Removing conditions (I-751) - do I need an attorney ?

[tammiandtom 0]

We didn't use one, and if there's any step of the process that doesn't call for an attorney, it's probably the I-751, or at least an I-751 filed by a couple who is living together in a bona fide relationship that's not on the verge of breaking up or anything.

However, that doesn't mean nobody should use one.

I'm convinced that SOME people should use an attorney for each step, no matter how simple the step is. If you can't read and follow instructions, pay attention to details, fill out forms legibly, organize paperwork in an easy-to-understand fashion, then get help.

If you've researched the question, and you still think the I-751 should be filed 90 days before your second wedding anniversary, then you should hire an attorney.

If you pay someone to help you with your taxes, maybe you should consider paying someone to help you with your immigration paperwork.

But if you've read the guides and the I-751 sounds like something you can handle yourself, go for it.

taxes are a lot more complicated...

agreed! We have someone do our taxes (only $45), and these forms are nothing in comparison.

[lucyrich 20]

If you pay someone to help you with your taxes, maybe you should consider paying someone to help you with your immigration paperwork.

taxes are a lot more complicated...

That depends.

When you can e-file an I-130 and get a visa in the mail without an interview, or e-file an N-400 and get a naturalization certificate in the mail, I'll concede that immigration is less complicated than taxes.

Yes, there are a lot more numbers involved with taxes, and that scares some people. But it's really easy to find software that handles all the numerical details, so that shouldn't be much of an issue. All you have to do is take numbers from your W-4s and 1099s and transfer them into the software.

You can get someone to do a straightforward tax return for $50.00 or sometimes less. You can't get an attorney to take an immigration case for that price. That's because it doesn't take the same level of professional training or time commitment to figure out a tax return as it does to figure out an immigration situation.

The tricky parts in both areas come in figuring out how to read and interpret the laws, regulations, and instructions. What filing status do I qualify for? Is this an allowable deduction? With my income shortfall, what value of assets would I need to demonstrate on my I-864 in order to avoid needing a joint sponsor?

And I will concede that individual situations present widely varying amounts of complexity, both in taxes and immigration. In both areas, there are people with very straightforward situations, and people with extraordinarily complex situations. Someone may have very easy taxes and hard immigration issues, or vice versa. So not everyone who does their own taxes should take on their own immigration case, nor should everyone who does their own immigration work do their own taxes.

[bettenan 1]

The attorney has said that the charges will be $1500 (non-refundable) + $750 for interview attendance + copying & mail costs in addition to the UCIS filing fees.

I have looked through the documentation requirements for the I-751 and it does not look too bad. The attorney also said that we have to provide "many" letters of people who know us and copies of their drivers licenses. This is something that we are not prepared to ask from our friends, if someone were asking me I would refuse. They are fine with the listed requirements from the guide to the I-751 petition.

Has anyone out there done this alone, and how difficult was it ??

Thank You.

We called the attorney we used for our AOS, she recommended we do it ourselves. She was sure it would be not problem, but of course if we felt uncomfortable, she would file for us, we never got to the $$ stage. I admired her honesty. Add to that, she had her assistant call and follow up a week before the due date to make sure every was OK and that we had indeed filed with no problems. I assured her it was done and if we had an issues they would be the first to know.

That said...I have have to add the help and advise I got from VJ was so valuable...

[Peter T 0]

if there's any step of the process that doesn't call for an attorney, it's probably the I-751, or at least an I-751 filed by a couple who is living together in a bona fide relationship that's not on the verge of breaking up or anything.

That sums it up in my view. Get an attorney if your situation is non-standard, otherwise do it yourself (if you feel comfortable with filling out forms). We had an attorney for the conditional Green Card, but did the I-751 ourselves. By that time, I knew that I had to send all documentns by trackable mail to the USCIS - previously, an answer letter to a RFE got lost, and I was threatened with deportation.

[Illinois 0]

Did you have to do physical for removing conditions? I am not aware of the medical needed for removing conditions.

I meant for the whole AOS process - there is no physical for "removal of conditions." Sorry for any confusion caused!

[RichardS 0]

FORGET THE ATTORNEY ... PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE TO SUBMIT COPIES OF THEIR DRIVERS LICENSES

AND DON'T STRESS OUT (ANY MORE THAN NECESSARY)! GOOD LUCK!

[Marilyn. 340]

If you pay someone to help you with your taxes, maybe you should consider paying someone to help you with your immigration paperwork.

taxes are a lot more complicated...

That depends.

When you can e-file an I-130 and get a visa in the mail without an interview, or e-file an N-400 and get a naturalization certificate in the mail, I'll concede that immigration is less complicated than taxes.

Yes, there are a lot more numbers involved with taxes, and that scares some people. But it's really easy to find software that handles all the numerical details, so that shouldn't be much of an issue. All you have to do is take numbers from your W-4s and 1099s and transfer them into the software.

You can get someone to do a straightforward tax return for $50.00 or sometimes less. You can't get an attorney to take an immigration case for that price. That's because it doesn't take the same level of professional training or time commitment to figure out a tax return as it does to figure out an immigration situation.

The tricky parts in both areas come in figuring out how to read and interpret the laws, regulations, and instructions. What filing status do I qualify for? Is this an allowable deduction? With my income shortfall, what value of assets would I need to demonstrate on my I-864 in order to avoid needing a joint sponsor?

And I will concede that individual situations present widely varying amounts of complexity, both in taxes and immigration. In both areas, there are people with very straightforward situations, and people with extraordinarily complex situations. Someone may have very easy taxes and hard immigration issues, or vice versa. So not everyone who does their own taxes should take on their own immigration case, nor should everyone who does their own immigration work do their own taxes.

umm, I have tired to e-file my taxes before and I got terribly confused but filling out the I-751 was a piece of cake compared to that....