Do I need an attorney for I-751 Interview

[gertman 0]

Hi Everyone,
I have received a letter from USCIS this week for an I-751 interview appointment scheduled this March. After talking to my attorney, he suggested I should bring an attorney(his partner) together with me to the interview. As he claims, attorney assists with explanation/clearance of questions asked by immigration officers. My case is pretty straight forward. Our marriage is truthful, I do not have any criminal record, and have been living with my US-citizen wife for over 6 years already. Both are fluent in English, so we have no problem understanding the questions asked.
Personally, I would not mind to have extra support at the interview, but he is charging $1000 fee just to show up at the interview with us, and I consider it pretty expensive.
Originally, when we had our interview for 2-year conditional Green Card, we both were very nervous and I decided to have him on the side together with us at the interview. Pretty much he did nothing much, except for sitting and chatting to the officer about the weather.
Can you please share your thoughts/experience whether I should take him (or not) with us. Would he be of any help at all? Do attorneys regularly going on interviews to the Immigration center have any sort of "special" relationship with immigration officers which could be beneficial in terms of making approval? Please share your thoughts. Thank you

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved from Fam.-based AOS to ROC Forum~

~Inquiry about ROC process~

[nastyamyr 0]

Hi Everyone,

I have received a letter from USCIS this week for an I-751 interview appointment scheduled this March. After talking to my attorney, he suggested I should bring an attorney(his partner) together with me to the interview. As he claims, attorney assists with explanation/clearance of questions asked by immigration officers. My case is pretty straight forward. Our marriage is truthful, I do not have any criminal record, and have been living with my US-citizen wife for over 6 years already. Both are fluent in English, so we have no problem understanding the questions asked.

Personally, I would not mind to have extra support at the interview, but he is charging $1000 fee just to show up at the interview with us, and I consider it pretty expensive.

Originally, when we had our interview for 2-year conditional Green Card, we both were very nervous and I decided to have him on the side together with us at the interview. Pretty much he did nothing much, except for sitting and chatting to the officer about the weather.

Can you please share your thoughts/experience whether I should take him (or not) with us. Would he be of any help at all? Do attorneys regularly going on interviews to the Immigration center have any sort of "special" relationship with immigration officers which could be beneficial in terms of making approval? Please share your thoughts. Thank you

The question is do you want to take a risk?

I had exactly the same concern. And I took a lawyer.

Somebody said before "the officers act different when you have a lawyer with you". I don't know how true it is but your lawyer is your help and witness.

As my experience I was very nervous and was confusing myself with answers. My lawyer was politely stopping me and saying "I think officer would like to know that or that". And he has the package of my documents with him to help me show the correct aspect of the case. Because I would pass just everything with no logic.

As you said its an emotional, mainly stressful, moment. Your brain need some help to be focused and actually be relaxed.

Money is money. You will earn them again.

Take a lawyer.

[squareleg 69]

If you are fluent in English and have collected the necessary documentation to provide, when asked, I consider, you will be fine. As you note, your case is straightforward, it boils down to peace of mind and the $$ you want to spend.

I don't believe that everyone gets an interview at ROC stage, if you think, there is particular reason your case has been called for an interview then take an attorney if you are not confident about handling the case.

Good luck!

[sunshinestate2013 136]

If your case is, as you said, "straightforward," there is no need for an attorney. However, if it will just give you peace of mind, go ahead and get an attorney.

Edited February 12, 2016 by sunshinestate2013

[gertman 0]

Hi, thanks everyone for responding

Attorney claims that possible reason could be lack of documentation. He hints that at USCIS they like to see really huge piles of paper, 4-5 fingers wide. We provided everything on the list (Returns, credit card bank statements, leases, photos). The only problem was to open joint bank account. Due to my wife's pre-marriage crazy lifestyle, she had accumulated a lot of debt she defaulted on, so banks refused to open joint account with her, or even to add her to my already existing personal savings account.

We did receive RAE in April last year and after more thorough investigation, managed to open joint account at Wells Fargo. So some of our joint documents are relatively recent. I suspect this could be the reason for the interview

[gertman 0]

Sorry, meant to say RFE. Basically they requested for more documentation on top of what had been provided. We also included Wills, affidavits from our friends and newly opened joint account. By "straightforward", I meant to say that I never had any issues with low enforcement in the US, never lived separately from my wife since marriage etc.

[sunshinestate2013 136]

Sorry, meant to say RFE. Basically they requested for more documentation on top of what had been provided. We also included Wills, affidavits from our friends and newly opened joint account. By "straightforward", I meant to say that I never had any issues with low enforcement in the US, never lived separately from my wife since marriage etc.

Do you mind sharing with us all the documents your submitted with your application that prompted an RFE?

[gertman 0]

Sure, here is approximate list:

1. Income Taxes

2. All mail for both mine and my spouse's names

3. Leases from our landloard

4. My credit card bills with our address (my spouse had no any credit cards at the time of filing)

5. Health insurance for both of us (from my work)

6. Life insurances for each one of us where we are listed as beneficiaries to one another (from my work)

7. Dental Insurance for both of us (from my work)

8. Photos

9. Driving Licenses + IDs

I guess this is it

When we received RFE 6 months later, we also filed the following:

1. Wills in both names.

2. We managed to open joint account. So we provided letter from the bank + explanation why account was recent

3. We managed to open CCs in my wife's name, so we added each other as authorized users

4. 3-4 Affidavits from our friends aware of our wedding

5. Extra Photos and extra mail we received

6. Medical Proxies

7. Receipts from our landloard for each month. I pay her in cash

Thanks

[gertman 0]

Hi guys, Thank you all for your input.

I have a question - did anyone ever use Aeroflot Airlines while traveling back to the USA by chance? I have just booked my flight, and realized that I am not really aware what regulations they have while allowing people on board.

I have only I-551 stamp in my passport. They also call it "ADIT" stamp. My plastic expired GC was taken away by USCIS. Not able to find any info on their website

Did anyone have any similar experience with them?

Thank you