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Is a lawyer really necessary? K1

By JC&BS in Africa: Sub-Saharan

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JC&BS Enthusiast

JC&BS   75

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: Ghana
 Timeline
Posted

I've heard that a lawyer can't help if denied a K1 visa. When I asked a few local lawyers what they could do for me if we are denied at embassy they beat around the bush so I take their lack of an answer as "no, they cant help."

 

1.Have any of you used a lawyer?

 

2. If not, do you regret not hiring one?

 

3. If you did hire one, do you regret doing so?

panssey Contributor

panssey   7

Posted
Filed: Citizen (pnd) Timeline
Posted

When we filed for a K1 visa and for other petitions, we did not hire a lawyer. And I don't regret that we did not. In fact I am glad that we did not hire a lawyer. USCIS' website and forms as well as instructions to them are pretty clear. If there are any questions, you may ask here, on this forum or any other immigration forum. People are always happy to help here

Boiler Grand Master

Boiler   45,672

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Wales
 Timeline
Posted

Lawyers can not change facts.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

mcfarljw Contributor

mcfarljw   36

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: China
 Timeline
Posted

No, it's not necessary and as other have mentioned they really can only advise while helping you fill out your documents. That being said we did use lawyer and don't regret it. We specifically chose someone who was able to explain things to my fiancé in her native language and make sure we had prepared everything as it pertains to China.

 

Could we have done it on our own? Yes.

Was it comforting to have someone advising us? Yes.

Ebunoluwa Veteran

Ebunoluwa   6,136

Posted
Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Cyprus
 Timeline
Posted
20 hours ago, JC&BS said:

I've heard that a lawyer can't help if denied a K1 visa. When I asked a few local lawyers what they could do for me if we are denied at embassy they beat around the bush so I take their lack of an answer as "no, they cant help."

 

1.Have any of you used a lawyer?

 

2. If not, do you regret not hiring one?

 

3. If you did hire one, do you regret doing so?

1. Yes.
2. ----

3. Yes, I had to fire him because he messed us up. I picked him out of 40 recommended lawyers and I called/emailed most of them
to find one who was responding with the correct answers that I knew were right as opposed to others who couldn't answer my basic questions.
Still messed up and I did it myself. 
There are very few who help with embassy issues, Marc Ellis for one. He is very hard to get a hold of.
You don't need a lawyer but need to follow the guidelines here closely and read your embassy reviews and regional forum, subscribe
so you get all new posts.
Read the Ghana threads here and pay attention to what makes your embassy so specific in their pattern to deny.

 

Spoiler

 

I-129F Sent : 3-31-2014, NOA2: 4-6-2014

NVC Received : some dinkelsberry yehoo in the house of clingons send our petition to the wrong consulate.

Consulate Received : July 30,2014 Transfer to right embassy complete.

Interview Date : Oct 22, 2014

Interview Result : AP , requesting another PC (not expired) and certified divorce decree (was submitted)Stokes interview via phone for petitioner 4 hrs after interview.

Oct 23 email notification visa approved.
Visa Received : Nov. 3 , 2014 VISA IN HAND.

US Entry : Nov. 21, 2014

Marriage : Dec 27, 2014

AOS send : May 12, 2015, received May 14, 2015 USPS priority

Email &text : May 18, 2015, check cashed May 19,2015, return receipt May 21, 2015 stamped USCIS Lockbox, NOA1 (3x) May 22,2015

Biometrics : June 1, 2015 letter received for appointment June 8, 2015, successful walk-in June 1, 2015

RFE : June 12, 2015 for income not meeting guideline. Income does ( ! ) exceed guideline.

RFE response : June 26, 2015 returned with a boat load full of financial evidence.

UPDATE: July 5, 2015 updated on all 3 cases, RFE received June 30, 2015.

Service request : Aug 12, 2015, letter received that it will be processed within 90 days from receipt of RFE.

UPDATE: Aug 24, 2015, EAD card being produced/ordered. ( 102 days from AOS receipt day and 55 days from RFE response received.) Thank you Jesus !

Emails : Aug 24, 2015, EAD approved, EAD card ordered.

I-797 EAD/AP approval notice received : Aug 27, 2015

EAD/AP combo card mailed : Aug 27, 2015, EAD/AP combo card received: Aug 31, 2015

Renewal application send for EAD/AP : May 31,2016 (AOS pending over 1 year). Received June 2, 2016,Notice date June7, 2016, emails,texts, NOA1 hard copy

Service request for pending AOS April 21, 2016, case not assigned yet.
Service request for pending AOS June 14, 2016, tier 2 said performing background checks.
Expedite request for EAD/AP Aug 3, 2016, Aug10 notification >request was received, assigned, completed. RFE letter requesting evidence for expedite, docs faxed Aug18

*Service request for I-485 Aug 3, 2016, Aug11 notification> request was assigned. Service request Dec 2, 2016.
AOS Interview letter received Aug 12, 2016

AOS Interview September 21, 2016.

Second Biometrics appointment letters received for EAD and AOS on Aug 15, 2016 for Aug 17 ( 2 day notice).

Second Biometrics completed Aug 17, 2016

Third Biometrics appointment letter received Aug 19, 2016 for Sept. 1, 2016. WTH ?!

EAD/AP (renewal) approval Aug 22, 2016, NOA2 received Aug 25, 2016

Renewal EAD in production notification text and online, expedite successful 4 days after RFE request response was faxed, Aug25mailed,Aug29received.

Sept. 21 Interview, 2 hour interview, we were separated and asked about 50 questions each for an hour each. IO was firm but professional, some smiles.
Several service requests made, contacted Senator and Ombudsman. Background checks still pending.
July 21, 2017 HOME VISIT.  Went well. Topic thread in AOS forum.
Waiting to skip ROC and get 10 yr GC due to over 2 year while pending AOS
AOS APPROVED Oct. 4, 2017 * Green card in hand Oct 13, 2017 !!!!!

First K1 denied after 16 month of AP. Refiled. We are a couple since 2009. Not a sprint but a matter of endurance.

 

  • 2 weeks later...
JC&BS Enthusiast

JC&BS   75

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: Ghana
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted
On 2/8/2018 at 5:40 PM, Ebunoluwa said:

1. Yes.
2. ----

3. Yes, I had to fire him because he messed us up. I picked him out of 40 recommended lawyers and I called/emailed most of them
to find one who was responding with the correct answers that I knew were right as opposed to others who couldn't answer my basic questions.
Still messed up and I did it myself. 
There are very few who help with embassy issues, Marc Ellis for one. He is very hard to get a hold of.
You don't need a lawyer but need to follow the guidelines here closely and read your embassy reviews and regional forum, subscribe
so you get all new posts.
Read the Ghana threads here and pay attention to what makes your embassy so specific in their pattern to deny.

 

Why did you have to fire him? What did he mess up?

Ebunoluwa Veteran

Ebunoluwa   6,136

Posted
Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Cyprus
 Timeline
Posted
On 2/19/2018 at 1:21 AM, JC&BS said:

Why did you have to fire him? What did he mess up?

Because he did not know how to correctly front load.

Spoiler

 

I-129F Sent : 3-31-2014, NOA2: 4-6-2014

NVC Received : some dinkelsberry yehoo in the house of clingons send our petition to the wrong consulate.

Consulate Received : July 30,2014 Transfer to right embassy complete.

Interview Date : Oct 22, 2014

Interview Result : AP , requesting another PC (not expired) and certified divorce decree (was submitted)Stokes interview via phone for petitioner 4 hrs after interview.

Oct 23 email notification visa approved.
Visa Received : Nov. 3 , 2014 VISA IN HAND.

US Entry : Nov. 21, 2014

Marriage : Dec 27, 2014

AOS send : May 12, 2015, received May 14, 2015 USPS priority

Email &text : May 18, 2015, check cashed May 19,2015, return receipt May 21, 2015 stamped USCIS Lockbox, NOA1 (3x) May 22,2015

Biometrics : June 1, 2015 letter received for appointment June 8, 2015, successful walk-in June 1, 2015

RFE : June 12, 2015 for income not meeting guideline. Income does ( ! ) exceed guideline.

RFE response : June 26, 2015 returned with a boat load full of financial evidence.

UPDATE: July 5, 2015 updated on all 3 cases, RFE received June 30, 2015.

Service request : Aug 12, 2015, letter received that it will be processed within 90 days from receipt of RFE.

UPDATE: Aug 24, 2015, EAD card being produced/ordered. ( 102 days from AOS receipt day and 55 days from RFE response received.) Thank you Jesus !

Emails : Aug 24, 2015, EAD approved, EAD card ordered.

I-797 EAD/AP approval notice received : Aug 27, 2015

EAD/AP combo card mailed : Aug 27, 2015, EAD/AP combo card received: Aug 31, 2015

Renewal application send for EAD/AP : May 31,2016 (AOS pending over 1 year). Received June 2, 2016,Notice date June7, 2016, emails,texts, NOA1 hard copy

Service request for pending AOS April 21, 2016, case not assigned yet.
Service request for pending AOS June 14, 2016, tier 2 said performing background checks.
Expedite request for EAD/AP Aug 3, 2016, Aug10 notification >request was received, assigned, completed. RFE letter requesting evidence for expedite, docs faxed Aug18

*Service request for I-485 Aug 3, 2016, Aug11 notification> request was assigned. Service request Dec 2, 2016.
AOS Interview letter received Aug 12, 2016

AOS Interview September 21, 2016.

Second Biometrics appointment letters received for EAD and AOS on Aug 15, 2016 for Aug 17 ( 2 day notice).

Second Biometrics completed Aug 17, 2016

Third Biometrics appointment letter received Aug 19, 2016 for Sept. 1, 2016. WTH ?!

EAD/AP (renewal) approval Aug 22, 2016, NOA2 received Aug 25, 2016

Renewal EAD in production notification text and online, expedite successful 4 days after RFE request response was faxed, Aug25mailed,Aug29received.

Sept. 21 Interview, 2 hour interview, we were separated and asked about 50 questions each for an hour each. IO was firm but professional, some smiles.
Several service requests made, contacted Senator and Ombudsman. Background checks still pending.
July 21, 2017 HOME VISIT.  Went well. Topic thread in AOS forum.
Waiting to skip ROC and get 10 yr GC due to over 2 year while pending AOS
AOS APPROVED Oct. 4, 2017 * Green card in hand Oct 13, 2017 !!!!!

First K1 denied after 16 month of AP. Refiled. We are a couple since 2009. Not a sprint but a matter of endurance.

 

 
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