A good Visa company or Law Firm recommendations

[DavidandIrina 1]

Because I'm trying to finish up the I-129F quickly (within the next two weeks, and so far so good about collecting documents and preparing translations with an official company), I would like to have a lawyer or some firm assist to make sure we have everything we need and everything is in order. Can anyone recommend some law firms or otherwise online immigration visa help sites that were very good in helping you prepare for the Visa process?

Some of our new friends from this site mentioned they had good luck with www.amerilawgroup.com. Is there any other good immigration lawyer firms that any of you would recommend that are specifically familiar with the Vermont Service Center?

Thank you kindly

David and Irina

[Anh map 2,098]

Unless your case has some unusual aspects I suggest that you use the resources here on VJ and save the $$ for the expenses associated with the process.

Your case won't necessarily be processed at VT. You will send the petition to the Dallas lockbox and it will be assigned to either the VT or CA service centers.

[corazónENparaguay 46]

What's wrong with this site? http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

[Habakkuk2vs3 3]

Like previously mentioned, the process does not differentiate between those who file by themselves (with the help of many resourceful people here on VJ) and those who paid for the lawyers. Unless there is an "unusual" thing about yuor case then lawyers are not needed. Also, if you have to go the "lawyer route" do let any lawyer fool you into saying they specialize in a particular process center.....its a 50-50 chance in where you petition goes.

Good luck with the preparation

[* Kristin * 49]

VisaJourney was the best asset!!!

There are some very intelligent and very experienced individuals on here who are gracious enough to answer all sorts of questions. The amount of knowledge on these forums is tremendous.

Don't bother with a lawyer. The I-129F is very straightforward, if you do all the reading on this site. And hey, if you still have questions afterwards, I am sure there are several voices on here who are willing to help.

Because I'm trying to finish up the I-129F quickly (within the next two weeks, and so far so good about collecting documents and preparing translations with an official company), I would like to have a lawyer or some firm assist to make sure we have everything we need and everything is in order. Can anyone recommend some law firms or otherwise online immigration visa help sites that were very good in helping you prepare for the Visa process?

Some of our new friends from this site mentioned they had good luck with www.amerilawgroup.com. Is there any other good immigration lawyer firms that any of you would recommend that are specifically familiar with the Vermont Service Center?

Thank you kindly

David and Irina

[amykathleen2005 441]

Conveniently enough you have already stumbled upon an immigration resource help site...

[DavidandIrina 1]

Yes how true, this site has been very useful to me. I just am paranoid to forget something.

I will make this case though. One of my new friends sent me a form that a lawyer put together. On this form it said one of the things I needed as an Affidavit from 4 people who say that the intention to marry is real. So I have two of my friends putting together this letter which they will get notorized which will show that we have been telling people about us getting married. Yet, I don't see that listed on the FAQ site on this site (http://www.visajourney.com/faq/k1k2visa-I129f.html#3.12) under section 3.2. So my concern is that I need to know exactly what I need, because with my fiancee pregnant, I can't afford months of delays (caused by me, I understand that the people who process often make mistakes). So is the FAQ a complete resource that I can use? I just don't want any RFE calls if I can help it :-)

One of the people I work with used this site and she didn't use the lawyer, but instead only the references on this site and was successful. Getting the completed visa in less than 6 months!

QUESTION: I read somewhere that the Vermont processing center would process the cases from New England. I thought that is where I was supposed to send it (actually I was going to drive it up there to be honest). Now I'm supposed to send to the "lockbox"? Why such an odd name "lockbox" anyways???

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Conveniently enough you have already stumbled upon an immigration resource help site...

The best! And since you have a fiancee from Ukraine, you are in the with the most intelligent, handsome, rich (not to mention fat, old and bald) advice from the best site. (I could be biased) Seriously? You don't need an attorney. Read the guides and sample forms here. When the time comes we have lots of members familiar with the consulate in Kiev.

[Dakine 26]

Yes how true, this site has been very useful to me. I just am paranoid to forget something.

I will make this case though. One of my new friends sent me a form that a lawyer put together. On this form it said one of the things I needed as an Affidavit from 4 people who say that the intention to marry is real. So I have two of my friends putting together this letter which they will get notorized which will show that we have been telling people about us getting married. Yet, I don't see that listed on the FAQ site on this site (http://www.visajourney.com/faq/k1k2visa-I129f.html#3.12) under section 3.2. So my concern is that I need to know exactly what I need, because with my fiancee pregnant, I can't afford months of delays (caused by me, I understand that the people who process often make mistakes). So is the FAQ a complete resource that I can use? I just don't want any RFE calls if I can help it :-)

One of the people I work with used this site and she didn't use the lawyer, but instead only the references on this site and was successful. Getting the completed visa in less than 6 months!

QUESTION: I read somewhere that the Vermont processing center would process the cases from New England. I thought that is where I was supposed to send it (actually I was going to drive it up there to be honest). Now I'm supposed to send to the "lockbox"? Why such an odd name "lockbox" anyways???

Read the instructions on ALL forms CAREFULLY and you won't have any problems. Don't pay much attention to friends unless they have been thru the process. I've NEVER heard of USCIS requiring 4 people to submit notarized letters. You and you lady each HAVE to submit a "Letter of intend to marry" tho.

I hired and ended up firing the lawyer as he actually slowed down our process by going on vacation and leaving our petition on his desk for 3 weeks!

Edited March 25, 2011 by Dakine

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Yes how true, this site has been very useful to me. I just am paranoid to forget something.

I will make this case though. One of my new friends sent me a form that a lawyer put together. On this form it said one of the things I needed as an Affidavit from 4 people who say that the intention to marry is real. So I have two of my friends putting together this letter which they will get notorized which will show that we have been telling people about us getting married. Yet, I don't see that listed on the FAQ site on this site (http://www.visajourney.com/faq/k1k2visa-I129f.html#3.12) under section 3.2. So my concern is that I need to know exactly what I need, because with my fiancee pregnant, I can't afford months of delays (caused by me, I understand that the people who process often make mistakes). So is the FAQ a complete resource that I can use? I just don't want any RFE calls if I can help it :-)

One of the people I work with used this site and she didn't use the lawyer, but instead only the references on this site and was successful. Getting the completed visa in less than 6 months!

QUESTION: I read somewhere that the Vermont processing center would process the cases from New England. I thought that is where I was supposed to send it (actually I was going to drive it up there to be honest). Now I'm supposed to send to the "lockbox"? Why such an odd name "lockbox" anyways???

Attorneys like to make themselves feel valuable to you, after all you are paying them. So they make things up to make it sound like they thought of something that was worth the fee. There is no need for letters from friends at any point in this process EVER.

You will each sign a lettr if intent to marry. Use the sampe letter here at VJ. We did and had no problems. We went through exactly the same consulate as you will. Alla arrived in the US almost exactly 6 months after we filed the petition and could have been here in 4 months but WE delayed it for personal considerations and her job. It is nice to imagine that a person can get their visa and leave the same day, but when you have a woman with a job and two children, it is not that way. Alla did not arrive until a month after her visa was issued and our interview was delayed a month because of our own work schedules.

You send the petition to the lockbox and it gets assigned as they see fit. It may or may not be Vermont. Vermont has been slow lately and for some time. That means it will change. It has changed before several times since I have been in this process.

What you NEED is exactly what is in the isntructions. It is, boiled down, very simple. A job application at Lowe's or Walmart is more complex. The list is very short.

1. Prove you are a US citizen (copy of birth certificate or passport)

2. Prove you are both free to marry. Divorce decrees if ever divorced, if meither has ever been married, nothing is needed.

3. Prove you intend to marry. Letter of intent signed by each.

4. Evidence you have met in person within the last two years. Passport stamps, photos

5. Passport phot of each person

6. Fill out G-325a form for each person.

That's it. The pregnancy is not an issue for the I-129f at all.

There is NOTHING here an attorney CAN do. What CAN he do? He has none of that information, you have to give it to him.

Download an I-129f from this site. Download a G-325a from this site. try it. You will see it is not difficult. Read the instructions, ask questions as needed right here.

[baron555 934]

Yes how true, this site has been very useful to me. I just am paranoid to forget something.

I will make this case though. One of my new friends sent me a form that a lawyer put together. On this form it said one of the things I needed as an Affidavit from 4 people who say that the intention to marry is real.

Those ARE NOT needed. The lawyer likes to make themselves seem like they have inside knowledge. You only need signed letters of intent to marry from you and your fiancee.

So I have two of my friends putting together this letter which they will get notorized which will show that we have been telling people about us getting married. Yet, I don't see that listed on the FAQ site on this site (http://www.visajourney.com/faq/k1k2visa-I129f.html#3.12) under section 3.2.

They're not listed because they are not needed. Understand?

So my concern is that I need to know exactly what I need, because with my fiancee pregnant, I can't afford months of delays (caused by me, I understand that the people who process often make mistakes).

Then follow the Guides and Example Forms exactly. Stop listening to others.

So is the FAQ a complete resource that I can use?

Yes, it's all we used and had no RFEs.

I just don't want any RFE calls if I can help it :-)

One of the people I work with used this site and she didn't use the lawyer, but instead only the references on this site and was successful. Getting the completed visa in less than 6 months!

Use the Immigration Timelines as a guide for time length. Your case may be sooner or longer, most likely longer.

QUESTION: I read somewhere that the Vermont processing center would process the cases from New England. I thought that is where I was supposed to send it (actually I was going to drive it up there to be honest).

That's because you didn't read the instructions for the I-129F. The VJ Guides would tell you to do that. You do need to do some work but the Guides will guide you.

Now I'm supposed to send to the "lockbox"? Why such an odd name "lockbox" anyways???

[Sirdaniel42 86]

Hey DavidandIrina,

We started the I-129F proces a few weeks ago and we used the support of visajourney.

THIS IS THE BEST SITE EVER!!!!!!!!!!

Read, read and read again and use the guide to collect al your forms and evidence.

Send it to the Dallas Lockbox and the BIG wait can Begin LOL.

[Casprd 167]

Once again, I will go against the grain and say, if using an attorney will give you added peace of mind then by all means, use one, but don't rely solely on the attorney, double check everything (the site here is useful for that). An attorney won't make your case go more quickly, but the main advantage is if there is a problem then the attorney will be with you through the whole process. You may want to try to find one in the country where your fiancee lives. The big plus is they will have country specific information that a US based immigration attorney may not be aware of and the price should be significantly less. In our case, we are using an attorney in China. The cost was negligable and the peace of mind is priceless for us.

[TeddyHoney 42]

When I filed my I-129F I had not found this VJ site yet. I actually started filling our documents and stuff for my petition some 10 months before I actually filed it because I was going thru a divorce. At the time I hired a Fiancee VISA service that sent me a package of valuable information and also assisted me with any specific questions I had about anything via e-mail. I eventually filed this past October and went thru CSC. I sent the completed package to this Filipina Fiancee VISA service and they reviewed the completed package and then they sent it off to the USCIS and had FEDEX send me a delivery conformation. It paid off for me because months after filing I was looking at the copy I kept and noticed I didn't put my social security number in the space required on the I-129F form! The Fiancee VISA service caught that and corrected it before they shipped it to the USCIS! I was approved with no RFE!

The service I used was specifically for Filipina Fiancee VISAs. Like I said I didn't find this site until after I filed, but I like the warm and fuzzy of having this service to refer to as well especially after they caught that one mistake I made. They continue support througout the K-1 process. I'm sure there are services that do the same for other foreign fiancees.

I also agree that this site has enough information that you can probably just use it and be fine. But since I've already spent the money ($229 - I think) I still use the service I hired for specific K-1 process questions I have - and I use this site's resources as well. Again - gives me the warm and fuzzy feeling - kinda!

God bless on your VISA journey and here's hoping it all works out for you both one way or another!

[san diego 407]

I suggest using a lawyer if you can afford it. There are two advantages: 1) Even if your case is very simple just like mine it assures that all the paperwork is in order. Basically, it assures that there is no RFE and all the proof is submitted. More like insurance against RFE if you will. 2) If there is unexpected problem (you never know) during interview the lawyer can get extensions, waivers, etc. Basically, they will promptly assure that your case is not expired since your NOA2 approval is valid for 4 months. I am on the safe side though. I am not claiming that I am right. I always try to play safe. The trick is to find a good lawyer. If you live in San Diego or Southern Cal I can recommend a very good lawyer that is handling my case! NO RFEs or problems!