Wife eligible to apply for citizenship - lawyer raised fees $2000!

[Jmah89 4]

Hello everyone,

 

My wife is now eligible to apply for citizenship after having her green card and living with me in the USA for 5 years. When we first started the immigration process, we went with a laywer because she was here in the USA on a J-1 visa, and the visa said she had a two year residency rule. Turns out, after submitting an advisory opinion to the department of state, it was determined that she actually did not have a 2 year residency rule and she was eligible to adjust her status here in the united States (She was here as an Au-Pair, and received no funding from her government to be here on here J1 visa, hence the rule does not apply. au pair is not even on the exhange vistors skills list).

So we applied for her adjustment of status using the lawyer (fee was 5k!). Thankfully, she was approved fairly quickly. 

Then almost 2 years later, we applied to remove her conditions on her green card (went with the lawyer again and it was 2.5k!)

Now she has had her green card for almost 3 years, living in the USA with me the whole time we have been married (for nearly 4 years!)

We bought a house together over 2 years ago. We have a son who is a year and a half. Joint bank accounts. bought a car together. on each others benefits and life insurance. all that. 

Anyways, at the beginning of the process, i always was told by the lawyer that the legal fee for citizenship would be the cheapest (1.5K) but apparently she raised her prices by 2k! (3.5k total) for the citizenship case because of some presidential proclamation last august about good moral character. 

I know this forum is pro-DIY, but i am wondering what people's recent experiences are? How much are your lawyers, if you have them, charging for citizenships. What would it be like to change lawyers if i did choose to go with a different one, considering the fact i used the same lawyer for the first two cases? 

Thanks in advance! 

 

[Boiler 48,973]

I have never come across a Au Pair subject to a 2 Year HRR, and for the life of me can not think of how one would.

 

There is no need to use the same Lawyer. Seems a few reasons not to.

[Jmah89 4]

1 minute ago, Boiler said:

I have never come across a Au Pair subject to a 2 Year HRR, and for the life of me can not think of how one would.

 

There is no need to use the same Lawyer. Seems a few reasons not to.

yeah, with regards to that, it was the consulate in my wife's home country who made the mistake. they marked on her visa form that she was required to have the 2 year rule. But the advisory opionion to the department of state determined she was not required to, and her adjustment of status went smoothly. 

If i were to switch lawyers, would the new lawyer need to have access to the first to submissions (484 + 751)? My first lawyer has all the completed packets...i sent her the documents and she was the one whole compiled and sent everything...... 

[Boiler 48,973]

As a general comment I think it is a good idea to keep a copy of your paperwork. I suppose from a practical perpespective it matters if you have had prior issues.

[Jmah89 4]

11 minutes ago, Boiler said:

As a general comment I think it is a good idea to keep a copy of your paperwork. I suppose from a practical perpespective it matters if you have had prior issues.

Yeah think i'm going to have to request my lawyer to send me a copy of all the cases we have submitted. good idea.