Help with divorce costs, timeline in Cali

[tiredme12 0]

Hello all,

Newbie here, I hope I'm in the right forum. I would like to address this query to US citizen petitioners who had to undergo divorce and bifurcation in order to file a K1 for their fiance.

(A California-based advice would be an advantage because my bf is in California.)

Many thanks in advance

1. How much did it cost you to divorce?

2. How long did your divorce take?

3. Did your ex get her own lawyer and did you have to pay for it?

4. How much did it cost to bifurcate? (he wants to be free to k-1 petition and marry me asap)

5. How long did it take to bifurcate until you were able to file k1 petition?

THANK YOU SOOOOO much!

Angeline

[tiredme12 0]

anyone?

[tiredme12 0]

anyone pla?

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Hello all,

Newbie here, I hope I'm in the right forum. I would like to address this query to US citizen petitioners who had to undergo divorce and bifurcation in order to file a K1 for their fiance.

(A California-based advice would be an advantage because my bf is in California.)

Many thanks in advance

1. How much did it cost you to divorce?

2. How long did your divorce take?

3. Did your ex get her own lawyer and did you have to pay for it?

4. How much did it cost to bifurcate? (he wants to be free to k-1 petition and marry me asap)

5. How long did it take to bifurcate until you were able to file k1 petition?

THANK YOU SOOOOO much!

Angeline

Every case is different. Keep that in mind.

1. In total court and lawyer fees, over $20,000. The settlement cost me many thousands more. In fact, it wiped out my retirement account. My case was not typical. If the divorce is uncontested, the marriage lasted less than five years, there are no children involved, no jointly owned property, no debts in excess of $6000, and no disagreements in the settlement, then a summary dissolution is possible. This can cost far less. In fact, it's possible to get a summary dissolution for under $1000 total. There are a few other requirements, and a lot of paperwork involved in a summary dissolution, but it can be done without any attorneys, and is by far the least expensive route.

2. Nearly four years. Again, my case was not typical. My ex-wife fought vigorously at every step of the way, and her lawyer was a shark. I lost count of the number of times my wife's attorney managed to get hearings postponed.

3. My ex-wife's attorney asked the judge to order me to pay for her attorney, but the judge refused, even though my ex-wife had no income other than the temporary spousal support I was paying her.

4. California has a minimum cooling off period of six months before a final decree of divorce can be issued.

5. I divorced years before I met my new wife, and I had no intentions of filing anything for anyone at the time my divorce was final. In any case, a K1 petition can be filed the day the final decree of divorce is signed by the judge.

[tiredme12 0]

Hi Jim!

Thanks so much for your reply

1. Do you know anyone else in this forum that can answer my queries too (other divorced guys from

California? I read posts specifically about bifurcation from Ken and Mitra and StarProg but I

don't know if they're still active members.

2. They have two kids so it can't be a summary dissolution. How much do you think an uncontested

divorce will cost total?

3. Does your lawyer know a San Francisco based lawyer who's very experienced with bifurcation?

4. Would a Mediation Attorney be as effective as a lawyer? How much would it cost you think?

Sorry for the many questions, thanks so much again.

[Penguin_ie 5,994]

*** Moving from K1 visa to Off Topic as not immigration related, and changed title to be more descriptive. ****

[tiredme12 0]

Thanks Penguin, I hope I get more replies here

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

If it is uncontested you don't need bifurcation as that won't speed things up. It only helps if they want to fight over protery and such forever by allowing them to divorce ( end marriage) and then fight over assets where it is usually all done at once. Assuming uncontested. You can get a divorce package for do it yourself for about $20. You have to wait from first hearing for 6 months before the judge signs the divorce,no speeding that along. I think in Ca. you have to wait 2 more weeks to marry ( be careful about this kind of trap it can lead to denial if you don't wait out the full time) Filing right after divorce will raise red falgs especially if the ex is an immigrant also.

[tiredme12 0]

Thanks Nigeria