Lies my Lawyer Told Me

[CanAmBride 5]

Before finding VJ, I was completely dependant on our attorney to give us all of the information related to our CR-1 petition. I figured, "hey, he's the expert, he should know this stuff", so we followed his every word to the letter. It wasn't until I found this amazing forum that I realized all of the false information he had been feeding us. Needless to say, I have removed him from our case. I thought I'd start compiling a small list. Feel free to add your own!

1. Total fees for petition would be between $300-$400

2. His total attorney fees would be between $2,000 and $2,500 for the entire petition (by the time we received our NOA2, he had already billed us $3,000)

3. My husband absolutly cannot enter the US while his visa is in petition or else it will cancel his petition and we will have to start again

4. After we received our NOA2, the whole process will only take 1 more month until we receive our Green Card

5. After you pay your NVC fees, we have to wait for a package to come in the mail that tells you what documents to send in for the DS-230 and I-864 (I waited 3 weeks before I realized that I could have sent everything the day the fees registered as PAID)

6. Once we are approved, we should get an interview at the Montreal consulate within 1 week (my husband and I informed our employers that we were going to have to jump in a car and take off to Montreal with very little notice)

I'm sure I could find more if I look back at my email correspondance with him.

Does anyone else have any "misinformation" that they received from their "expert" attorney??

[payxibka 10,044]

# 1) is correct... the I-130 petition fee is $355

[CanAmBride 5]

Yes, but with the NVC and Medical Exam Fees, it's over $1,000 in TOTAL fees

[payxibka 10,044]

Yes, but with the NVC and Medical Exam Fees, it's over $1,000 in TOTAL fees

yes, but there is but one petition and one fee for its submission... what he failed to do was explain the ENTIRE process and associated fees

[Married2009 32]

- Have a flower! At least you found VJ, and were able to figure out the lawyer was taking the path of least resistance.

[OBX 51]

Before finding VJ, I was completely dependant on our attorney to give us all of the information related to our CR-1 petition. I figured, "hey, he's the expert, he should know this stuff", so we followed his every word to the letter. It wasn't until I found this amazing forum that I realized all of the false information he had been feeding us. Needless to say, I have removed him from our case. I thought I'd start compiling a small list. Feel free to add your own!

1. Total fees for petition would be between $300-$400

2. His total attorney fees would be between $2,000 and $2,500 for the entire petition (by the time we received our NOA2, he had already billed us $3,000)

3. My husband absolutly cannot enter the US while his visa is in petition or else it will cancel his petition and we will have to start again

4. After we received our NOA2, the whole process will only take 1 more month until we receive our Green Card

5. After you pay your NVC fees, we have to wait for a package to come in the mail that tells you what documents to send in for the DS-230 and I-864 (I waited 3 weeks before I realized that I could have sent everything the day the fees registered as PAID)

6. Once we are approved, we should get an interview at the Montreal consulate within 1 week (my husband and I informed our employers that we were going to have to jump in a car and take off to Montreal with very little notice)

I'm sure I could find more if I look back at my email correspondance with him.

Does anyone else have any "misinformation" that they received from their "expert" attorney??

OMG...it would be funny if it just wasn't so scary!! So sad to think that so many people never find a resource like VJ and go through the entire process with inaccurate advice.

I find #6 especially funny! One week for an interivew in Montreal...

[IndigoSkies 168]

Your lawyer was a bozo. You did good by firing him. You should demand your money back from him. $3,000 isn't a child's play. File a complaint with BBB and your state attorney general and the BAR association.

[Darnell 8,478]

I would suggest that you submit an invoice for 'partial refund' to the attorney, including a cover letter of his faux paux's. I suggest -300 USD, per listed faux paux.

When he refuses to pay the partial refund of fees, you can file a claim in small claims court

(Assuming is USA Attorney)

In addition, can report him to the Immigration Attornies Association (see http://www.aila.org/ )

and file a report/complaint with the Better Business Bureau in his area

and file a complaint with the State Bar Association for his state

and CC the complaint to the State AG office, as well.

Help Stamp Out Inadequate Immigration Attornies !!

Edited June 10, 2010 by Darnell

[redglasses 1]

Wow, it was an expensive lesson. I would negotiate for refund with the attorney. BTW, is he really specialized in immigration issues?

[CanAmBride 5]

Honestly, we didn't research his credentials as thoroughly as we should have. My husband's business attorney recommended a Partner at the firm (which is a large, well respected firm in our area). I spoke with that Partner and told him our circumstances, and he passed the case along to this attorney. When we met with him, he answered all of or questions and seemed like he specialized in Immigration Issues. It didn't even occur to me to check with the Immigration Attorney's Association. I assumed we were getting the most qualified lawyer for our case.

That's probably what makes me the most upset about the situation. Not the money or the time that was lost, but the fact that I'm usually a control freak and I research EVERYTHING to death. But with this issue, I figured it was better left to the expert, so I just followed him blindly. I regret that I went against my better instincts.

[IndigoSkies 168]

Hiring a non-immigration lawyer for immigration is plain waste of money. The lawyer makes money off you who could've done the same craps yourself. Seriously, try to get your money back. Once you have gotten it back, if you do, and you don't need it, I'd be glad to take off $3,000 off your hands. I've been oggling that Vespa for a long time now. Can it be? Can it be that I get it soon? -hopeful-

[CDAgirlMI 51]

Some of the lawyer stories people share on here are outrageous!

Glad you dropped him before you spent more un-necessary money.

[BlueBonnet 84]

Before finding this site, I too called an immigration lawyer. They quoted me $4500 and told me they would include the purchasing of the forms which are about $2500. I thought, wow, only 2G for lawyer fees, how nice ... till I found out the forms are free online. >.< Yes I ( now ) understand there are processing fees, but that wasnt how the lawyer made it sound.

This site, and the people here have definetly made this process more understandable and simplified. Im very grateful for everyone here who comes back to answer questions for us new people.

[Sweetcheeksss 91]

My hubby and I used an immigration attorney that SPECIALIZES in immigration law. Their entire law firm (3 lawyers) only take immigration cases.

We paid them 3k too - only to find out that while they included my son (from a previous marriage) on our I-129F application, they only filed MY I-130. And when they filed both of our applications (the I-129F and I-130), it was THEM that informed us that if both applications got approved at the same time, the I-129F would be admin closed by NVC. Not once, EVER did they mention, ask us, even warn us that my son would have NOTHING in the pipeline should the I-129F be closed. Which of course, it was...and that left MY I-130 on hold at the NVC while my son has nothing.

Yeah. YAY for my lawyer.

Needless to say, we filed our own I-130 for my son and got rid of our lawyer.

Sucks to be us lol.

[DebbyNSeyi 15]

Before finding VJ, I was completely dependant on our attorney to give us all of the information related to our CR-1 petition. I figured, "hey, he's the expert, he should know this stuff", so we followed his every word to the letter. It wasn't until I found this amazing forum that I realized all of the false information he had been feeding us. Needless to say, I have removed him from our case. I thought I'd start compiling a small list. Feel free to add your own!

1. Total fees for petition would be between $300-$400

2. His total attorney fees would be between $2,000 and $2,500 for the entire petition (by the time we received our NOA2, he had already billed us $3,000)

3. My husband absolutly cannot enter the US while his visa is in petition or else it will cancel his petition and we will have to start again

4. After we received our NOA2, the whole process will only take 1 more month until we receive our Green Card

5. After you pay your NVC fees, we have to wait for a package to come in the mail that tells you what documents to send in for the DS-230 and I-864 (I waited 3 weeks before I realized that I could have sent everything the day the fees registered as PAID)

6. Once we are approved, we should get an interview at the Montreal consulate within 1 week (my husband and I informed our employers that we were going to have to jump in a car and take off to Montreal with very little notice)

I'm sure I could find more if I look back at my email correspondance with him.

Does anyone else have any "misinformation" that they received from their "expert" attorney??

Yes...I have a whopper for you: My attorney told me that if I give him 14,000 dollars in cash, he'll get my fiance to the States from Nigeria in 1 month.