k-1 Visa: Professional help required?

[RySn 0]

Hello Everyone,

 First timer here. My fiance (Cambodian) and I (American) live In Cambodia. We are looking into the K-1 Visa process. We are planning to move to the U.S. in July or August 2022. But from reading recent forums, It is mostly likely not going to happen. That's beside the point. 

 

My question is, it is worth hiring a professional to handle everything(making sure I am crossing my Ts and dotting my Is) or complete it on my own? Services are between $1000-$1500. If is suggested to get professional help, which agency is reliable and are there any located in Cambodia?

Thank you in advance.

[Mike E 11,740]

15 minutes ago, Ruryn said:

Hello Everyone,

 First timer here. My fiance (Cambodian) and I (American) live In Cambodia. We are looking into the K-1 Visa process. We are planning to move to the U.S. in July or August 2022. But from reading recent forums, It is mostly likely not going to happen. That's beside the point. 

 

My question is, it is worth hiring a professional to handle everything(making sure I am crossing my Ts and dotting my Is) or complete it on my own? Services are between $1000-$1500. If is suggested to get professional help, which agency is reliable and are there any located in Cambodia?

Thank you in advance.

If that $1000 is not for a licensed practitioner of American immigration law it is not worth it. Often such "professionals" make lots of errors. 

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

No one can really answer this for you. Many people successfully navigate the immigration hurdles on their own. There are instructions for every form, and DIY guides here to follow.  However, if you don't feel confident/comfortable with being able to do it on your own, then hire someone.

[payxibka 10,045]

22 minutes ago, Ruryn said:

Hello Everyone,

 First timer here. My fiance (Cambodian) and I (American) live In Cambodia. We are looking into the K-1 Visa process. We are planning to move to the U.S. in July or August 2022. But from reading recent forums, It is mostly likely not going to happen. That's beside the point. 

 

My question is, it is worth hiring a professional to handle everything(making sure I am crossing my Ts and dotting my Is) or complete it on my own? Services are between $1000-$1500. If is suggested to get professional help, which agency is reliable and are there any located in Cambodia?

Thank you in advance.

Why not get married and apply for a spouse visa?  K1 is not always a good choice 

Edited July 1, 2021 by payxibka

[Boiler 45,661]

If you live in Cambodia why are you going K1?

[RySn 0]

Thanks for the  responses.

Mike E- it is from my Fiance's friend who worked for a certified service but now does it on her own.  But I can see your point. I am weary about this as well.

 

KayDeeCee-  The forms do seem straight forward with guidance but the lingering fear of making a mistake and prolonging the process rings in my head.

 

payxibka and Boiler- I do not currently make enough money to be legally married in Cambodia. There has been the idea of asking the payroll department if they could make a statement stating I make $2500 per month. But from just dealing with them in since I have been here, I don't feel it will work. I feel I would need to ask the owner to get approval and he is brand new.
 

 

[payxibka 10,045]

1 hour ago, Ruryn said:

Thanks for the  responses.

Mike E- it is from my Fiance's friend who worked for a certified service but now does it on her own.  But I can see your point. I am weary about this as well.

 

KayDeeCee-  The forms do seem straight forward with guidance but the lingering fear of making a mistake and prolonging the process rings in my head.

 

payxibka and Boiler- I do not currently make enough money to be legally married in Cambodia. There has been the idea of asking the payroll department if they could make a statement stating I make $2500 per month. But from just dealing with them in since I have been here, I don't feel it will work. I feel I would need to ask the owner to get approval and he is brand new.
 

 

Three words:  Utah Zoom ceremony 

[RySn 0]

Those 3 words have been floating around. LOL!  I'll look into it.

[Mike E 11,740]

1 hour ago, Ruryn said:

Thanks for the  responses.

Mike E- it is from my Fiance's friend who worked for a certified service but now does it on her own.  But I can see your point. I am weary about this as well.

We recently had a thread where an immigration visa was denied because the beneficiary previously  used one of these “certified” (certified by whom exactly? Not the US government afaik) . The “service” put false information into the visa request.  There is no way this beneficiary is ever getting a visa again.  
 

Quote

KayDeeCee-  The forms do seem straight forward with guidance but the lingering fear of making a mistake and prolonging the process rings in my head.

Then you should use a real American immigration lawyer. 
 

Quote

payxibka and Boiler- I do not currently make enough money to be legally married in Cambodia. There has been the idea of asking the payroll department if they could make a statement stating I make $2500 per month.

Seems like this “certified” service is already leading you down the wrong path. Falsifying a document that lets you get married can mean that you are not actually married.  
 

Utah Zoom Marriage.  Affordable. A real USA marriage certificate.   Doesn’t need to be translated. Doesn’t need involvement of USA embassy for compliance with any local marriage laws.    Circumvents local laws that restrict marriage between locals and foreigners. Proven to work.  

Even if you decide on the K-1 route, the Utah Zoom Marriage speeds up the process after point of entry.  You can arrive in the USA with a marriage license in hand and perform the ceremony in the USA as soon as the alien fiancé / fiancée has applied for an SSN.  

Edited July 1, 2021 by Mike E

[Hawksquill 151]

9 hours ago, Ruryn said:

KayDeeCee-  The forms do seem straight forward with guidance but the lingering fear of making a mistake and prolonging the process rings in my head.
 

If there's nothing exceptional or worrying about your case for other reasons, and one or both of you are both fluent in English, literate, and capable of paying close attention to detail, there's no reason to hire someone.  Hundreds of us here on VJ have gone through this process without a lawyer or other paid service.  If you're confident that you can read and follow instructions, follow the guides on VJ, fill out the forms carefully, and then proofread them and check the application against the instructions, I'd say save yourself the money.  If you're really worried, get a TRUSTED family member or friend to double check them for you.  You can always remove your SSN before giving it to someone to proofread and then put the SSN back in again once they've checked everything.

 

If you are genuinely worried that you don't have the literacy, reading comprehension, or attention to detail, and you don't have anyone you trust to help you for free, then by all means pay someone.  I second the cautions above about vetting the person you're going to hire very very carefully.  Even if you do hire someone, I would insist on looking over everything before you submit it. Even legitimate immigration attorneys have been known to make mistakes, sometimes big and sometimes small.

[yvonme 124]

I got help because I'm a busy professional and also didn't want to recieve any RFE's. It was a great experience, did not recieve RFE in the process and the document prepartion didn't impede into my life. I'll likely be using some aid one way or another for all my immigration matters.

[Maki&Kiki 123]

It’s not hard at all to do it on your own ! Just read each and every question carefully, answer them all, don’t leave blank spots so put N/A where needed (not sure if this is mandatory but we did put just incase workers at USCIS don’t assume we skipped a question by accident). After you are done let your fiancé read it, then read one more time together to double / triple check, sign it and you should be fine  The rest is easy, there is very detailed guide of how to assemble your package on this forum. We followed it step by step, and there was no rfe! I suggest you give it a try, you have all information needed to fill in the form, you and your fiancé are in possession of all required documents. Even if you chose to pay, you will have to do majority of job anyways since all these agency do is put information together. I bet these professionals follow visajourney guide to assemble your package and they charge 1500 dollars for it 😅. Joke aside, if it still makes you uneasy, go for it, but if i were you i would at-least give it a try. They might even charge you less if you do some of the things alone, and you hire them as a checkup

[chi6488 94]

Easy process.  Especially you since you are living together.   Fill the form out and pay the fee.  

 

If NO criminal and you can support in the states it's a cake

 

Good luck

[SalishSea 17,928]

5 hours ago, yvonme said:

I got help because I'm a busy professional and also didn't want to recieve any RFE's. It was a great experience, did not recieve RFE in the process and the document prepartion didn't impede into my life. I'll likely be using some aid one way or another for all my immigration matters.

Most of us who are busy professionals here on VJ did it without help or RFEs.   Paying someone doesn't actually save time.

[SalishSea 17,928]

15 hours ago, Ruryn said:

I do not currently make enough money to be legally married in Cambodia. There has been the idea of asking the payroll department if they could make a statement stating I make $2500 per month. But from just dealing with them in since I have been here, I don't feel it will work. I feel I would need to ask the owner to get approval and he is brand new.
 

Do not use falsified documents for any step in the immigration process.  Totally not worth it.

 

If you are strapped for cash, $1k is a big outlay for something you can easily do yourselves.   This is a DIY site, and most of us have done our entire processes without lawyers or visa services.