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Applying for my father. Do I really need a lawyer?

By mdbr in Bringing Family Members of US Citizens to America

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mdbr Contributor

mdbr   1

Posted
Filed: AOS (pnd) Country: Brazil
 Timeline
Posted (edited)

Hello guys, 

 

I'm an U.S. Citizen and I'm starting the green card application process for my father. 

 

My father entered the US legally (although his visa has expired). It seems to me that the process will be fairly simple, since it's blood related and my birth certificate is enough evidence that he is my father. 

 

I believe I'm able to fill out all the forms on my own since I'm a bit familiar with the process as I went through it myself, and I don't think I will need a lawyer. 

 

However, my dad insists we should get a lawyer because he believe the process will be faster that way. 

 

Any thoughts on this? Going with a lawyer actually do speed up the process?

 

Thanks!

Edited by mdbr

Green card through marriage process:

Dec 6th 2011(day 0): Sent AOS package
Dec 12th (day 6): Appt received
Dec 15th (day 9): Received txts/emails
Dec 20th (day 14): NOA1 received
Dec 22th (day 16): Biometrics appt received scheduled for Jan 13th
Dec 28th (day 22): Biometrics walk-in at Varick location in NYC
Feb 14th 2012 (day 70): I-765 case update: EAD Card production
Feb 17th (day 73): I-765 case update: EAD Card production (again?)
Feb 21st (day 77): I-765 case update: EAD mailed by USPS
Feb 24th (day 80): EAD delivered!!!
Feb 27th (day 83): Applied for a SS card
Mar 2nd (day 87): SS card in hand
Mar28th (day 113): Interview date received through txt/ email for May 3rd
May 3rd (day 149): Interview at Federal Plaza, NYC
May 4th (day 150); txt/email that I-130 was approved!!!
May 16th (day 162): txt/email GC in production
May 19th (day 165): Green Card received!!!!

Removal of Conditions:

April 24th: I-751 Sent to Vermont center

April 25th: I-751 Received

Nov 14th: RFE Received

Jan 23rd 2015: RFE Responded

Feb 12th 2015: Decision date on I-797: APPROVED!

Feb 17th 2015: Card production ordered

Feb 26th 2015: 10 year green card received

Roel Experienced

Roel   7,192

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

No, lawyers do not speed up any immigration processes.

K1

29.11.2013 - NoA1

06.02.2014 - NoA2

01.04.2014 - Interview. 

AoS

03.2015 - AoS started.

09.2015 - Green Card received.  

RoC

24.07.2017 - NoA1.

01.08.2018 - RoC approved. 

 

 

Crazy Cat Grand Master

Crazy Cat   41,976

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Taiwan
 Timeline
Posted (edited)

My attorney actually caused our case to be delayed by 3months.....

Edited by missileman

"The US immigration process requires a great deal of knowledge, planning, time, patience, and a significant amount of money.  It is quite a journey!"

- Some old child of the 50's & 60's on his laptop 

 

Senior Master Sergeant, US Air Force- Retired (after 20+ years)- Missile Systems Maintenance & Titan 2 ICBM Launch Crew Duty (200+ Alert tours)

Registered Nurse- Retired- I practiced in the areas of Labor & Delivery, Home Health, Adolescent Psych, & Adult Psych.

IT Professional- Retired- Web Site Design, Hardware Maintenance, Compound Pharmacy Software Trainer, On-site go live support, Database Manager, App Designer.

______________________________________

In summary, it took 13 months for approval of the CR-1.  It took 44 months for approval of the I-751.  It took 4 months for approval of the N-400.   It took 172 days from N-400 application to Oath Ceremony.   It took 6 weeks for Passport, then 7 additional weeks for return of wife's Naturalization Certificate.. 
 

mdbr Contributor

mdbr   1

Posted
Filed: AOS (pnd) Country: Brazil
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted
1 minute ago, missileman said:

How long has he overstayed?

Quite a while. 17 years. 

Green card through marriage process:

Dec 6th 2011(day 0): Sent AOS package
Dec 12th (day 6): Appt received
Dec 15th (day 9): Received txts/emails
Dec 20th (day 14): NOA1 received
Dec 22th (day 16): Biometrics appt received scheduled for Jan 13th
Dec 28th (day 22): Biometrics walk-in at Varick location in NYC
Feb 14th 2012 (day 70): I-765 case update: EAD Card production
Feb 17th (day 73): I-765 case update: EAD Card production (again?)
Feb 21st (day 77): I-765 case update: EAD mailed by USPS
Feb 24th (day 80): EAD delivered!!!
Feb 27th (day 83): Applied for a SS card
Mar 2nd (day 87): SS card in hand
Mar28th (day 113): Interview date received through txt/ email for May 3rd
May 3rd (day 149): Interview at Federal Plaza, NYC
May 4th (day 150); txt/email that I-130 was approved!!!
May 16th (day 162): txt/email GC in production
May 19th (day 165): Green Card received!!!!

Removal of Conditions:

April 24th: I-751 Sent to Vermont center

April 25th: I-751 Received

Nov 14th: RFE Received

Jan 23rd 2015: RFE Responded

Feb 12th 2015: Decision date on I-797: APPROVED!

Feb 17th 2015: Card production ordered

Feb 26th 2015: 10 year green card received

Crazy Cat Grand Master

Crazy Cat   41,976

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Taiwan
 Timeline
Posted
1 minute ago, mdbr said:

Quite a while. 17 years. 

I'm not sure if that will affect his case....immediate family   @geowrian will know.

"The US immigration process requires a great deal of knowledge, planning, time, patience, and a significant amount of money.  It is quite a journey!"

- Some old child of the 50's & 60's on his laptop 

 

Senior Master Sergeant, US Air Force- Retired (after 20+ years)- Missile Systems Maintenance & Titan 2 ICBM Launch Crew Duty (200+ Alert tours)

Registered Nurse- Retired- I practiced in the areas of Labor & Delivery, Home Health, Adolescent Psych, & Adult Psych.

IT Professional- Retired- Web Site Design, Hardware Maintenance, Compound Pharmacy Software Trainer, On-site go live support, Database Manager, App Designer.

______________________________________

In summary, it took 13 months for approval of the CR-1.  It took 44 months for approval of the I-751.  It took 4 months for approval of the N-400.   It took 172 days from N-400 application to Oath Ceremony.   It took 6 weeks for Passport, then 7 additional weeks for return of wife's Naturalization Certificate.. 
 

geowrian Grand Master

geowrian   22,337

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (pnd) Country: Philippines
 Timeline
Posted

The length of overstay won't matter as an IR of a USC.

 

The potential challenge is proving that he entered the US with inspection...they had paper I-94s back then and sometimes records do get lost, so hopefully he has his copy already. Otherwise he may need to request a replacement or utilize a FOIA request to obtain whatever records they do have of him that he entered with inspection.

Timelines:

ROC:

Spoiler

7/27/20: Sent forms to Dallas lockbox, 7/30/20: Received by USCIS, 8/10 NOA1 electronic notification received, 8/1/ NOA1 hard copy received

AOS:

Spoiler

AOS (I-485 + I-131 + I-765):

9/25/17: sent forms to Chicago, 9/27/17: received by USCIS, 10/4/17: NOA1 electronic notification received, 10/10/17: NOA1 hard copy received. Social Security card being issued in married name (3rd attempt!)

10/14/17: Biometrics appointment notice received, 10/25/17: Biometrics

1/2/18: EAD + AP approved (no website update), 1/5/18: EAD + AP mailed, 1/8/18: EAD + AP approval notice hardcopies received, 1/10/18: EAD + AP received

9/5/18: Interview scheduled notice, 10/17/18: Interview

10/24/18: Green card produced notice, 10/25/18: Formal approval, 10/31/18: Green card received

K-1:

Spoiler

I-129F

12/1/16: sent, 12/14/16: NOA1 hard copy received, 3/10/17: RFE (IMB verification), 3/22/17: RFE response received

3/24/17: Approved! , 3/30/17: NOA2 hard copy received

 

NVC

4/6/2017: Received, 4/12/2017: Sent to Riyadh embassy, 4/16/2017: Case received at Riyadh embassy, 4/21/2017: Request case transfer to Manila, approved 4/24/2017

 

K-1

5/1/2017: Case received by Manila (1 week embassy transfer??? Lucky~)

7/13/2017: Interview: APPROVED!!!

7/19/2017: Visa in hand

8/15/2017: POE

 

mdbr Contributor

mdbr   1

Posted
Filed: AOS (pnd) Country: Brazil
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted
39 minutes ago, geowrian said:

The length of overstay won't matter as an IR of a USC.

 

The potential challenge is proving that he entered the US with inspection...they had paper I-94s back then and sometimes records do get lost, so hopefully he has his copy already. Otherwise he may need to request a replacement or utilize a FOIA request to obtain whatever records they do have of him that he entered with inspection.

Thankfully he still has his I94 for when he entered the US, so one less thing for us to worry about =)

Green card through marriage process:

Dec 6th 2011(day 0): Sent AOS package
Dec 12th (day 6): Appt received
Dec 15th (day 9): Received txts/emails
Dec 20th (day 14): NOA1 received
Dec 22th (day 16): Biometrics appt received scheduled for Jan 13th
Dec 28th (day 22): Biometrics walk-in at Varick location in NYC
Feb 14th 2012 (day 70): I-765 case update: EAD Card production
Feb 17th (day 73): I-765 case update: EAD Card production (again?)
Feb 21st (day 77): I-765 case update: EAD mailed by USPS
Feb 24th (day 80): EAD delivered!!!
Feb 27th (day 83): Applied for a SS card
Mar 2nd (day 87): SS card in hand
Mar28th (day 113): Interview date received through txt/ email for May 3rd
May 3rd (day 149): Interview at Federal Plaza, NYC
May 4th (day 150); txt/email that I-130 was approved!!!
May 16th (day 162): txt/email GC in production
May 19th (day 165): Green Card received!!!!

Removal of Conditions:

April 24th: I-751 Sent to Vermont center

April 25th: I-751 Received

Nov 14th: RFE Received

Jan 23rd 2015: RFE Responded

Feb 12th 2015: Decision date on I-797: APPROVED!

Feb 17th 2015: Card production ordered

Feb 26th 2015: 10 year green card received

 
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Ask our VJ Immigration Lawyers.

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