On our own or lawyer (split)

[payxibka 10,044]

1 minute ago, Mike E said:

 DIY work on the K-1 cost us time on the AOS. 

K1 and Adjustment of status are mutually exclusive so I can't think of how 

[SalishSea 16,770]

9 hours ago, USN_MSC said:

My opinion is unless you do not feel confident in completing it yourself (lots of "explanations" i.e. divorce(s)), you should do it yourself and save the money.

Even with divorces, a lawyer is not needed.  The petition establishes that the two parties are legally free to marry one another, which can be accomplished by providing final divorce decrees.

[Mike E 11,723]

35 minutes ago, payxibka said:

K1 and Adjustment of status are mutually exclusive so I can't think of how 

In my reality there is nothing   mutually exclusive at all about K-1 and AOS. In fact in order to have AOS one must have entered on the USA on a K-1. But then again, on visa journey there is a rough consensus that it is ok to file for AOS after 90 days from POE.    So I can accept that in your reality the two are mutually exclusive.  

 

As for “can’t think how”. Indeed. It is a failure of imagination of you, me and people upvoting your post.  

 

And yet having a lawyer before the visa interview would have saved us time gathering documents after POE. Documents that we gave to the embassy not realizing we needed them later. And also, it turns out the standard for documents is higher with AOS. It would have been much easier if my wife was still in Myanmar chasing these down versus doing it over Viber.  

 

Legal advice early and often would have helped us.  

Edited May 12, 2019 by Mike E

[Shiran 1,134]

7 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Documents that we gave to the embassy not realizing we needed them later.

General rule is you do not part with any originals. I don't know how things are done in Burma, but the only original (besides passport obviously) that was requested of us at the embassy was birth certificate, and sure as heck we made sure we got it back after the interview. 

 

I do not think anyone doubts that lawyer, or 2nd/3rd etc set of eyes can be useful when dealing with piles of confusingly worded documents, but for people to figure out if price of the service justifies it. The biggest danger I see is that having a lawyer lures people into a sense of unwarranted security where things do not get double checked. 

[payxibka 10,044]

2 hours ago, Mike E said:

In my reality there is nothing   mutually exclusive at all about K-1 and AOS. In fact in order to have AOS one must have entered on the USA on a K-1. But then again, on visa journey there is a rough consensus that it is ok to file for AOS after 90 days from POE.    So I can accept that in your reality the two are mutually exclusive.  

 

As for “can’t think how”. Indeed. It is a failure of imagination of you, me and people upvoting your post.  

 

And yet having a lawyer before the visa interview would have saved us time gathering documents after POE. Documents that we gave to the embassy not realizing we needed them later. And also, it turns out the standard for documents is higher with AOS. It would have been much easier if my wife was still in Myanmar chasing these down versus doing it over Viber.  

 

Legal advice early and often would have helped us.  

I don't think it's a lack of creativity,  I think the advantage I have is an ability to read and comprehend basic written instructions.  My AOS package took about an hour to put together 

[Mike E 11,723]

2 hours ago, Shiran said:

General rule is you do not part with any originals.

Agreed. 

 

And if this document were a birth certificate, National ID card, etc we wouldn’t have. We didn’t realize USCIS would need it for AOS. Whereas a lawyer would have.  And I am sure in haystack of tidbits of visajourney there would have been a specific warning. Or if I was looking at AOS at the same time as K-1 I would have realized it.  

 

I am not an expert. Call me an idiot for not having your encyclopedia knowledge of immigration law.   I don’t do my own oil changes either. Or replace my hot water tanks.  

 

You win. 

 

OP:  the gallery has spoken. Don’t get a lawyer. 

3 minutes ago, payxibka said:

I don't think it's a lack of creativity,  I think the advantage I have is an ability to read and comprehend basic written instructions.  My AOS package took about an hour to put together 

Yes you are a better person that me. 

[confusedshoes 193]

Didn't use a lawyer for K1, Everything went smoothly, The interview was a breeze as well because we were both there together and we've known each other for 18 years, and are only a couple years apart in age. No red flags, no complications to explain. 

We filed AOS without a lawyer as well because its straightforward, Legal paperwork isn't anything I shy away from anyways. I do my own taxes, and there are plenty of resources online to figure out things you might be iffy about. Lawyers, no matter what they say, do not care about your case the same way you will. Even if I got a lawyer id be double checking all their work, which everyone should be doing anyways. 

[SalishSea 16,770]

33 minutes ago, payxibka said:

I don't think it's a lack of creativity,  I think the advantage I have is an ability to read and comprehend basic written instructions.  My AOS package took about an hour to put together 

Exactly.  Not everyone has such skills.