CR1 Visa Process -- To Lawyer or Not to Lawyer

[Eaglo 0]

Hello,

I was considering beginning the CR1 Visa process (my fiancee is Italian) and the question arose: Should I retain a lawyer to handle the process? I reviewed the documents and they didn't seem too complicated. I'm an engineer so this sort of paperwork isn't too foreign to me.

So, in your experience, for a CR1 Visa does a person need a lawyer?

Thanks for you help VJ Community!

[B&Z 201]

This is a DIY site, so the vast majority of people here will tell you that you do not need a lawyer unless there is something unusual about your case. Explore this site, it has tons of information and guidance on how to file a CR-1 by yourself.

http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide1

[A'n'L 735]

A lawyer us definitely not necessary. However, make sure you start by choosing the right visa. A CR1 visa is for a spouse, a K1 visa is for a fiancé. You would have to be married before starting the CR1 process.

[B&Z 201]

A lawyer us definitely not necessary. However, make sure you start by choosing the right visa. A CR1 visa is for a spouse, a K1 visa is for a fiancé. You would have to be married before starting the CR1 process.

Oops, I totally didn't catch the "fiancee" in their post!

"What Visa Do I Need?"

http://www.visajourney.com/content/compare

Guides:

http://www.visajourney.com/content/guides

K-1 Fiance Visa:

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

[nycmycity 3]

If your case is simple and not complicated, I would suggest that you can deal with the whole process on your own.

[Eaglo 0]

The story thickens due to the fact my fiancee's uncle is a priest, so we need to be religiously married in Italy. I was thinking of having a civil marriage in the US prior to starting the application and when approved perform the religious ceremony in the six month window and then come home to the United States.

[evalili 10]

The story thickens due to the fact my fiancee's uncle is a priest, so we need to be religiously married in Italy. I was thinking of having a civil marriage in the US prior to starting the application and when approved perform the religious ceremony in the six month window and then come home to the United States.

then you should apply for a K-1 fiancé(e) visa, because the two of you plan to marry after she enters the states. the procedure isn't so complicated, so without a lawyer would work. it's really up to you if you want to pay extra for a lawyer.

[Eaglo 0]

"I was thinking of having a civil marriage in the US prior to starting the application."

[A'n'L 735]

"I was thinking of having a civil marriage in the US prior to starting the application."

Then CR1 is the route for you.

I don't understand why you want/have to have the Italy ceremony in the "6 month visa window", when you'll have an entire year before that? But, that's your choice of course.

[Eaglo 0]

Then CR1 is the route for you.

I don't understand why you want/have to have the Italy ceremony in the "6 month visa window", when you'll have an entire year before that? But, that's your choice of course.

I must have done a poor job in my explanation. It's simply religious. As Catholics we can't live together until we receive the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. That's all really. We view the civil marriage as not really marriage (it is not socially acceptable for two Catholics to live together without being formally wed) it is simply required for legal reasons. Once the visa is in place, we can marry, go on a brief honeymoon and hopefully be back in New York to keep working.

[A'n'L 735]

I must have done a poor job in my explanation. It's simply religious. As Catholics we can't live together until we receive the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. That's all really. We view the civil marriage as not really marriage (it is not socially acceptable for two Catholics to live together without being formally wed) it is simply required for legal reasons. Once the visa is in place, we can marry, go on a brief honeymoon and hopefully be back in New York to keep working.

Alrighty, read up on the CR1/I130 guides - and good luck to you both!

[Kikk159 27]

I completely advise against hiring a lawyer. My husband proposed hiring one and I agreed only because I had no idea whatsoever about the process, I only did AFTER we hired him, and now we both regret it.

First, he completely ignored me and made me feel like I was wasting his time with my questions.

Second, he made so many mistakes on the DS-260, wrote down a wrong address (WRONG TOWN TOO)

Third, because of his incompetence, we received 2 checklists that could have EASILY been avoided. After our case was received by the NVC and the lawyer sent "All" the required documents, I began reading about the process and I noticed that the NVC asks for civil documents. I said wait a minute, he didn't ask me for no civil documents. So I wrote him, and he replied: Don't worry, I have them. I sent them everything. I thought to myself that's weird but I gave him the benefit of the doubt which of course was useless because just 30 days after that we got our first checklist asking us for those civil documents, and then he had the nerve to tell me that even if we had sent them, they would have expired by now. uhh excuse me? You sent the documents A MONTH ago, no documents expire in one month. He just thought I was stupid or something but there was nothing I could do. What's done was done.

So like I said, DO NOT hire a lawyer, they will stress the hell out of you and make you beg for information.

I wish I knew VJ before, we could have saved a lot of money!

Good luck

Bonus: On the Affidavit of support, he wrote 1947 as my husband's date of birth. Seriously? NO COMMENT!!!!!!!!

[David & Diana R 1,005]

Hello,

I was considering beginning the CR1 Visa process (my fiancee is Italian) and the question arose: Should I retain a lawyer to handle the process? I reviewed the documents and they didn't seem too complicated. I'm an engineer so this sort of paperwork isn't too foreign to me.

So, in your experience, for a CR1 Visa does a person need a lawyer?

Thanks for you help VJ Community!

No attorney needed...I filed all the documents to bring my wife on a CR-1 spousal visa. I followed the vj checklist. Almost 8 months to the day my wife and I were on an airplane headed to the US. Good luck and God Bless, david

Edited October 26, 2016 by David & Zoila

[TokyoHNL 25]

Lawyer not required. I spoke with an attorney AFTER I filed because of the time it is taking for my case to complete and he said that I have a straight-forward case its just taking a long time.

And for another data point, even with an Attorney, they have no special influencing skills to make the process move faster. A friend of mine had their corporate attorney process the visa paperwork for his wife (he is American, she is Japanese) and it still took close to 2 years. The USCIS and NVC ignored all requests from the Corporate attorney but replied promptly to the petitioner (husband).

[R and KJ 180]

Hello,

I was considering beginning the CR1 Visa process (my fiancee is Italian) and the question arose: Should I retain a lawyer to handle the process? I reviewed the documents and they didn't seem too complicated. I'm an engineer so this sort of paperwork isn't too foreign to me.

So, in your experience, for a CR1 Visa does a person need a lawyer?

Thanks for you help VJ Community!

Hi, i suggest not to get a lawyer. You just need to follow the instructions carefully Good luck on preparation and process