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nimble

benefits of using a lawyer?

By nimble in K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures

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nimble Explorer

nimble   0

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Filed: Lift. Cond. (pnd) Country: India
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Posted

This may be a silly question, however I'll throw it out there anyways. Is it true that lawyers are able to speed up the process of I-129F reviews at the service centers or is the processing time the same as it would be if I were to directly send in the papers?

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tonyeck Collaborator

tonyeck   0

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Filed: AOS (pnd) Country: United Kingdom
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No lawyer can speed up the process :) It's the same speed regardless of how you file...

Tony (UK) and Danielle (US) K-1 Visa journey

2007:

February, 06: Sent I-129f package to the US to be routed to Vermont

February, 09: I-129f forwarded to Vermont USCIS from US Home

February, 12: I-129f arrives VSC :) Journey really starts!

February, 13: NOA1 Reciept date

February, 16: VSC Cashes the check

March, 09: NOA2 Email. yay!

March, 11: Touched... Probably for the last time at VSC :)

March, 14: NVC Recieved package

March, 15: NVC Sent package to London

March, 20: Package recieved in London

March, 28: Packet 3 recieved!

April, 2: Packet 3 Sent back to London

April, 10: Packet 3 recieved by London Embassy

April, 17: Packet 4 recieved

May, 1: Medical

May, 29: Interview! - APPROVED

June, 1: Visa in Hand

July 18: Fly back together POE

July, 24: Legally married!

July 27: Filed for AOS

July 30: AOS recieved in Chiacgo

August 24: NOA1 for EAD, AP and AOS

September 15: Real Marriage with friends and family

September 18: Biometrics

October 3: EAD card production ordered!

October 11: EAD card in hand!

October 15: Case forwarded to California!

Nov, 08: Card production ordered! AWESOME

Nov, 15: Green Card Recieved (even though it's yellow)! AWESOME

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hockeybrain Contributor

hockeybrain   0

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No lawyer can speed up the process :) It's the same speed regardless of how you file...

My experience is you need a lawyer to get your through the AOS. I put in the K-1, no RFE, wife got approved in five months back in 2004. We were married and I put in our AOS packet, again no RFE, but she did not get her green card as of today and they have her on an FBI name check wait with a pending application 2 1/3 years later. If I had a lawyer when I filed the AOS perhaps that would have gone better..........................................

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bora bora Experienced

bora bora   1

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Brazil
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benefits? i don't know of any.

you spend more money than the rest of us and sometime have to deal with the errors the lawyers often make.

11/2004 - Met in Brazil

09/2006 - Apply for K1

03/2007 - K1 approved

04/2007 - Apply for AOS & EAD

07/2007 - EAD approved

01/2008 - Conditional Residency approved

11/2009 - Apply to remove conditions

02/2010 - Permanent Residency approved

11/2010 - Apply for Citizenship

03/2011 - Citizenship approved

07/2011 - Moved back to Brazil

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TracyTN Veteran

TracyTN   237

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: United Kingdom
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Posted (edited)

How can a lawyer speed up the FBI namecheck process (at least upon the initial AOS filing)?

Edited by TracyTN
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TimsDaisy Proficient

TimsDaisy   0

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: United Kingdom
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I will repeat this now and continue to repeat this as often as I see the question come up:

Lawyers are not magicians! They have no special powers! They have no special bat-phone to the government that magically moves your application to the top of the pile. They cannot speed anything up.

If you have a complicated case (multiple arrests, domestic violence convictions, you're bared from entering the US, you have 68 children and 3 of them have tuberculosis) then perhaps you should consult an attorney to see if it is worth your while to retain legal counsel. If you have a simple case, you can most likely proceed on your own using VJ and other available resources as guidance.

I-129F/K1

1-12-07 mailed to CSC

1-22-07 DHS cashes the I-129F check

1-23-07 NOA1 Notice Date

1-26-07 NOA1 arrives in the post

4-25-07 Touched!

4-26-07 Touched again!

5-3-07 NOA2!!! Two approval emails received at 11:36am

5-10-07 Arrived at NVC/5-14-07 Left NVC - London-bound!

5-17-07??? London receives?

5-20-07 Packet 3 mailed

5-26-07 Packet 3 received

5-29-07 Packet 3 returned, few days later than planned due to bank holiday weekend

6-06-07 Medical in London (called to schedule on May 29)

6-11-07 "Medical in file" at Embassy

6-14-07 Resent packet 3 to Embassy after hearing nothing about first try

6-22-07 DOS says "applicant now eligible for interview," ie: they enter p3 into their system

6-25-07 DOS says interview date is August 21

6-28-07 Help from our congressional representative gives us new interview date: July 6

7-06-07 Interview at 9:00 am at the London Embassy - Approved.

7-16-07 Visa delivered after 'security checks' completed

I-129F approved in 111 days; Interview 174 days from filing

Handy numbers:

NVC: (603) 334-0700 - press 1, 5; US State Department: (202) 663-1225 - press 1, 0

*Be afraid or be informed - the choice is yours.*

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payxibka Grand Master

payxibka   10,044

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Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Philippines
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Posted
I will repeat this now and continue to repeat this as often as I see the question come up:

Lawyers are not magicians! They have no special powers! They have no special bat-phone to the government that magically moves your application to the top of the pile. They cannot speed anything up.

If you have a complicated case (multiple arrests, domestic violence convictions, you're bared from entering the US, you have 68 children and 3 of them have tuberculosis) then perhaps you should consult an attorney to see if it is worth your while to retain legal counsel. If you have a simple case, you can most likely proceed on your own using VJ and other available resources as guidance.

So my 68 children (with 52 different mothers) are Ok as long as the are all clear of TB.... What a relief....

YMMV

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maya62 Rising Star

maya62   7

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Nepal
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Posted

FWIW...

As others have pointed out before in answer to this very question: NO ONE is as interested or invested in the success of your case as you and your fiance(e). There are lots of stories floating around about people who have spent a fortune on a lawyer (or lawyerS) and ended up having to use cattleprods on them to get anything done, having their cases languish on someone's desk for months, or worse, having to go after them and correct mistakes.

My personal opinion, having shepherded our cases (K1&K2) through to CPR status - and not without making my own errors :blush: - is that as long as you don't have a bunch of red flags on your case, it is quite possible, especially with the help of the fantastic people here on VJ, to do it yourself.

And if for some reason you unexpectedly get in over your head, you can hire a lawyer then. Carefully.

Best wishes!

Maya

PS Of course, if you have plenty of money and know a really good immigration attorney personally, and would rather sit on the beach on the Cote d'Azur than do your own paperwork, then by all means, have at it!

Many thanks to the Visajourney community for all the help!

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CanuckmeetsYank Explorer

CanuckmeetsYank   0

Posted
Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Canada
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Posted

Speaking from personal experience of hiring a lawyer before I found this site....not really worth it. They CANNOT speed anything up..you go through the hoops like everyone else. We just hired one to make sure everything was okay....total waste..and yes I kick myself now..but what can you do she is holding our hands through the AOS once we start that.

If your case is straight forward..then you can really do it yourself. Follow the guides ask questions ; and Save the money, for when you want to travel after you get AP. :)

K1-Journey

[*]March 9,2006 finally sent K1 Package to Nebraska

[*]March 24-NOA1

[*]July 17/06 -IMBRA RFE

September 13/06- 3 Emails stating we got NOA2, APPROVED!!! Dated September 8,2006.

[*]October 20th/06-Received Packet 3

[*]October 31/06-Medical Exam

December 6,2006-Interview in Vancouver APPROVED!

Arrived in US- December 14, 2006

January 3,2007- Applied for SSN got within 7 days in the mail.

February 17,2007- MARRIED!

AOS-EAD-AP Journey:

March 2, 2007-Started AOS paperwork

March 12,2007- Filed AOS, EAD, AP Docs.

March 22, 2007-NOA1 for AOS,EAD, AP

March 23, 2007-Receive "Biometrics Appointment"Letter

April 4, 2007- Biometrics Appointment...done..

April 19,2007-Notice in Mail saying transfered to CSC..not sure what is up with that...

May 21, 2007- Touched and email saying case pending at CSC.

May 23,2007-AOS Touched!

May 25, 2007-AOS Touched-Again

May 29, 2007-Email AP APPROVED.

May 29, 2007-EAD touched

May 30,2007-AP and EAD Touched

May 31, 2007-Email stating I-485 Card Production Ordered!!! WOOHOO!

June 1,2007-Email EAD Approved

June 2, 2007- AP Received.

June 4, 2007 -Welcome New Permanent Resident letter received.

June 7, 2007-EAD Card Received..no GC yet..

June 9, 2007-GREEN CARD IN HAND!

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de_sjiem Community Regular

de_sjiem   0

Posted
Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted
No lawyer can speed up the process :) It's the same speed regardless of how you file...

My experience is you need a lawyer to get your through the AOS. I put in the K-1, no RFE, wife got approved in five months back in 2004. We were married and I put in our AOS packet, again no RFE, but she did not get her green card as of today and they have her on an FBI name check wait with a pending application 2 1/3 years later. If I had a lawyer when I filed the AOS perhaps that would have gone better..........................................

nope wouldnt have.. lawyers dont make a difference with the fbi.. we didnt have a lawyer for anything... no rfe's and I had my gc in 6 months...

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