Problem with my lawyer

[Waiting234 18]

Stupidly, when I submitted my I-129F, I thought it would be too difficult and I paid a lawyer (3 installments of $800; $800 initial, $800 after she receives her visa, and $800 for the AOS interview). Well, my lawyer does not share the same level of urgency that I prefer. Maybe I am wrong (If I am, please let me know).

First, look how long my petition took to get through USCIS. He told me it shouldn't be more than 4 or 5 months. I submitted to him on February 26, he sent them 2 weeks later in March and I receive an NOA1 on March 19. Then, after waiting 7 months, we received an RFE on October 24 asking if she has ever been arrested. This sounds ridiculous, but please tell me if you agree. It must mean that he never filled in the circle on the I-129f which stated that she had never been arrested, right? I mean, why would that be such an urgent question for USCIS to address when we have to provide her full police report at the interview? The RFE was a multiple choice question "yes or no".

We finally received approval on November 19 and I am the one who notified my lawyer of this! With the help of this website, I was also the first one to know that NVC had received my submittal from USCIS and that I received an NVC number. I was the one who told my lawyer about this number... They assumed wait until things arrive in the mail! They still have not received anything...

So now, after calling the Embassy directly to find out, they told me that they issued an interview date for February 4. My lawyer seems like he is not concerned at all about getting anything done and insists that he cannot help me until she receives the packet! I fear that we will get to January 15 when my fiancé finally receives her packet in the Dominican Republic and my lawyer will want to delay our interview date to make sure we have time to do everything. I've already done everything as written on this website and now await the packet so that she could go for her medical and we could submit everything else. I want to submit everything else without my lawyers help because I've lost faith in his work ethic, and for such an important matter in my life! If you want something done right, I guess you SHOULD do it yourself.

Can you imagine if this had happened to you? I mean, I'm less than 30 days from my interview and my lawyer has told me on a number of occasions that he would send a copy of his submittal to USCIS over the last 10 months (and has not sent it to me yet). We negotiated the second payment of $800 AFTER she received her visa, so maybe he is trying to hold out for the second payment. But, how can I fill out the new forms without knowing what he put on the USCIS forms? I fear that the slightest discrepancy between the two submittals could jeopardize our approval. Is this a bad fear to have? I mean, I feel like documentation is more important than sensibility (we obviously have a very long and healthy relationship after over 30 visits to her country to see her, talking every single day for over 2 years, many of those days for many hours.) I cannot stand to visit her one more time and not have her come back with me.

How can I make a clean break from my lawyer? Does it really matter if her Mother was born in Santo Domingo on one form and in an urbanization of Santo Domingo on another? I really don't feel like having to discuss problems I had with my lawyer in an already nerve-racking interview...

Does anyone have any other suggestions?

[GodsGift225 54]

Sorry that you are going through such a thing, I myself work with lawyer and I know how fishy things can be. So I totally understand where you are heading.... After all I as well consider having this process done with a lawyer but after months and months of research I came down to the conclusion a lawyer is a waste of money and time, after joining this site a my small know legal of the process and my background of paralegal work, I figure if you can read, write, and follow instruction you can do this process on your own. And that is what I did... This site has been very helpful to me as well as the member's

In my opinion if you already have your interview date, I would go to your lawyer and get a complete copy of your file and match up the info. that he filled in on the forms, and I would just finish the process myself. As you stated you have read over the site and instruction and what do next, If you have a copy of packet 4 I would go ahead and scan/fax a copy of it to your wife, with that she can go and get her medicals done at least 1 wk before the interview. You can fill out all the forms for her and once at the interview all she would need to do is sign off of them. .

As for a her getting approved that is just something basic on your relationship and the question that will be asked the date of the interview. Only you two have control over that not you lawyer, he only played the role of filling in you forms submitting them and collect your funds.

I wish you the best of luck on your up coming interview and hope all works out for the best!

[perez525 8]

Stupidly, when I submitted my I-129F, I thought it would be too difficult and I paid a lawyer (3 installments of $800; $800 initial, $800 after she receives her visa, and $800 for the AOS interview). Well, my lawyer does not share the same level of urgency that I prefer. Maybe I am wrong (If I am, please let me know).

First, look how long my petition took to get through USCIS. He told me it shouldn't be more than 4 or 5 months. I submitted to him on February 26, he sent them 2 weeks later in March and I receive an NOA1 on March 19. Then, after waiting 7 months, we received an RFE on October 24 asking if she has ever been arrested. This sounds ridiculous, but please tell me if you agree. It must mean that he never filled in the circle on the I-129f which stated that she had never been arrested, right? I mean, why would that be such an urgent question for USCIS to address when we have to provide her full police report at the interview? The RFE was a multiple choice question "yes or no".

We finally received approval on November 19 and I am the one who notified my lawyer of this! With the help of this website, I was also the first one to know that NVC had received my submittal from USCIS and that I received an NVC number. I was the one who told my lawyer about this number... They assumed wait until things arrive in the mail! They still have not received anything...

So now, after calling the Embassy directly to find out, they told me that they issued an interview date for February 4. My lawyer seems like he is not concerned at all about getting anything done and insists that he cannot help me until she receives the packet! I fear that we will get to January 15 when my fiancé finally receives her packet in the Dominican Republic and my lawyer will want to delay our interview date to make sure we have time to do everything. I've already done everything as written on this website and now await the packet so that she could go for her medical and we could submit everything else. I want to submit everything else without my lawyers help because I've lost faith in his work ethic, and for such an important matter in my life! If you want something done right, I guess you SHOULD do it yourself.

Can you imagine if this had happened to you? I mean, I'm less than 30 days from my interview and my lawyer has told me on a number of occasions that he would send a copy of his submittal to USCIS over the last 10 months (and has not sent it to me yet). We negotiated the second payment of $800 AFTER she received her visa, so maybe he is trying to hold out for the second payment. But, how can I fill out the new forms without knowing what he put on the USCIS forms? I fear that the slightest discrepancy between the two submittals could jeopardize our approval. Is this a bad fear to have? I mean, I feel like documentation is more important than sensibility (we obviously have a very long and healthy relationship after over 30 visits to her country to see her, talking every single day for over 2 years, many of those days for many hours.) I cannot stand to visit her one more time and not have her come back with me.

How can I make a clean break from my lawyer? Does it really matter if her Mother was born in Santo Domingo on one form and in an urbanization of Santo Domingo on another? I really don't feel like having to discuss problems I had with my lawyer in an already nerve-racking interview...

Does anyone have any other suggestions?

It doesn't really matter where her mother was born, the K1 visa is for your fiance, so as long as her information is correct then you shouldn't have no problem during the interview. I'm very sorry to hear about your lawyer doing this to you, but at least you stopped him right on time before you wasted more money in the long run. I think he is trying to stop you and delay it just so that you HAVE to reach out to him and spend all this money on trying to get your case fixed when honestly, from what I'm reading so far you're almost at the finish line. Since you got your approval, the next step is just to prepare for the interview and you defitenely don't need a lawyer for that. I will inbox you an interview guideline I made for myself (which worked out perfectly), and a check list of all the payments my husband (then fiance) and I had to make while in DR, not including plane tickets. You have enough time to be ready, just make sure first thing is she gets her police report as soon as possible. As in the interview, she needs the letter from the embassy to get her medical done, along with her passport, birth certificate (inextensa & legalized), 2 passport photos, medical records if she has any. If she doesn't get the letter, you must wait (14 business days) before the interview to pick up a duplicate packet, she can do this by calling the embassy in DR and requesting it. You can call a few days before that (18 days before the interview) to request it, so it can be ready exactly 2 weeks before and right when she picks it up she can go get her medical done.

Any questions feel free to reach out to me, I personally didn't know of VJ until 3 months after I sent my I-129F, and even though I did it myself, the members helped me in so many ways... you would think for AOS it will be more reasonable to get a lawyer, but even that is done w/out an attorney's help. I'm sure you can do this.

Good luck!

[reese1 68]

It doesn't really matter where her mother was born, the K1 visa is for your fiance, so as long as her information is correct then you shouldn't have no problem during the interview. I'm very sorry to hear about your lawyer doing this to you, but at least you stopped him right on time before you wasted more money in the long run. I think he is trying to stop you and delay it just so that you HAVE to reach out to him and spend all this money on trying to get your case fixed when honestly, from what I'm reading so far you're almost at the finish line. Since you got your approval, the next step is just to prepare for the interview and you defitenely don't need a lawyer for that. I will inbox you an interview guideline I made for myself (which worked out perfectly), and a check list of all the payments my husband (then fiance) and I had to make while in DR, not including plane tickets. You have enough time to be ready, just make sure first thing is she gets her police report as soon as possible. As in the interview, she needs the letter from the embassy to get her medical done, along with her passport, birth certificate (inextensa & legalized), 2 passport photos, medical records if she has any. If she doesn't get the letter, you must wait (14 business days) before the interview to pick up a duplicate packet, she can do this by calling the embassy in DR and requesting it. You can call a few days before that (18 days before the interview) to request it, so it can be ready exactly 2 weeks before and right when she picks it up she can go get her medical done.

Any questions feel free to reach out to me, I personally didn't know of VJ until 3 months after I sent my I-129F, and even though I did it myself, the members helped me in so many ways... you would think for AOS it will be more reasonable to get a lawyer, but even that is done w/out an attorney's help. I'm sure you can do this.

Good luck!

[MrTee12 64]

@Waiting234 you just received great advice from Godsgift & Perez. Just try to stay in encouraged. From here on out depend on the members here to guide you. We have all helped each other obtain visas here. If you need more information regarding the interview process and the steps leading up to it, read this thread.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/358563-what-to-do-after-receiving-your-noa2/

[Bumbero 130]

I want to submit everything else without my lawyers help because I've lost faith in his work ethic, and for such an important matter in my life! If you want something done right, I guess you SHOULD do it yourself.

Your lawyer isn't petitioning a loved one, no sense in urgency for HIM. Sorry to say, you're just a number to him. I bet HE would work his butt off to get HIS loved one here. Just stick with VJ. We ALL know how you feel my friend.

Good luck!

[Cori and Rob 55]

Wow, this sounds almost exactly like my story. My lawyer said pretty much the exact same thing as yours, except we were told my now husband would be in the US within 3-4 months, so yeah, imagine my surprise when I found out it would be closer to 8-9 months. We even got an RFE, too. Anyway, I agree with what the others are saying. Go to your lawyer, and make him or the legal assistant give you a copy of the initial package. Those are your forms. You paid for them, and he cannot hold them hostage. Then follow the guides and do things on your own. Not sure if you were contractually bound to having your lawyer file the AOS, but if you're not, get out now and do it yourself when you're at that point. Good luck!

[Darnell 8,478]

the rest of the forms can be done by the Beneficiary , submitted into the IV unit, no lawyer needed.

Then there's the I-134 form on you, she hand carries that in as well.

At this stage, there's no 'hook' with DoS concerning your attorney, at all.

You and yer lass can simply (repeat for emphasis), simply handle the rest of the paperwork into the IV Unit.

As for disentangling yerself from yer lawyer, you simply send off a letter to said attorney, severing the attorney-client relationship.

If you'd like to be snarky, submit an invoice for a partial refund, covering the RFE and the delay caused by it, then when he doesn't pay it within 30 days, submit a claim into small claims court.

[Gracenp2 14]

Stupidly, when I submitted my I-129F, I thought it would be too difficult and I paid a lawyer (3 installments of $800; $800 initial, $800 after she receives her visa, and $800 for the AOS interview). Well, my lawyer does not share the same level of urgency that I prefer. Maybe I am wrong (If I am, please let me know).

First, look how long my petition took to get through USCIS. He told me it shouldn't be more than 4 or 5 months. I submitted to him on February 26, he sent them 2 weeks later in March and I receive an NOA1 on March 19. Then, after waiting 7 months, we received an RFE on October 24 asking if she has ever been arrested. This sounds ridiculous, but please tell me if you agree. It must mean that he never filled in the circle on the I-129f which stated that she had never been arrested, right? I mean, why would that be such an urgent question for USCIS to address when we have to provide her full police report at the interview? The RFE was a multiple choice question "yes or no".

We finally received approval on November 19 and I am the one who notified my lawyer of this! With the help of this website, I was also the first one to know that NVC had received my submittal from USCIS and that I received an NVC number. I was the one who told my lawyer about this number... They assumed wait until things arrive in the mail! They still have not received anything...

So now, after calling the Embassy directly to find out, they told me that they issued an interview date for February 4. My lawyer seems like he is not concerned at all about getting anything done and insists that he cannot help me until she receives the packet! I fear that we will get to January 15 when my fiancé finally receives her packet in the Dominican Republic and my lawyer will want to delay our interview date to make sure we have time to do everything. I've already done everything as written on this website and now await the packet so that she could go for her medical and we could submit everything else. I want to submit everything else without my lawyers help because I've lost faith in his work ethic, and for such an important matter in my life! If you want something done right, I guess you SHOULD do it yourself.

Can you imagine if this had happened to you? I mean, I'm less than 30 days from my interview and my lawyer has told me on a number of occasions that he would send a copy of his submittal to USCIS over the last 10 months (and has not sent it to me yet). We negotiated the second payment of $800 AFTER she received her visa, so maybe he is trying to hold out for the second payment. But, how can I fill out the new forms without knowing what he put on the USCIS forms? I fear that the slightest discrepancy between the two submittals could jeopardize our approval. Is this a bad fear to have? I mean, I feel like documentation is more important than sensibility (we obviously have a very long and healthy relationship after over 30 visits to her country to see her, talking every single day for over 2 years, many of those days for many hours.) I cannot stand to visit her one more time and not have her come back with me.

How can I make a clean break from my lawyer? Does it really matter if her Mother was born in Santo Domingo on one form and in an urbanization of Santo Domingo on another? I really don't feel like having to discuss problems I had with my lawyer in an already nerve-racking interview...

Does anyone have any other suggestions?

I would recommend you guide yourself via visa journey as mentioned here. I had no issues and actually anticipated getting a lawyer until I ran across VJ..

I wish you luck on the rest of your journey!