MATERIAL BUT THE ANSWERS ARE HERE IF YOU LOOK ENOUGH... DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS

[sjr09 155]

No one should be telling anyone they shouldn't retain an attorney. Its entirely personal and based on the nuances of their own case. None of which can be ascertained by a few lines in an opening post.

uhm excuse me..the person was asking about having attorney or not...so we just answered what we think is better thing do to..whats the purpose of this forum if you dont get any answer right. thank you.

Well you can use this forum to learn and have a attorney at the same time.

[pwk86 0]

I took personal law in college, but I still retained an attorney.

I actually found Visa Journey after I had started the process with an attorney, but before our I-130 was filed and fired my attorney because he was moving too slow and I could see I could get things done faster myself. EVERY PERSONS CASE IS DIFFERENT!

MY ANSWER to the question of If you retain an attorney or not? is that you decision should be based from your personal situation and comfort level with doing it yourself.

READ THE GUIDES - Then look at YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL circumstances and decide.

YOU SAID...

"I plan to start the k1 visa process within the next 3 months after i return from the philippine to meet requirment for having met in person in the last to year (btw this will be our 3rd meeting)."

From what I read, why wait until you get back to file? File now and have your NOA1 sitting in your mailbox when you get backto the US -

If you decide to use an attorney, there are THOUSANDS of them that "SPECIALIZE" in immigration and you can fill out everything online then they tell you what you need to do, print your filled out forms, check them over, mail them back to you so you can sign and send...

(Personal Experience... Stay away from ATTY Michael S. Solomon - Slow Moving and Expensive)

OR you can save a few thousand dollars by READING THE GUIDES and downloading the forms for free fill them out in Adobe yourself, print them and mail them...

If you can read and understand English and FOLLOW DIRECTIONS then MY PERSONAL OPINION is that I don't see why anyone can't DYI just as fast as an attorney can or even faster.

DON'T LOOK AT ANYTHING ON THIS SITE AS FACT - IT IS REFERENCE MATERIAL BUT THE ANSWERS ARE HERE IF YOU LOOK ENOUGH... DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS

ok, my situation is, the last time we met in person was april 06. she has been in the annulment process since them. and OMG it takes forever in the phils. but it has been granted so now just waiting for the final certificate. ok so we both have previous marriages. we both have children. but will not be bring her children for a while like maybe a couple year(father will not Allow). she has no criminal record or anything like that. so that is the reason im still waiting. need the final annulment documents. need her name changed to her maden. and need to meet in peron again.

Also, just curious as your reason to wait on the K1 application process. If this is your 3rd visit, then you have already met the requirement to meet in person (as long as it was since Feb 2007). Now if you need that time, or documents from the US, to complete the process, then that's one thing. But if it were me I'd go ahead and get a start on this instead of waiting the 3 months - you'll have plenty of wait time later! Good luck!

ok, my situation is, the last time we met in person was april 06. she has been in the annulment process since them. and OMG it takes forever in the phils. but it has been granted so now just waiting for the final certificate. ok so we both have previous marriages. we both have children. but will not be bring her children for a while like maybe a couple year(father will not Allow). she has no criminal record or anything like that. so that is the reason im still waiting. need the final annulment documents. need her name changed to her maden. and need to meet in peron again.

[pwk86 0]

Also, just curious as your reason to wait on the K1 application process. If this is your 3rd visit, then you have already met the requirement to meet in person (as long as it was since Feb 2007). Now if you need that time, or documents from the US, to complete the process, then that's one thing. But if it were me I'd go ahead and get a start on this instead of waiting the 3 months - you'll have plenty of wait time later! Good luck!

ok, my situation is, the last time we met in person was april 06. she has been in the annulment process since them. and OMG it takes forever in the phils. but it has been granted so now just waiting for the final certificate. ok so we both have previous marriages. we both have children. but will not be bring her children for a while like maybe a couple year(father will not Allow). she has no criminal record or anything like that. so that is the reason im still waiting. need the final annulment documents. need her name changed to her maiden. and need to meet in peron again.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

No one should be telling anyone they shouldn't retain an attorney. Its entirely personal and based on the nuances of their own case. None of which can be ascertained by a few lines in an opening post.

You are correct, sorry. It is entirely your choice to waste your money and time on an attorney. The OP is asking for opinions and since my posts are written under my member name, it is by definition an opinion.

In this process an attorney can ONLY increase expense and cause delays. If the person has some disqualifying factor in their profile, the attorney cannot change it. My advice is never to use an attorney unless the USCIS says you need one. Of course this is my opinion, so maybe this person can interview an attorney and ask "exactly WHAT will you do for me?" "Will you put aside all your other clients and ONLY service me?" Because as an idividual, that is what you will do, it is priority 1 for you, but not for an attorney.

I think that everyone should exactly what they are paying for and THEN they can make a personal decision, but I challenge you to find me an attorney that will tell anyone what they REALLY do. They fill in an online form with information provided by the petitioner, that is all. There is nothing else they can do. There is only so much to this process, the petitioner must provide all the documents, what is left is filling in forms. That is it. So waht CAN an attorney do? Besides charge money and delay cases because they are handling others instead of yours?

I only wish the defenders of attorneys would state clearly exactly what they do so this all important personal choice can be made knowledgeably.

So that is my opinion, based on my knowledge and experience. If any attorneys want to detail what they will do that will be of a value for the ridiculous fees they charge, then you can make your opinion known also. Thanks

Also, just curious as your reason to wait on the K1 application process. If this is your 3rd visit, then you have already met the requirement to meet in person (as long as it was since Feb 2007). Now if you need that time, or documents from the US, to complete the process, then that's one thing. But if it were me I'd go ahead and get a start on this instead of waiting the 3 months - you'll have plenty of wait time later! Good luck!

ok, my situation is, the last time we met in person was april 06. she has been in the annulment process since them. and OMG it takes forever in the phils. but it has been granted so now just waiting for the final certificate. ok so we both have previous marriages. we both have children. but will not be bring her children for a while like maybe a couple year(father will not Allow). she has no criminal record or anything like that. so that is the reason im still waiting. need the final annulment documents. need her name changed to her maiden. and need to meet in peron again.

You have defined all you need, you know what to do. You do NOT need an attorney.

[nowhereman 1]

No one should be telling anyone they shouldn't retain an attorney. Its entirely personal and based on the nuances of their own case. None of which can be ascertained by a few lines in an opening post.

uhm excuse me..the person was asking about having attorney or not...so we just answered what we think is better thing do to..whats the purpose of this forum if you dont get any answer right. thank you.

I wish I had a nickel for every wrong answer I have ever seen on here.

I could freakin' retire.

Yea but apparently lawyers have given plenty of wrong answers too. Also I'm guessing "Lal" is a lawyer... he/she is defending lawyers a bit too aggressively.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

I am saddened to see some of the comments in this thread. I have always found the forum to be open to all opinion so that each of us can draw our own conclusions based on the individual experiences. Now it seems that we are being told to keep our opinions to ourselves if they are not shared by some.

This forum IS open to all opinions, as you say, therefore my opinion is as good and welcome as any. I never suggested, and never would, that anyone keep their opinions to themselves. I gave my OPINION, I also gave my reasons for my opinion. If someone has another opinion, state it and state the reasons for your opinion.

You can use my opinion to draw a conclusion, because I give definite and detailed reasons, whereas the people defending attorneys can only say "It is a personal choice" and not list a single reason to use an attorney. What conclusion do you draw from that?

PLEASE, someone, state an opinion in favor of attorneys for this process and tell us exactly what they can do for someone. Just one thing. Tells us how they can help someone with "red flags" LOL. Which of you can give even anecdotal evidence your case was assited by an attorney. Really, if someone is charged with this very important personal decision, attorneys and people who think they shouldn't be jailed for fraud, should be able to tell us why. In thier opinion of course. I am open to all opinions, maybe you will change mine,

[nowhereman 1]

I am saddened to see some of the comments in this thread. I have always found the forum to be open to all opinion so that each of us can draw our own conclusions based on the individual experiences. Now it seems that we are being told to keep our opinions to ourselves if they are not shared by some.

This forum IS open to all opinions, as you say, therefore my opinion is as good and welcome as any. I never suggested, and never would, that anyone keep their opinions to themselves. I gave my OPINION, I also gave my reasons for my opinion. If someone has another opinion, state it and state the reasons for your opinion.

You can use my opinion to draw a conclusion, because I give definite and detailed reasons, whereas the people defending attorneys can only say "It is a personal choice" and not list a single reason to use an attorney. What conclusion do you draw from that?

PLEASE, someone, state an opinion in favor of attorneys for this process and tell us exactly what they can do for someone. Just one thing. Tells us how they can help someone with "red flags" LOL. Which of you can give even anecdotal evidence your case was assited by an attorney. Really, if someone is charged with this very important personal decision, attorneys and people who think they shouldn't be jailed for fraud, should be able to tell us why. In thier opinion of course. I am open to all opinions, maybe you will change mine,

The bottom line is that unless someone has unusual circumstances there is no need to consult a lawyer. The caveat to that is that the process can be confusing & it's easy for someone to make a minor mistake that will delay the reunion with their significant other (been there, done that). After someone has completed the process you can look back and say "anyone can do this" but it can be intimidating at the beginning when you don't fully understand how the K1/K3 process works.

[LaL 418]

No one should be telling anyone they shouldn't retain an attorney. Its entirely personal and based on the nuances of their own case. None of which can be ascertained by a few lines in an opening post.

uhm excuse me..the person was asking about having attorney or not...so we just answered what we think is better thing do to..whats the purpose of this forum if you dont get any answer right. thank you.

I wish I had a nickel for every wrong answer I have ever seen on here.

I could freakin' retire.

Yea but apparently lawyers have given plenty of wrong answers too. Also I'm guessing "Lal" is a lawyer... he/she is defending lawyers a bit too aggressively.

Wot? I am no lawyer - however I firmly believe that no one can tell another they shouldnt need an attorney based on a two line post. What I do think is positive feedback is personal experiences posted (ie: we did it on our own and we survived! or we had a lawyer and they werent helpful!). Not the definitive posts that tell the OP not to.

[morocco4ever 63]

Wow you guys are harsh on LAL.

I don't think any of us are truly able to give 100% accurate advice to this person since we really have no idea of their own specific case. So I think it is better to tell them what we think based on our own experience. Keeping it clear that it is based on our individual case, and each case is different.

In my case I did it without a lawyer. We were initially denied. But to be honest I don't think a lawyer could have predicted it either. It was a weird fluke. You have to admit that after reading this forum that some people have unusual circumstances that to be honest I wouldn't know how to handle it.

The key is simple. If you have a straightforward case, and are reasonably intelligent, you can do this process yourself. If the forms are confusing you may need a qualified attorney. If you have some issue that are unique you may need a qualified attorney.

I agree that there are a lot of really stupid lawyers out there. We hired one to do a simple FOIA that she screwed up. And lawyers will tell you that they know what they are doing, so choosing one isn't always easy.

[daboyz 36]

Wow you guys are harsh on LAL.

I don't think any of us are truly able to give 100% accurate advice to this person since we really have no idea of their own specific case. So I think it is better to tell them what we think based on our own experience. Keeping it clear that it is based on our individual case, and each case is different.

In my case I did it without a lawyer. We were initially denied. But to be honest I don't think a lawyer could have predicted it either. It was a weird fluke. You have to admit that after reading this forum that some people have unusual circumstances that to be honest I wouldn't know how to handle it.

The key is simple. If you have a straightforward case, and are reasonably intelligent, you can do this process yourself. If the forms are confusing you may need a qualified attorney. If you have some issue that are unique you may need a qualified attorney.

I agree that there are a lot of really stupid lawyers out there. We hired one to do a simple FOIA that she screwed up. And lawyers will tell you that they know what they are doing, so choosing one isn't always easy.

How do you know if the attorney is qualified? Just cause he has a website that says "over 10,000 K-1's" or "100% success rate." I see both of these claims all the time. I would say it is impossible for an attorney that handled 10,000 K-1s to have a 100% success rate.

I suggested adding if an attorney was used or not in to the timelines, and the name of the attorney. You would think I was advocating the overthrow of the government. You can see how well that went over:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...t=0&start=0

[KimandRuss 0]

VJ TOS...

Do not act on or rely on any information from VisaJourney.com Websites and Services without consulting with a licensed attorney as this site is not a substitute for obtaining appropriate legal advice from a competent, independent legal counsel in the relevant jurisdiction.

Opinions are one thing but advising someone specifically NOT to use a lawyer based on a few paragraphs of text is not wise.

A few things to consider if you do hire a lawyer...

You will still need to complete all forms correctly and thoroughly.

You will still need to supply all supporting documentation to the lawyer.

Most lawyers will put your paperwork in the hands of a staff worker in their office to organize your petition for shipment and to serve as a liason for the entire process. It is still you who does most of the work.

Unfortunately, those of us that have been here on VJ for some time know how much a lawyer can actually slow things down for a couple because of the added time involved in putting the petition together, receiving and notification of RFE's... and/or other mistakes made.

Ultimately, it is still up to you to do your homework on the process to be sure your lawyer has completed your petition correctly. It is also up to you to decide if you think your case warrants the need and extra cost of an attorney. If there are IMBRA issues, overstays...etc to consider, it may very well be in your best interest to pay for some assistance. But again, YOU must be certain that the person you've hired is doing their job right.

If your case is pretty straight forward, and you feel competent in doing so, it's quite easy to do with the help of VJ and it's community.

good luck

[morocco4ever 63]

Wow you guys are harsh on LAL.

I don't think any of us are truly able to give 100% accurate advice to this person since we really have no idea of their own specific case. So I think it is better to tell them what we think based on our own experience. Keeping it clear that it is based on our individual case, and each case is different.

In my case I did it without a lawyer. We were initially denied. But to be honest I don't think a lawyer could have predicted it either. It was a weird fluke. You have to admit that after reading this forum that some people have unusual circumstances that to be honest I wouldn't know how to handle it.

The key is simple. If you have a straightforward case, and are reasonably intelligent, you can do this process yourself. If the forms are confusing you may need a qualified attorney. If you have some issue that are unique you may need a qualified attorney.

I agree that there are a lot of really stupid lawyers out there. We hired one to do a simple FOIA that she screwed up. And lawyers will tell you that they know what they are doing, so choosing one isn't always easy.

How do you know if the attorney is qualified? Just cause he has a website that says "over 10,000 K-1's" or "100% success rate." I see both of these claims all the time. I would say it is impossible for an attorney that handled 10,000 K-1s to have a 100% success rate.

I suggested adding if an attorney was used or not in to the timelines, and the name of the attorney. You would think I was advocating the overthrow of the government. You can see how well that went over:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...t=0&start=0

Your right, and that is why I said in my last sentence that it isn't easy.

You must have really been screwed over, judging by your anger level on this subject. Sorry to hear about that. But I saw on your siggy that your interview is coming up soon. I also saw that you are going for the IR1 instead of the K-3. Good for you! That is what my husband ended up coming on and I am here to tell you that I can't wait to get that final step (naturalization) over with, and never deal with them again.