What does "stand alone" mean?

[JustJ 0]

I've been reading that I-130s should go to the Chicago lockbox.

Our attorney filed the I-130 with G-325As, G28, letters, birth certificates, marriage certificate, passports, photos, etc. at the VT Service Center.

Did he screw up?

It would totally be our luck if he did....

[canadian_wife 1,791]

Have you gotten your NOA-1 yet? - he probably sent the petition to Chicago and you got your petition sent to Vermont for adjudication

Stand alone means that you filed an I-130 and not a I-129F

Good luck.

[payxibka 10,044]

"stand alone" means not with another application (such as the I-485)...

It should have gone to Chicago.

[JustJ 0]

Thanks for your post.

No, this was the first thing we filed. He sent it directly to the VT Service Center via certified mail.

We are still waiting for our NOA1 25 days later.... I'm wondering if the reason for this is because he should have filed at the lockbox & waited for it to be assigned.

[payxibka 10,044]

Thanks for your post.

No, this was the first thing we filed. He sent it directly to the VT Service Center via certified mail.

We are still waiting for our NOA1 25 days later.... I'm wondering if the reason for this is because he should have filed at the lockbox & waited for it to be assigned.

VSC will reject. The may return it or send to Chicago

[JustJ 0]

You know, people ask all the time on here whether it's worth it to get an attorney.

I unloaded $3500 so far, and here's a prime example of why it's better to just freakin' do it yourself.

I'm so angry about this, I can't even describe it.

This is our LIVES we're dealing with here! I know I don't need to tell all of you how hard the separation is. It took us so long to get to this point, and now I find out that our attorney did it wrong, and that it'll result in yet ANOTHER delay???

I just can't believe it...I'm actually sick over it. My husband is living on next to NOTHING waiting for this to all come through, as there's no employment where he lives. I'm trying to hold everything together here, and I'm glad to have a full-time job, but it's been such a struggle.

I can't believe it...I just can't believe it.

[pushbrk 12,212]

You know, people ask all the time on here whether it's worth it to get an attorney.

I unloaded $3500 so far, and here's a prime example of why it's better to just freakin' do it yourself.

I'm so angry about this, I can't even describe it.

This is our LIVES we're dealing with here! I know I don't need to tell all of you how hard the separation is. It took us so long to get to this point, and now I find out that our attorney did it wrong, and that it'll result in yet ANOTHER delay???

I just can't believe it...I'm actually sick over it. My husband is living on next to NOTHING waiting for this to all come through, as there's no employment where he lives. I'm trying to hold everything together here, and I'm glad to have a full-time job, but it's been such a struggle.

I can't believe it...I just can't believe it.

Yes the petition should have been sent to a PO Box in Chicago but sometimes NOA1 is delayed for various reasons. I doubt Vermont will return the petition. Please let us know if they do.

[JustJ 0]

Thanks for the replies. I'll let everyone know what happens. That's IF my attorney actually tells me what happened. They may have sent it back to him, and I'll never know.

I emailed him to find out.

Been crying for hours now. I know everyone here understands how hard the separation is, and I thought we were FINALLY under way, only to find out that we may not be.

[Anh map 2,098]

Is your attorney a general practice or immigration specialist?

[JustJ 0]

He is in a general practice firm, but they advertised immigration. I live in an extremely rural area of the US. The first attorney we went to see charged us $200 for the initial consultation, then never returned my calls. I switched to this guy, who sounded extremely knowledgeable. Then this....

Seriously, if anyone can learn from my mistake, then I won't feel so bad. I should have done my homework, I know. I think I just got in a hurry to get it moving.

Now look at us....

[sjr09 155]

He is in a general practice firm, but they advertised immigration. I live in an extremely rural area of the US. The first attorney we went to see charged us $200 for the initial consultation, then never returned my calls. I switched to this guy, who sounded extremely knowledgeable. Then this....

Seriously, if anyone can learn from my mistake, then I won't feel so bad. I should have done my homework, I know. I think I just got in a hurry to get it moving.

Now look at us....

"general practice" you need one who deals only in immigration.

[Justin143Wendy 0]

Choose 1 or all 3

1) The attorney doesnt think you are smart enough to check

2) He wants to make it look like he has some kindof special privelages

3) He may not know what hes doing

Ive seen immigration attorneys online for under 1000.00 and that includes filing fee. They Specialize in K3 and K1 visas.

Good luck

You were better off to do it yourself........

I had no clue about the process and just read and read. took me about a week to get everything together and well, i just got my Approval.

It wasnt so bad.

[vny 0]

Truthfully, this country as well as immigration applicants can do without so many attorneys.

[NickD 202]

Truthfully, this country as well as immigration applicants can do without so many attorneys.

Certainly can lose faith in our legal system by getting involved, first off in the defense of a client, an attorney is thought how to lie, and if he/she can lie in court, certainly can lie to you. A judge is an attorney, and without checking that judge can be from the same law firm as your opposing attorney, you are screwed before you even started. In civil cases, it's one big brotherhood, have a state bar where they are all working to protect each other. And if your civil case is in a particular state, can only hire an attorney licensed to practice in that state. Choices are very limited.

With immigration, those restrictions do not exist, living a small rural community in WI, finding a good honest attorney is not luck, but a lot of hard work, I found a good office in Cincinnati OH.

And it's not like buying a quart of milk where practically all the stores in town have the same price, your rates are determined between you and your attorney. As immigration is routine, would only settle for a flat rate with a contract that protects you if your attorney screws up. Reason why I elected to hire an attorney was due to the complex nature of the USCIS, reading forms with ambiguous questions, ####### are they talking about kind of thing. Then how to I bring my wife to be here, lots' of choices. One has to be better than the other.

You also have to do a background check on your attorney, can do this by contacting your state bar, required by law in most states to list out all the complaints filed against them. Also have to spell out expenses in your contract, a firm may charge you hundreds of dollars to trace down something as simple as your birth certificate when you have it in front of you. You must approve all of your expenses, it's your money.

I was very satisfied with my immigration law firm, if they made mistakes, they paid for them out of our previously agreed upon flat fee. But man, did I get screwed in my divorce, the judge appointed guardian ad litems that were his buddies from his own law firm with some really marked up bills, reported all of the to the state bar. While the state does not settle fee disputes, requires that attorney to give you an itemized bill, went to each attorney and told him he was a lying SOB the ways those bills were marked up and had to settle myself.

Experiences like this changed my attitude, not so concerned about meeting a creepy looking guy on the street, but watch out for those crooks wearing thousand dollar suits.

[JustJ 0]

Okay, you can all imagine my surprise this morning when I reached into my mailbox & had the NOA1 from the California Service Center.....

I've emailed to find out how this happened.

The petition was definitely sent to VSC, not to a lockbox.