A couple questions

[Peachey 10]

Hello everyone!

I'm just starting the application process to get my K-1 to move down to the US to marry my wonderful fiance and I have a couple questions.

Visiting:

Am I allowed to come down here and visit while we are in this process? From what I gather I can come down and visit up until I get my K-1 Visa and then the next time I enter the country I have to stay and get married within the next 90 days.

The reason I'm asking is because we are staring the immigration process now, however I have a contract with my current employer until Jan 2010. Lets just say I get my visa on September 1st. I wouldn't be allowed to just visit from that time until I actually plan on moving?

Also, to lawyer or not? This process seems difficult, but not difficult enough to justify spending $5000 + on a lawyer.

Your help is greatly appreciated

[Laura+Tom 2]

Hello everyone!

I'm just starting the application process to get my K-1 to move down to the US to marry my wonderful fiance and I have a couple questions.

Visiting:

Am I allowed to come down here and visit while we are in this process? From what I gather I can come down and visit up until I get my K-1 Visa and then the next time I enter the country I have to stay and get married within the next 90 days.

The reason I'm asking is because we are staring the immigration process now, however I have a contract with my current employer until Jan 2010. Lets just say I get my visa on September 1st. I wouldn't be allowed to just visit from that time until I actually plan on moving? See this thread http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=67796

Also, to lawyer or not? This process seems difficult, but not difficult enough to justify spending $5000 + on a lawyer. If you start with the guides above there is no reason why you need to spend that much one someone when you can probably do it yourself. Especially if you have no special circumstances (IMBRA, crimial record etc). Even if you do get a lawyer you will still have to gather all the documents and evidence yourself. All the lawyer does is check the forms and send it off for you. We filed all by ourselves whilst the petitioner was overseas away from the US. Just spend some time studying the guides.

Your help is greatly appreciated

[Carlawarla 1]

Hello everyone!

I'm just starting the application process to get my K-1 to move down to the US to marry my wonderful fiance and I have a couple questions.

Visiting:

Am I allowed to come down here and visit while we are in this process? From what I gather I can come down and visit up until I get my K-1 Visa and then the next time I enter the country I have to stay and get married within the next 90 days.

The reason I'm asking is because we are staring the immigration process now, however I have a contract with my current employer until Jan 2010. Lets just say I get my visa on September 1st. I wouldn't be allowed to just visit from that time until I actually plan on moving?

Also, to lawyer or not? This process seems difficult, but not difficult enough to justify spending $5000 + on a lawyer.

Your help is greatly appreciated

Hi again Peachey! While I know you've been checking out the guides, we've put together another area, in the VJ Wiki section that you may not know about.

Check out some of your questions here:

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/Canada

Here's what we say about visiting during the process as well:

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/...tion_is_pending

Getting a lawyer is totally up to you. A lot depends on what road blocks you may come across, like a criminal record, or just peace of mind. Many people here have NOT used a lawyer. Some have, both good and bad. I think only one or two have used one from Canada.

Anyway, check out the Wiki pages, which have lots of information as well.

Best of luck!

[miss g 1]

well i dont know about the legal fees, i have a lawyer but we went through a charity, look around there are some immigration workshops available from churches etc.. try and find one of those, they will help you and not charge the earth.. good luck

[Krikit 1,164]

well i dont know about the legal fees, i have a lawyer but we went through a charity, look around there are some immigration workshops available from churches etc.. try and find one of those, they will help you and not charge the earth.. good luck

We have the same name! My mother calls me Miss G.

Okay,

Peachey, I was able to visit after I had the visa in my passport. I just let them know that I would not be using it until a later date because I still had a job to resign from and a house to sell. We asked the Consular Officer that specific question and he told us there was no policy to say it must be used but that it was up to the Customs & Immigration Officer whether they would let me do that or not. You do have the option of delaying receipt of the visa if you'd prefer to go that route. You would still attend the interview but request a delay of visa issuance upon approval. You would just send them your passport when you are ready to use it.

Unless you have a criminal record or a serious disease or something, I wouldn't waste my money with a lawyer. You still have all the work to do and, more importantly, you will not receive the documents directly from USCIS.... you will have to go through your lawyer to get them and a lot of people have had problems and delays that way.... along with missing documents. If you do go through a lawyer, make sure you obtain the original NOA2 from them. You will need it for the AOS process.

[Peachey 10]

Thanks so much

My Fiance would like to say "You guys are like awesome n stuff"

Edited January 7, 2009 by Peachey

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Wow! 5K?

A lawyer I talked to for some pointers (60 bucks for one hour) wanted only $1500.00

She must be on the low end for this...

[miss g 1]

well i would say if u really want to use a lawyer, make sure you do ur research i called alot of lawyers most were ridiculous. we found ours through word of mouth we know at least 2 other people who had used this lawyer. i know i complain about them sometimes but i think we needed to have that reassurance when we first started the process.

[Varba 0]

Wow! 5K?

A lawyer I talked to for some pointers (60 bucks for one hour) wanted only $1500.00

She must be on the low end for this...

Neither lawyer I spoke with would give me an hourly rate. They simply quoted us 3500-5000+ for the entire process.

They were somewhat helpful, but we learned more on this site than from talking to them so far.

[Peachey 10]

Neither lawyer I spoke with would give me an hourly rate. They simply quoted us 3500-5000+ for the entire process.

They were somewhat helpful, but we learned more on this site than from talking to them so far.

That's my fiance hehe

[pushbrk 12,877]

Hello everyone!

I'm just starting the application process to get my K-1 to move down to the US to marry my wonderful fiance and I have a couple questions.

Visiting:

Am I allowed to come down here and visit while we are in this process? From what I gather I can come down and visit up until I get my K-1 Visa and then the next time I enter the country I have to stay and get married within the next 90 days.

The reason I'm asking is because we are staring the immigration process now, however I have a contract with my current employer until Jan 2010. Lets just say I get my visa on September 1st. I wouldn't be allowed to just visit from that time until I actually plan on moving?

Also, to lawyer or not? This process seems difficult, but not difficult enough to justify spending $5000 + on a lawyer.

Your help is greatly appreciated

It's possible but not assured that you could cross the boarder with a K1 visa without activating it. The safer bet would be a spouse visa. With a CR1 or a K3, you could freely travel after your first use of the visa. With a K1 you cannot leave the US with the privilege of returning until about three months after you get married in the US.