newbie question...do I need a lawyer

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

On a more personal level, I would hate to be the one who said to a stranger 'no dont use a lawyer' not knowing all the facts of the case and they had serious issues. While in this case, like most, it is likely not necessary...this is not true for everybody.

Besides, lets face it, some people need assistance because they have IMBRA issues, overstays, criminal history...etc.... some may just not have the comprehension skills to deal with what is required.

Very elegantly stated by the wise and gracious Kim. It frosts me when people flatly state "you do not need a lawyer!" Instead, dispassionately state the existence of the guides here on VJ, and ask the poster if he/she has potential issues, comprehension difficulties, or fear of paperwork that are out of the ordinary. "Ready, fire, aim" responses are rarely "one size fits all" or even very well-thought-out.

Down off soapbox, si man!

Agreed. We might know the procedures, we might even know the poster's situation well enough to say there's no problem (but we only know as much as the poster posted), but there's no way we know the poster's attention to detail, ability to understand and follow instructions, ability to research questions, etc.

Saying "lots of people have done it without a lawyer" is reasonable. It's a bit of a stretch, but I can't completely disagree with "most people shouldn't need a lawyer", but that's still not the same as "YOU don't need a lawyer".

Should I do my taxes myself? Or hire a quick tax prep place at a strip mall? Or hire a CPA? The tax laws are the same for all of us, but any of those three answers might be right for people with different situations and different talents and abilities.

Can a CPA lower your tax bill? No, the tax law is the same whether you use a CPA or not -- anything the CPA could do, you could do yourself. Just like a lawyer can't speed up your immigration process. But in either case, if you're not doing things right yourself in the first place, and the professional does it right, it might make it seem like the CPA is saving you money, or the attorney is speeding up your case.

I have asked this before, and will not receive an answer again, I can assure you.

For the defenders of attorneys for immigration procedures...please give ma scenario, an example, a "for instance" where an attorney can do something for a petitioner better or in a way that makes it worthwhile.

Now, when I answer this question, and I take every opportunity to do so, I give specific reasons why attorneys are useless and generally a complete waste of money. I would ask anyone defending them to do so also, why not? Sounds reasonable to me. Even the guides giove no specific reasons. Please give me an example, a case...such as "In this case (describe the conditions) you need (or should have) an attorney because they can do something you can't"

Please can you do that?

I do my own taxes, business and personal, always have, and most CPAs for individual taxes will soon go the way of the DoDo bird also thanks to online filing and preparation and none too soon in my opinion. The money wasted in this country, just for tax compliance, is enough to drive a small economy in itself. The sooner the leeches and hyenas are eliminated, the better off we'll all be.

I will say it again. In my opinion you do not need a lawyer. If someone can say why I shouldn't make a "blanket statement" that applies to no less than 99.9% of the petitioners, please I invite you do so. If you will say "because you do not know their case" I will agree and if you can give a for instance of what could be in a case that requires an attorney, please elaborate. I have said why they DON'T need an attorney.

Keep in mind, everyone reading this is a VJ member. I may be persuaded to state, "if you can read what I post on VJ...you do not need a lawyer"

[Paul & Evelyn 0]

I'm just looking into all this visa stuff. I've met my (soon to be) fiancee, who lives in mexico. She was denied a visitor visa, but otherwise nothing else should be an issue, no arrests or visa problems before.

My question is this...is there a benefit to using a laywer? I see their fees range from $300 to $3000. Do they make things go any faster?

There are some good honest lawyers out there, but you don't have to hire them. I consulted with one of them before I forged ahead on my own. Preliminary consultation cost me $95 for him to examine all my preliminary paperwork, point out some errors, discuss my plans, review all of my bigraphic information, my fiancé's bigraphic information, the detailed timelne of what to expect and how long it would take, and then about an hour of Q&A from him to me and me to him. Total time about 90 minutes, and it was totally unhurried. The initial consultation fee was money well-spent. I probably could have done it all without him, but it felt good to get that consultation. At the end of our initial consultation, he told me I was well-prepared and capable of doing it alone without him, and he thought our chances of success were quite good, but if I wanted him to represent me, it would cost $3,000+. You can read our detailed timeline in "Signature and Story" section of our profile, and you will see how far we've gotten without a lawyer. A lawyer would not have helped me get any farther than we are now. Success or failure when Evelyn has her interview, to be scheduled sometime later this month, would not be affected by the presence or absence of legal representaion in this country. The good folks out here in VJ land have got you covered. Like the lawyer told me, only hire him/her if you think you can't do it alone.

[pushbrk 13,173]

On a more personal level, I would hate to be the one who said to a stranger 'no dont use a lawyer' not knowing all the facts of the case and they had serious issues. While in this case, like most, it is likely not necessary...this is not true for everybody.

Besides, lets face it, some people need assistance because they have IMBRA issues, overstays, criminal history...etc.... some may just not have the comprehension skills to deal with what is required.

Very elegantly stated by the wise and gracious Kim. It frosts me when people flatly state "you do not need a lawyer!" Instead, dispassionately state the existence of the guides here on VJ, and ask the poster if he/she has potential issues, comprehension difficulties, or fear of paperwork that are out of the ordinary. "Ready, fire, aim" responses are rarely "one size fits all" or even very well-thought-out.

Down off soapbox, si man!

Agreed. We might know the procedures, we might even know the poster's situation well enough to say there's no problem (but we only know as much as the poster posted), but there's no way we know the poster's attention to detail, ability to understand and follow instructions, ability to research questions, etc.

Saying "lots of people have done it without a lawyer" is reasonable. It's a bit of a stretch, but I can't completely disagree with "most people shouldn't need a lawyer", but that's still not the same as "YOU don't need a lawyer".

Should I do my taxes myself? Or hire a quick tax prep place at a strip mall? Or hire a CPA? The tax laws are the same for all of us, but any of those three answers might be right for people with different situations and different talents and abilities.

Can a CPA lower your tax bill? No, the tax law is the same whether you use a CPA or not -- anything the CPA could do, you could do yourself. Just like a lawyer can't speed up your immigration process. But in either case, if you're not doing things right yourself in the first place, and the professional does it right, it might make it seem like the CPA is saving you money, or the attorney is speeding up your case.

I have asked this before, and will not receive an answer again, I can assure you.

For the defenders of attorneys for immigration procedures...please give ma scenario, an example, a "for instance" where an attorney can do something for a petitioner better or in a way that makes it worthwhile.

Now, when I answer this question, and I take every opportunity to do so, I give specific reasons why attorneys are useless and generally a complete waste of money. I would ask anyone defending them to do so also, why not? Sounds reasonable to me. Even the guides giove no specific reasons. Please give me an example, a case...such as "In this case (describe the conditions) you need (or should have) an attorney because they can do something you can't"

Please can you do that?

I do my own taxes, business and personal, always have, and most CPAs for individual taxes will soon go the way of the DoDo bird also thanks to online filing and preparation and none too soon in my opinion. The money wasted in this country, just for tax compliance, is enough to drive a small economy in itself. The sooner the leeches and hyenas are eliminated, the better off we'll all be.

I will say it again. In my opinion you do not need a lawyer. If someone can say why I shouldn't make a "blanket statement" that applies to no less than 99.9% of the petitioners, please I invite you do so. If you will say "because you do not know their case" I will agree and if you can give a for instance of what could be in a case that requires an attorney, please elaborate. I have said why they DON'T need an attorney.

Keep in mind, everyone reading this is a VJ member. I may be persuaded to state, "if you can read what I post on VJ...you do not need a lawyer"

The answer is going to be more about the abilities of the individual than the attorney in most cases. However, when there are complications like questions about marriage terminations, or Adam Walsh act convictions, or previous illegal entry, current illegal presense in the US, etc. where an attorney is probably going to be necessary. There are many other cases like when the petitioner and beneficiary don't have the necessary language skills or aptitude to understand the detailed instructions and questions where they need help. They may or may not need the help of an attorney but they need help from somebody with the needed skills they themselves don't have. Others simply have other priorities for their time, study and efforts and would prefer professional guidance.

Edited March 7, 2009 by pushbrk

[rebeccajo 14]

I have asked this before, and will not receive an answer again, I can assure you.

For the defenders of attorneys for immigration procedures...please give ma scenario, an example, a "for instance" where an attorney can do something for a petitioner better or in a way that makes it worthwhile.

Now, when I answer this question, and I take every opportunity to do so, I give specific reasons why attorneys are useless and generally a complete waste of money. I would ask anyone defending them to do so also, why not? Sounds reasonable to me. Even the guides giove no specific reasons. Please give me an example, a case...such as "In this case (describe the conditions) you need (or should have) an attorney because they can do something you can't"

Please can you do that?

I do my own taxes, business and personal, always have, and most CPAs for individual taxes will soon go the way of the DoDo bird also thanks to online filing and preparation and none too soon in my opinion. The money wasted in this country, just for tax compliance, is enough to drive a small economy in itself. The sooner the leeches and hyenas are eliminated, the better off we'll all be.

I will say it again. In my opinion you do not need a lawyer. If someone can say why I shouldn't make a "blanket statement" that applies to no less than 99.9% of the petitioners, please I invite you do so. If you will say "because you do not know their case" I will agree and if you can give a for instance of what could be in a case that requires an attorney, please elaborate. I have said why they DON'T need an attorney.

Keep in mind, everyone reading this is a VJ member. I may be persuaded to state, "if you can read what I post on VJ...you do not need a lawyer"

Gary -

What would you say if I told you that certain attorneys with certain connections in certain places can move a "stuck" case forward? Or that they can at the least find out why it is stuck?

Or that they can stop a case denied at the consulate level from being shipped back to the states?

Is it your opinion that there is such a knowledge base here on VJ that we can answer any and all questions put to us by any applicant or petitioner? That is a dangerous assumption.

You might want to poke around this link. It's old, but informative nonetheless.

http://web.archive.org/web/20060308080002/...all/fiancee.htm

Edited March 7, 2009 by rebeccajo

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I have asked this before, and will not receive an answer again, I can assure you.

For the defenders of attorneys for immigration procedures...please give ma scenario, an example, a "for instance" where an attorney can do something for a petitioner better or in a way that makes it worthwhile.

Now, when I answer this question, and I take every opportunity to do so, I give specific reasons why attorneys are useless and generally a complete waste of money. I would ask anyone defending them to do so also, why not? Sounds reasonable to me. Even the guides giove no specific reasons. Please give me an example, a case...such as "In this case (describe the conditions) you need (or should have) an attorney because they can do something you can't"

Please can you do that?

I do my own taxes, business and personal, always have, and most CPAs for individual taxes will soon go the way of the DoDo bird also thanks to online filing and preparation and none too soon in my opinion. The money wasted in this country, just for tax compliance, is enough to drive a small economy in itself. The sooner the leeches and hyenas are eliminated, the better off we'll all be.

I will say it again. In my opinion you do not need a lawyer. If someone can say why I shouldn't make a "blanket statement" that applies to no less than 99.9% of the petitioners, please I invite you do so. If you will say "because you do not know their case" I will agree and if you can give a for instance of what could be in a case that requires an attorney, please elaborate. I have said why they DON'T need an attorney.

Keep in mind, everyone reading this is a VJ member. I may be persuaded to state, "if you can read what I post on VJ...you do not need a lawyer"

Gary -

What would you say if I told you that certain attorneys with certain connections in certain places can move a "stuck" case forward? Or that they can at the least find out why it is stuck?

Or that they can stop a case denied at the consulate level from being shipped back to the states?

Is it your opinion that there is such a knowledge base here on VJ that we can answer any and all questions put to us by any applicant or petitioner? That is a dangerous assumption.

You might want to poke around this link. It's old, but informative nonetheless.

http://web.archive.org/web/20060308080002/...all/fiancee.htm

There are things called "rules" Like..."i before e, except after c" There are exceptions to the rule, but when asked I state the rule and can state specific exceptions.

As a rule, you do not need an attorney. There may be exceptions but no one has given me one. That a person is not capable, I do not assume. I have great confidence in my fellow man to be able to fill out forms no more difficult than a "Lowe's" job application. If someone wants to step up and say "I am too ignorant of the issue and too lazy to learn so I will pay someone $3000 to do it for me" Then by all means, do it. I make no assumption that someone is too ignorant and lazy. If someone says "I am just to busy with my very important job and want to pay someone to do it for me" I will inform they are mis-lead and they will STILL spend many hours with this and the attorney will spend 1-2 hours. The petitioner will spend more time driving back and forth to the attorney's office to give information and sign papers than the attorney will spend preparing them and THAT's a fact! Oh you will fax it to him. You are still spending far more time than he is.

Complicated cases, as Pushbrk points out, are not going to be handled for the normal fee at any rate. No, I do not believe an attorney can "push" a case any better than I can or my congressman, Peter Welch, or better Pat Leahy, can.

The thing that no one can get away from is this process demands a great deal of time from the petitioner, whether an attorney is involved or not. They charge outrageous fees for the bare minimum they do. It is simply gouging and with many, borderline or outright fraud.

We have the IMBRA law, how about a law to protect petitioners from scavenging attorneys? (it would be an insult to predators to call them "predatory", predators have to work for a living) A release stating that the attorney cannot accelerate a case, that the petitioner must provide all documentation and a detailed list of the services performed for the fee charged. Along with a list of what the petitioner must do/provide. Who is against fair and open information for all petitioners?

And yes, I have great confidence in the knowledge here at VJ. Are you kidding me? What single attorney can provide the answers you can get here? What attorney can match the speed you will get answers here? And no ne will do it for free as we do here. Not even possible, unless that attorney is mining this site for info. You go to an attorney for advice, you get his advice. For the same reason it is not recommended to give immigration advice in PM's applies. It limits your range of answers and does not allow for corrections if he is wrong. A public forum of people experienced in this is by far better. Which attorney has been to visa interview? How many? There are hundreds of people here with first hand experience. How many times have members posted completely wacky things they have been told by attorneys? It is legend! Yes, I have that much confidence in the members here, yourself included Rebeccajo.

[rebeccajo 14]

As you state you have much confidence in me, then let me tell you a tale.

My husband and I have what you would call a "straightforward" case - no criminal backgrounds; no deadly diseases; no unresolved former marriages; no litany of prior visa filings. My affidavit of support was our hurdle. In studying the requirements for it, I became fairly familiar with its nuances. I also sought a legal consult to run the affidavit past experienced eyes. Such was my FIRST experience with an immigration attorney during our process, and I found it reassuring that we were on the right track.

And (as many here have often pointed out) our visa process was quite fast. We were happily reunited in a rather short period of time.

Then came time for my husband to file his adjustment of status. Shortly we realized that the namecheck our adjudicating officer had told us was 'incomplete' on interview day had the potential to run into the red zone. I became concerned for my husband's assimilation into American culture without a greencard. He became concerned about convincing a quality employer to hire him with just an Employment Authorization Document.

Thirteen months after filing for his adjustment (and ten months after his interview) with a second EAD filing bearing down on us and no greencard in sight, we sought the assistance of experienced counsel. I am fortunate in that I have a background and connections in the profession. Through channels which I shall never divulge on a public forum, my husband's case reached the ears of an experienced immigration attorney whom I shall also never name in public. But the gentleman's credentials were very, very broad and his experience had earned him connections within the Service, the State Department, the FBI and the US Attorney's office. I was told that this gentleman could do nothing to speed my husband's case along if the background check was still with the FBI. But I was also told that it might be possible to "grease the rails" if the investigation had been returned by the FBI to the Service and was stuck in pile on desk within an internal division of the Service.

Shortly after the inquiry was made, my husband was notified to return to our local Application Support Center for recapture of his biometrics so that his greencard could be manufactured.

That is my personal testimony to how a lawyer can be of assistance.

And in that same vein but on a less personal note, I idly observe that Laurel Scott, JD, makes no bones on her website of her connections within the Ciudad Juarez consulate and how valuable such connections are to her with obtaining waivers after visa denials. Her success rate upholds her claims.

And finally, if you spend some time reading the link I put up for you, you'll learn the steps Mr. Udall takes to assure success for his clients.

Gary - to suggest to our members that legal counsel is unnecessary is - well - it is careless advice. The journey of an immigrant from foreign shores to naturalized citizen of the United States is a complex one. The INA is the most complex and nuanced immigration policy of any nation on earth. It is NOT fodder for laypeople. We can offer anecdotal advice where such has been learned and that has great, great value for do-it-yourself visa processing. We can offer advice on how to properly fill out forms; how and when to send checks and additional forms; how to handle oneself at interview; etc, etc. But we cannot and should not purport ourselves to be a substitute for competent, experienced, trained, ethical legal counsel.

[NatPatBen 3]

I'm curious. After the advice given, will the OP go with a lawyer or do-it-her/himself?

Edited March 8, 2009 by NatPatBen

[daboyz 36]

There's another issue that should be taken into account. What if the lawyer is either lazy, incompetent, or both? This was the situation with my case. There were at least 10 errors that were made, as well as the fact that my case was delayed for months due to the paperwork laying around, and not being filed. I also found out that there really is no re-course if they are lazy. The only recourse being that you can have your paperwork returned to you. Also, once you sign the G-28, it seems that is hard to undo. That form also automatically designates the lawyer as choice of agent for the NVC process in CR-1/IR-1 cases. As you can see this process takes long enough. I could only imagine how much longer the process would be extended if you decided to get rid of your lawyer in the middle of the process. So it seems to me once you hire a lawyer, you are stuck with them, unless you want to incur some massive delays.

I understand that TOS on this site states that it should not be used in place of counsel. That said, I received 100 times more information from this site than I did my lawyer. Sometimes I read that people were happy with lawyers, other times not.

[V-G-1 1]

Garry and Alla are right.

If YOU are gathering all your documents, if YOU are gathering all the info; if YOU are gathering all the photos,; if YOU are making passport photos; if YOU are filling out the Biographic info; then why do you need to give this to an attorney--its an extra step; just mail it directly to the service center.

EVERYTHING is all here; all the information you would ever need is here; not only that, its more accurate then a lawyer. I went in for an attorney, she had some stuff wrong according to the detailed instructions on here. I terminated that agreement right away...but still got slapped for "Work Performed" = (she still charged me $1,000 for "5 hours" of photocopying and filling out a 2 page form)

Many attorneys are suffering now to the economy, so a simple straight forward K1 visa is like gold to them--its easy straightforward mailing of All docs YOU give them....its not researching law; its not going to court; its not writing legal briefs......what is it?, its photocopying what you give them and mailing to service center.

Hire an attorney when you have to go to court, or research law; but not for a K1 application.

So of course they love it when you come to them for a K1- its easy work for a lawyer, as i explained above; yet its for the same hourly legal fees---that combination is like gold to them. So do NOT give them the pleasure of it.

Good luck:)

[Paul & Evelyn 0]

Once again, I said it earlier, most lawyers have a "try it and see if it fits" initial consultation, if you are unsure about what you are doing. Most of the posters on this topic agree - here at Visa Journey, we've got you covered. I have never seen such a fabulous support network as this website, all for FREE!! But I did the initial consultation thang, and it was real good for me. If, after you read all that has been said here on this topic, if you still are unsure about whether or not you can go it alone, go see an immigration lawyer for an initial consultation and see if it fits. Prepare everything like you are about to submit it, and let the lawyer look at it. If you get a hard sell from him/her, beat a hasty retreat. I suspect you probably won't need a lawyer, but only you can figure that out.

[daboyz 36]

Once again, I said it earlier, most lawyers have a "try it and see if it fits" initial consultation, if you are unsure about what you are doing. Most of the posters on this topic agree - here at Visa Journey, we've got you covered. I have never seen such a fabulous support network as this website, all for FREE!! But I did the initial consultation thang, and it was real good for me. If, after you read all that has been said here on this topic, if you still are unsure about whether or not you can go it alone, go see an immigration lawyer for an initial consultation and see if it fits. Prepare everything like you are about to submit it, and let the lawyer look at it. If you get a hard sell from him/her, beat a hasty retreat. I suspect you probably won't need a lawyer, but only you can figure that out.

That's actually good advice. Always good to have a second set of eyes. I wonder what they would charge for that?

[Paul & Evelyn 0]

Once again, I said it earlier, most lawyers have a "try it and see if it fits" initial consultation, if you are unsure about what you are doing. Most of the posters on this topic agree - here at Visa Journey, we've got you covered. I have never seen such a fabulous support network as this website, all for FREE!! But I did the initial consultation thang, and it was real good for me. If, after you read all that has been said here on this topic, if you still are unsure about whether or not you can go it alone, go see an immigration lawyer for an initial consultation and see if it fits. Prepare everything like you are about to submit it, and let the lawyer look at it. If you get a hard sell from him/her, beat a hasty retreat. I suspect you probably won't need a lawyer, but only you can figure that out.

That's actually good advice. Always good to have a second set of eyes. I wonder what they would charge for that?

Since I won't advertise for anyone out here, I will just say that he is the only immigration law firm in Concord NH and they charge $95. I was actually surpised that Concord NH even had an immigration lawyer, but there are a lot of Canadians here. I was very pleased with the amount of unhurried time I got from this guy (90 min). That is pretty cheap lawyer time, but they make their big money on their full representation retainers.

[daboyz 36]

Once again, I said it earlier, most lawyers have a "try it and see if it fits" initial consultation, if you are unsure about what you are doing. Most of the posters on this topic agree - here at Visa Journey, we've got you covered. I have never seen such a fabulous support network as this website, all for FREE!! But I did the initial consultation thang, and it was real good for me. If, after you read all that has been said here on this topic, if you still are unsure about whether or not you can go it alone, go see an immigration lawyer for an initial consultation and see if it fits. Prepare everything like you are about to submit it, and let the lawyer look at it. If you get a hard sell from him/her, beat a hasty retreat. I suspect you probably won't need a lawyer, but only you can figure that out.

That's actually good advice. Always good to have a second set of eyes. I wonder what they would charge for that?

Since I won't advertise for anyone out here, I will just say that he is the only immigration law firm in Concord NH and they charge $95. I was actually surpised that Concord NH even had an immigration lawyer, but there are a lot of Canadians here. I was very pleased with the amount of unhurried time I got from this guy (90 min). That is pretty cheap lawyer time, but they make their big money on their full representation retainers.

Wow, that seems like a good price. Personally I would be willing to pay $200-$300 for 90 minutes. I seriously doubt my lawyer even spent 90 minutes on my case. I'm sure his staff spent more time filling out the forms, and mailing them to USCIS. But of course that was with information and documents that I had to provide. Filling out the forms is easy. The only reason that I retained him in this place, was because I had an IMBRA issue, which doesn't even apply to IR-1. Of course he failed to mention that in his first conversation with me.

The whole experience with them just put a really bad taste in my mouth. Bringing my wife here was probably one of, if not the most important thing in my life. And to have someone treat the process as so insignificant, really pi$$ed me off. Still does even though she is here, cause I know this guy is probably screwing other people.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

As you state you have much confidence in me, then let me tell you a tale.

My husband and I have what you would call a "straightforward" case - no criminal backgrounds; no deadly diseases; no unresolved former marriages; no litany of prior visa filings. My affidavit of support was our hurdle. In studying the requirements for it, I became fairly familiar with its nuances. I also sought a legal consult to run the affidavit past experienced eyes. Such was my FIRST experience with an immigration attorney during our process, and I found it reassuring that we were on the right track.

And (as many here have often pointed out) our visa process was quite fast. We were happily reunited in a rather short period of time.

Then came time for my husband to file his adjustment of status. Shortly we realized that the namecheck our adjudicating officer had told us was 'incomplete' on interview day had the potential to run into the red zone. I became concerned for my husband's assimilation into American culture without a greencard. He became concerned about convincing a quality employer to hire him with just an Employment Authorization Document.

Thirteen months after filing for his adjustment (and ten months after his interview) with a second EAD filing bearing down on us and no greencard in sight, we sought the assistance of experienced counsel. I am fortunate in that I have a background and connections in the profession. Through channels which I shall never divulge on a public forum, my husband's case reached the ears of an experienced immigration attorney whom I shall also never name in public. But the gentleman's credentials were very, very broad and his experience had earned him connections within the Service, the State Department, the FBI and the US Attorney's office. I was told that this gentleman could do nothing to speed my husband's case along if the background check was still with the FBI. But I was also told that it might be possible to "grease the rails" if the investigation had been returned by the FBI to the Service and was stuck in pile on desk within an internal division of the Service.

Shortly after the inquiry was made, my husband was notified to return to our local Application Support Center for recapture of his biometrics so that his greencard could be manufactured.

That is my personal testimony to how a lawyer can be of assistance.

And in that same vein but on a less personal note, I idly observe that Laurel Scott, JD, makes no bones on her website of her connections within the Ciudad Juarez consulate and how valuable such connections are to her with obtaining waivers after visa denials. Her success rate upholds her claims.

And finally, if you spend some time reading the link I put up for you, you'll learn the steps Mr. Udall takes to assure success for his clients.

Gary - to suggest to our members that legal counsel is unnecessary is - well - it is careless advice. The journey of an immigrant from foreign shores to naturalized citizen of the United States is a complex one. The INA is the most complex and nuanced immigration policy of any nation on earth. It is NOT fodder for laypeople. We can offer anecdotal advice where such has been learned and that has great, great value for do-it-yourself visa processing. We can offer advice on how to properly fill out forms; how and when to send checks and additional forms; how to handle oneself at interview; etc, etc. But we cannot and should not purport ourselves to be a substitute for competent, experienced, trained, ethical legal counsel.

Your sroy indicates you did it yourself until you ran into a problkem with the AOS and then you hired an attorney who implied he did something. Good advice.

I suggest the same. As a rule, you do not need an attorney. You agree because you did not use one. If you have some problem it is a more viable option but as your story indicates it may still be a waste of money. I am glad you do not feel ripped off like many VJ members.

By the way, what do you think of an attorney disclosure law?

[TBoneTX 46,276]

Certainly, people have been hosed by some attorneys. RJ is correct when she says that the INA is exceptionally complex.

Remember also that some attorneys are ex-consular officials -- they have conducted visa interviews! Their insights, now that they are attorneys, can be invaluable. Legal assistance at the time of filing can extend beyond the mere out-filling of I-129F paperwork and the collection of attachments thereto.