LAWYER OR NOT

[m_ru 0]

with VJ and this forum

http://forums.immigration.com/showthread.p...-Do-it-Yourself

You can do it by yourself

I did

good luck

[lucyrich 20]

There's really a "Catch-22" here. People have said that if your case is straightforward you can do it yourself, but if it's complicated you need a lawyer, and that sounds reasonable enough on the face of it. But how do you know whether your case is straightforward or complicated? I've seen people think their case is straighforward and then have problems many months in because of some unforseen pitfall that they didn't realize would be a problem. In some cases, you need a lawyer just to figure out whether or not your case is complex.

Also, there are some individual people who have managed to mess up their own cases by making "beginner mistakes" (and we all hope to do this process as beginners -- nobody wants to do this over and over again). Their case may not have been complex, but their ability to read and follow instructions wasn't so wonderful, so they would have been better served by having someone guide them through the process. So I'd say there are some INDIVIDUALS who need a lawyer regardless of the complexity of their CASE.

On the other hand, even if you need a lawyer, it's hard to know how to find a good one. You almost need to know the law yourself so you can quiz your attorney to see if he/she knows his stuff. And if you educate yourself on the law well enough to know a good lawyer, you probably won't need a lawyer. Besides, even if an attorney is very knowledgeable, that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be responsive and attentive to your needs during your case. Nobody will care more about your specific case than you will.

Ideally, I'd say many people would be well advised to schedule half-hour or one hour consultations with two or three immigration attorneys who have family-based immigration experience. The interview will help you figure out whether your case is complex. The attorneys will probably try and sell you on their services, but they may tell you outright you don't need them. In any case, resist the hard sell if it comes your way. Scheduling a consultation with more than one attorney helps you avoid speaking only to the worst one in your area, and lets you cross-check the advice. Consultations aren't very expensive in the grand scheme of things.

But it's good to educate yourself on the law anyway. Browse at least the headings of INA 212 to see what sort of problems might cause the visa to be denied. (INA 212 can be found on the USCIS webpage, under laws tab, immigration and nationality act).

If you then feel comfortable doing it yourself, go for it. And try to learn as much as you can during the waiting time.

[besaangel 18]

Thanks lucyrich, that was comprehensive and thorough. This however is true because I feel as though the lawyer I spoke to was trying to sell me his service rather than evaluating the complexity of my case.

For example- he stated "and I'll include a cover letter when I send in the documents to make them professional" and Im there thinking, DONT U NEED TO INCLUDE ONE ANYWAYS lol .

But God's will, I'll set up some consultations within the next two weeks to see what's out there, and if I'm not satisfied, my academia will have to take hold and help us complete them ourselves... THANKS