Attorney Representation - What Good Is Having One?

[Operator 1,925]

I agree with Senor TBone. Who knows how the OP's case looks? It could look like Mao's tomb at Tienanmen.

From what I've heard about the consulate in Lagos a lawyer may be good to have on speed dial; as long as they know what they are doing.

[TBoneTX 43,048]

:thumbs: i totally agree with you on this but the fact that the OP is basically asking "what next" tells me that even if an attorney is needed in this case then this probably isnt the best attorney to have

Thank you, si man, and perhaps you're right. However, the OP is dealing with Lagos, and says that the attorney made sure that "phone records, etc." were included (these are not normally part of an I-129F petition), so it could also be -- pending confirmation from the OP -- that the attorney is familiar with the unique dealings necessary for visa approval in Lagos.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

If a case has red flags, a GOOD family-based-immigration attorney can be very well worth the investment. To flatly say "You do not need an attorney" is something that NOBODY here can state with any assurance, without knowing every intricacy of another couple's situation.

+1 si man,

If you have a straight forward case with very minor to no issues, an attorney might not be the best route to go, for the petetion, it's pretty easy to follow the guides and be successful. When I got back from our wedding in Malaysia, I was as lost as a blind man in a dark room trying to find a black cat that wasn't there. One of the men from our Mosque gave me the number to his immigration attorney. He wanted to charge two thousand dollars as a start, and other charges as it went forward. I'm glad that I filed by myself. The people on here are very well versed, ask and you shall recieve...

[Dan & Jenni 457]

However, the OP is dealing with Lagos, and says that the attorney made sure that "phone records, etc." were included (these are not normally part of an I-129F petition), so it could also be -- pending confirmation from the OP -- that the attorney is familiar with the unique dealings necessary for visa approval in Lagos.

now that is a good point and i certainly hope that is the case... it would be good to see that there are some decent attorneys out there that know how to deal with the more difficult consulates around the world

[Operator 1,925]

now that is a good point and i certainly hope that is the case... it would be good to see that there are some decent attorneys out there that know how to deal with the more difficult consulates around the world

Have a safe trip next week Dan.

[patient2010 93]

I think at this point all you can do it wait there is nothing further your attorney can do for u...you wait on NOA2 and to be honest only you and your fiance can prepare yourselves for the interview if I were you I would go to the nigerian portal and read past interview reviews they can help a lot. You attorney will not be at the interview only your fiance so it is better he make sure he is well prepared....

[MyJourney1 15]

Welcome to the pack. I think most of us figure out that attorneys were never needed.

Thank you!

I think at this point all you can do it wait there is nothing further your attorney can do for u...you wait on NOA2 and to be honest only you and your fiance can prepare yourselves for the interview if I were you I would go to the nigerian portal and read past interview reviews they can help a lot. You attorney will not be at the interview only your fiance so it is better he make sure he is well prepared....

Okay; Thanks!

now that is a good point and i certainly hope that is the case... it would be good to see that there are some decent attorneys out there that know how to deal with the more difficult consulates around the world

What do you all mean by "OP" in your statement?

[dwheels76 5,459]

:thumbs: i totally agree with you on this but the fact that the OP is basically asking "what next" tells me that even if an attorney is needed in this case then this probably isnt the best attorney to have

So true Dan & Jenni. Your attorney is the one who should be preparing you for Embassy specific questions. In Lagos the interview is like no other. In your other post you asked whats next how to prepare for interview what to look for . I will post again the big ticket items for Nigeria that has been told. Be sure to go through the Nigerian Consulate review s of individuals interviews. I spent all this weekend doing just that and cutting and pasting all questions.

Here's my post again.

The evidence is all couple specific to embassy. Since Nigeria is the visa fraud capital we are all under a BIG microscope. They already are looking at our relationships/marriages as shams to get a visa so we have to show evidence to the contrary. Now be sure to address your red flags if you have any. Listed are a few. If you have these just be able to address them honestly and have proof, evidence to quash it. To raise no doubt what so ever.

1. Significant age difference.

2. Relationships which are less than 1 year old.

3. Discrepencies between the information provide in the forms and that obtained during the interview.

4. Failure of the applicant to demonstrate knowledge of basic information about the petitioner.

5. Recent divorce.

6. infrequent visits

7. Not staying long on visits

8. Marrying first visit than living

9. Not wanting kids.

10. religious difference

Just to name a few

Edited March 26, 2012 by dwheels76

[Tyeger87 10]

we didnt need an attorney- there is really nothing they can do unless you have a complicated case and need help navigating the laws. We took the time to do everything by ourselves and saved a ton of money (the attorneys I spoke to originally were mad expensive for what we did on our own). You can prep for the interview on your own - VJ is a fantastic source.

[stefan y karen 23]

Unless you have a red flag issue, I would stop calling him because he might answer your call, and then bill you $200 just to tell you to keep waiting.

What do you call 1,000 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean? A good start.

[R&RM 11]

They are useless they just take your money. They don't have any impact on your case or outcome.

You took the words out of my mouth!

[Therealworld 90]

An attorney is a waste of money for simple petitions

[realizment 18]

We found it great to have a lawyer (only if you find a good one!) because we both have busy schedules, and them preparing the paper work and stuff just took off a huge workload for us. The work load that comes with preparing for a K1 can do two things in my opinion, bring a couple closer, or cause stress. It really depends on the individuals and their schedule. So for us, it was really worthwhile, their fee was fair. Their service was the best ive dealt with from lawyers in general and immigrations lawyers especially I used 2 in the past, 1 trough J1 and one for extension, both where very expensive and very rude.

The guy we used this time, very friendly, very efficient both him and his staff. And today when I left interview within a couple of hours both him and staff members emailed me separately to see how i got on.

He came highly recommended from friends of my fiancee as he is used a lot in the industry she works in. If anyone wishes to know his contact info, pm me. But himself and his team were very efficient and thorough in their work.

So as many said it doesnt do anything in terms of how it looks, but depending on the individual you could need one for many reasons, my reason is an example thats a lot less worrying than other reasons you may need one, but hey, everyone and their schedules are different!

[Alaska2012 462]

I'm really happy we got a lawyer, my husband is totally not organised and I would probably end up with an ulser if I was gonna rely on him getting all the paperwork done!

But we have an awesome lawyer who really knows what she's doing, she's not sitting around waiting for official emails she's one step ahead all the time. I say it's money well spent!

[Jamie and Sveta 18]

I used an attorney. I could have done it on my own, but I hired him before I found VJ. I won't say it was a waste of money (for me personally) but they did have access to a lot of things that I didn't know. On the downside... They are very secretive about what we need to be prepared for immediately after NOA2. Thank God for VJ. I have already began to get everything in order. I like my attorney, but I honestly feel like I could have do e things a bit more efficiently myself. IMO.