Immigraton lawyer, or not

[Wildbill 0]

Hi,

I have one more quick question for you experts that have been through all this and were successful. My wife and I are still happily living in Ecuador, but may consider applying for a Visa for her someday in the near future. I am wondering if most of you have used an Immigration Attorney or have just done it all on your own? If we do decide to use an Attorney, can anyone tell me more or less what it will cost? I just got a quote of around $5000.00. That sounds kind of high to me, but I really have no idea.

Thanks!!!!

[daboyz 36]

Hi,

I have one more quick question for you experts that have been through all this and were successful. My wife and I are still happily living in Ecuador, but may consider applying for a Visa for her someday in the near future. I am wondering if most of you have used an Immigration Attorney or have just done it all on your own? If we do decide to use an Attorney, can anyone tell me more or less what it will cost? I just got a quote of around $5000.00. That sounds kind of high to me, but I really have no idea.

Thanks!!!!

Wow $5k. I paid $1800 and it was a total rip off. I am not advising or not advising you to hire a lawyer. I'n my case I paid $1800 to have the lawyer delay my case no less than 3 months, and make at least 10 mistakes. Seems like if you are already married, and have been living in Ecuador for more than 6 months, you can apply for DCF (Direct Consular Filing) This is a really quick way to get approval, since everything will be handled in Ecuador. Check in the DCF forum:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showforum=82

[otso88 0]

Hi,

I have one more quick question for you experts that have been through all this and were successful. My wife and I are still happily living in Ecuador, but may consider applying for a Visa for her someday in the near future. I am wondering if most of you have used an Immigration Attorney or have just done it all on your own? If we do decide to use an Attorney, can anyone tell me more or less what it will cost? I just got a quote of around $5000.00. That sounds kind of high to me, but I really have no idea.

Thanks!!!!

3 yrs ago my hubby hired a lawyer for $1,400 plus the USCIS fees and in our case it was worth it just to impress the consul, though i had to check the papers that the lawyer prepared coz they messed up, if your case isn't complicated better do it yourself, save your buck.

[seananda 1]

Hi,

I have one more quick question for you experts that have been through all this and were successful. My wife and I are still happily living in Ecuador, but may consider applying for a Visa for her someday in the near future. I am wondering if most of you have used an Immigration Attorney or have just done it all on your own? If we do decide to use an Attorney, can anyone tell me more or less what it will cost? I just got a quote of around $5000.00. That sounds kind of high to me, but I really have no idea.

Thanks!!!!

The US consulate page in Guayaquil has good information about the process of applying directly in Ecuador. http://guayaquil.usconsulate.gov/how_to_fi...a_petition.html You have to be a legal resident in Ecuador with the appropriate visa (not a student visa, I believe). This is a much faster and easier method to receive a visa as opposed to petitioning in the U.S. The consulate specific information on visajourney for Guayaquil/Ecuador has an email address for the immigrant visa department. The Guayaquil consulate has been very prompt and professional in responding by email to my visa related questions. The decision to use a lawyer is your own of course, but it is not necessary if you are willing to do research. The consulate webpage has a lot of good information about the application/interview process in Ecuador.

A professional immigration agent in Guayaquil translated some documents for my wife and I. She had about 20 years of experience working in the consulate, and seemed very capable and honest. I believe she charges about $900 for a CR-1 / IR-1 application, including all translations. I don't know if it would be different for DCF. I can send you her information if you'd like.

There are some tricks to the interview in Guayaquil, so I'd recommend brushing up on the visa journey comments and thoroughly reading the consulate webpage. It sounds like you have some time to apply. The worst thing that could happen is that you have to come back for a second interview, so you don't have too many worries, really. I was told by the immigration agent that the typical DCF process in Guayaquil takes about 4 months, if I remember correctly.

Best of luck.

[sjr09 155]

Hi,

I have one more quick question for you experts that have been through all this and were successful. My wife and I are still happily living in Ecuador, but may consider applying for a Visa for her someday in the near future. I am wondering if most of you have used an Immigration Attorney or have just done it all on your own? If we do decide to use an Attorney, can anyone tell me more or less what it will cost? I just got a quote of around $5000.00. That sounds kind of high to me, but I really have no idea.

Thanks!!!!

$5000 is way to much you can find a good attorney for around $1500 or less, that will do "all the forms" and file them. If thats what your looking for.

[TBoneTX 45,319]

The Guayaquil consulate has been very prompt and professional in responding by email to my visa related questions.

It can appear so, but others have had problems gaining the true story. As one of many who was hosed, I advise everyone to not trust this consulate as far as you could kick them.

There are some tricks to the interview in Guayaquil

This is an understatement.

I'd recommend brushing up on the visa journey comments and thoroughly reading the consulate webpage.

Please read and heed the warnings and negative reports, especially.

The worst thing that could happen is that you have to come back for a second interview, so you don't have too many worries, really.

The second "interview" would almost certainly be a Stokes interrogation (by which you would be blindsided, unless you heeded the previous VJ reports). Please do not underestimate the deviousness that permeates the Guayaquil consulate.

Seananda, your VJ timeline (clicked from the left sidebar of your message) lists "Armenia" as your consulate.

[seananda 1]

The Guayaquil consulate has been very prompt and professional in responding by email to my visa related questions.

It can appear so, but others have had problems gaining the true story. As one of many who was hosed, I advise everyone to not trust this consulate as far as you could kick them.

There are some tricks to the interview in Guayaquil

This is an understatement.

I'd recommend brushing up on the visa journey comments and thoroughly reading the consulate webpage.

Please read and heed the warnings and negative reports, especially.

The worst thing that could happen is that you have to come back for a second interview, so you don't have too many worries, really.

The second "interview" would almost certainly be a Stokes interrogation (by which you would be blindsided, unless you heeded the previous VJ reports). Please do not underestimate the deviousness that permeates the Guayaquil consulate.

I hear you! I definitely see how many folks had a rough time of it at the consulate in Guayaquil. I'm just pointing out that it is possible to have some positive/reasonable experiences as well, of course I'd never be saying that if I had been through your experience. Hopefully the OP will have a less stressful time since he is already living in Ecuador with his wife, especially if they are in Guayaquil. I'm jealous!

Edited June 26, 2009 by seananda

[Wildbill 0]

Thanks for your responses! My wife has tried to get a tourist visa three times while I waited outside watching people come out, so I have a pretty good idea of how the consulate treats people. Its really kind of sad and is certainly changing the way people in this country think about Americans. The consulate has actually surprised me with a few personal e-mail responses, but most of the time its just fill-in-the-blank form letters. It really sucks that my wife has no chance of getting a tourist visa because we are married and we can't apply for an immigration visa until we are ready to immigrate. I would love to take her on a short vacation to meet her new family and to show her a few of the things that make the U.S. great. Such is life, at least I am lucky enough to have a good job here for now and we can be together here. Someday I will be writing about how I havent seen her for 6 months like others on here, while we apply for her visa.

[daboyz 36]

Thanks for your responses! My wife has tried to get a tourist visa three times while I waited outside watching people come out, so I have a pretty good idea of how the consulate treats people. Its really kind of sad and is certainly changing the way people in this country think about Americans. The consulate has actually surprised me with a few personal e-mail responses, but most of the time its just fill-in-the-blank form letters. It really sucks that my wife has no chance of getting a tourist visa because we are married and we can't apply for an immigration visa until we are ready to immigrate. I would love to take her on a short vacation to meet her new family and to show her a few of the things that make the U.S. great. Such is life, at least I am lucky enough to have a good job here for now and we can be together here. Someday I will be writing about how I havent seen her for 6 months like others on here, while we apply for her visa.

You might get a better response if you fill in your profile, country etc.

[NickD 203]

If you want a blunt answer, finding a really good immigration attorney that knows his way around the USCIS really helps. But what really helps is to know your senator and congressman personally, you do that by helping them with their campaigns. I introduced my wife to them, they love her just as much as I do and shared with our problems. I know, it shouldn't be this way, but that is the way our political system is ran.

Not as bad as in Venezuela, the only way to get things done down there is go there with a wallet full of hundred dollar bills. Such had to be done just to get something like them correcting a typo they made on a birth certificate.

You have to be completely 100% honest on all of your forms, fraud is still an issue with the USCIS, not even suggesting you break the law, and sure won't get backing if you do. But still dealing with idiots, like Bush putting Emilio in charge of the USCIS. Hey, I am not the only one that said that! Not once, but twice did the USCIS "misplace" our applications and found that I could not do anything about it, talk about a run around you get. So needed help, but one favor deserves another.

We actually got a letter from apology from the USCIS, and anything I hate is a government employee that thinks they are God.

[gogo 6]

you should do your own research, and get a lawyer.. I corrected my lawyer on how to do things sometime.. but is their "name" that I am buying.. the courts are still afraid of a good lawyer.. or a team =)

[seananda 1]

Thanks for your responses! My wife has tried to get a tourist visa three times while I waited outside watching people come out, so I have a pretty good idea of how the consulate treats people. Its really kind of sad and is certainly changing the way people in this country think about Americans. The consulate has actually surprised me with a few personal e-mail responses, but most of the time its just fill-in-the-blank form letters. It really sucks that my wife has no chance of getting a tourist visa because we are married and we can't apply for an immigration visa until we are ready to immigrate. I would love to take her on a short vacation to meet her new family and to show her a few of the things that make the U.S. great. Such is life, at least I am lucky enough to have a good job here for now and we can be together here. Someday I will be writing about how I havent seen her for 6 months like others on here, while we apply for her visa.

Yeah, it is really hard to get a tourist visa from Ecuador right now! Happened to us too before we were engaged. We've had our fair share of positive and negative experiences with the consulate as well. I think once you are married it is even more difficult to get a tourist visa since consulate feelst there is a higher risk for her to stay in the states with you since you are married. (Although I don't think most people would risk that!)

You should be able to gather the paperwork and interview directly at the consulate for her immigrant visa while you both live there. Good luck!