For near future reference

[sdfghjk 0]

My fiance and i have started to fill out the forms needed for k1 visa and well he asked me look up some stuff and well i found these forums and was wondering if i coul dget some opinions regarding using and online attorney service

wether its betetr to hire online or in your town, if it is worth it can anyone suggest a few good ones that are reliable etc..

we want to get things right the first time.

some help would be appreciate

[Indy90 21]

My fiance and i have started to fill out the forms needed for k1 visa and well he asked me look up some stuff and well i found these forums and was wondering if i coul dget some opinions regarding using and online attorney service

wether its betetr to hire online or in your town, if it is worth it can anyone suggest a few good ones that are reliable etc..

we want to get things right the first time.

some help would be appreciate

Hire an attorney with a good reputation and a lot of immigration experience (maybe as a clerk for an immigration judge, real world experience, etc.). Don;t just go with the cheapest option...you may regret it. If you cannot find any reviews on the attorney or know anyone that has used the attorney, be cautious. Really, you don't need an attorney but if you want one, be careful. A good one can greatly facilitate things if your own time is too valuable but a bad one will cause you more time than going alone. Both will cost money.

[sdfghjk 0]

Hire an attorney with a good reputation and a lot of immigration experience (maybe as a clerk for an immigration judge, real world experience, etc.). Don;t just go with the cheapest option...you may regret it. If you cannot find any reviews on the attorney or know anyone that has used the attorney, be cautious. Really, you don't need an attorney but if you want one, be careful. A good one can greatly facilitate things if your own time is too valuable but a bad one will cause you more time than going alone. Both will cost money.

well ive been looking online and well there are just so many yet all of them have testimonials .. ive been looking for reviews and well cant find any .. money isnt really an issue and well we would like to find a good one thats why i thought maybe some people on here have used attorneys and could maybe suggest a few to give us a little head start as to looking into it etc..

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Welcome to Visa Journey ,

In all seriousness, if you really feel insecure about doing the process or have some unusual circumstances that might impact your situation, hire an attorney who is experienced in US immigration, otherwise I would recommend that you consider doing it yourself. The K-1 process is very straight forward if there are no other factors to consider (eg. criminal activities, previous immigration violations, etc.) You will find that the majority of people on Visa Journey have done the process themselves. It will involve a lot of reading on your part and filling out and mailing the forms. That is basically all that the lawyer would do. You would still have to be the ones who collect all the information, who makes the arrangements to get all of the necessary attachments and stuff like that. Adding a third party in the process will actually slow it down somewhat as you will work on their time schedule, not yours.

Read over the forums here. Read the guides. Read the instructions and the forms posted at http://www.USCIS.gov. Make lists of what you will need. Ask questions here. You will find it is actually more straight forward than it looks when you first start investigating. Remember, there will be no one more dedicated than you are to making sure the process woks well and goes smoothly. Invest the time you need into researching this with the eye to doing it yourself.

When my husband and I started this process 7 years ago we knew next to nothing about the US immigration process. We have done it ourselves every step of the way without a problem from the K-1 visa to US citizenship. Think about it - VJ is a great resource to have available to help you - and there a lot of other Canadians who have gone through and who are going through the process as well, happy to help you out with advice and the benefit of their experience.

Edited June 3, 2010 by Kathryn41

[Justine+David 218]

If your case is uncomplicated (no illegal stay, crimes, etc), you do NOT need a lawyer.

No one will care more about your case than you do...99% of the cases I've read of people who have lawyers ended up firing them because they are extremely slow and the people realize that they are paying thousands of dollars to pay someone to fill out some forms...

[sdfghjk 0]

tyvm i will check out that website and read up on it i appreciate your opinions

[Indy90 21]

well ive been looking online and well there are just so many yet all of them have testimonials .. ive been looking for reviews and well cant find any .. money isnt really an issue and well we would like to find a good one thats why i thought maybe some people on here have used attorneys and could maybe suggest a few to give us a little head start as to looking into it etc..

Search the forums for lawyers...many people here have used lawyers and talk about some that are good. I wouldn't just trust a testimonial that you find online on the lawyer's website. This website has some reviews and says if the lawyer has ever been sanctioned, etc. Go to find a lawyer>immigration and some local lawyers will show up. http://www.avvo.com/review-your-lawyer

[HeatDeath 430]

If your case is uncomplicated (no illegal stay, crimes, etc), you do NOT need a lawyer.

No one will care more about your case than you do...99% of the cases I've read of people who have lawyers ended up firing them because they are extremely slow and the people realize that they are paying thousands of dollars to pay someone to fill out some forms...

Enthusiastically seconded. Normal cases do not normally need a lawyer. There are no tribunals for the lawyer to attend, no arguments to make, no advocacy to perform. All a lawyer does, in the vast vast VAST majority of cases, is ask you for information, fill out forms using the information you give him, and mail the forms to the address on the form, all on their timeframe, whenever they get around to it, pocketing several thousand dollars you will need for the moving process while they're at it. The best case scenario is that they merely delay your case a few weeks. But I've read reports here of careless lawyers causing significant messes for people, and charging them substantial amounts of money for the privilege.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm the first person to recommend a lawyer if the situation gets even slightly complex. There are times and places and situations, many of them, where the services of an immigration lawyer are absolutely vital. But filling out and filing an I-129F, for the vast majority of people, is not one of them. Read the guides here a few dozen times. Read the instructions on the forms you download from www.uscis.gov a few dozen times more. Fill out your forms just like the samples here, with fastidious attention to detail, and everything will go nice and smooth, the vast majority of the time. I would go so far as to say that no one with the literacy and ability to follow instructions demonstrated by having graduated college has any need for an immigration lawyer for a normal I-129F filing, and a good-sized percentage of literate high school grads could probably do it too.

You CAN do this!

[HeatDeath 430]

If you absolutely must hire an attorney, either due to the presence of "red flags" - complicating factors in either of your histories (run-ins with US Customs, prior convictions, drug use, etc.) - or crippling insecurity in your own ability to comprehend written instructions and fill out forms (seriously - if you do your own taxes - this is easier! ), do not feel constrained to hire a particular lawyer just because they are local to you. US immigration law is federal - it's the same everywhere in the US. A competent, well-recommended lawyer at the far end of a long-distance phone call will be infinitely more useful to you than some barely-qualified immigration newbie whose primary qualification is that he works within 20 minutes of your house.

Edited June 3, 2010 by HeatDeath

[Darnell 8,478]

I'll suggest a coupla things, maybe (maybe...) help you to decide whether you need an attorney or not.

a. read the VJ guides. map the steps out on paper and pencil. See if anything doesn't make sense to you.

b. Read the USCIS web portal about the forms. Map out the steps on paper and pencil. See if anything doesn't make sense to you.

c. Practice filling out the forms, at least 5 times. See if anything still doesn't make sense to you.

d. Have any red flags? Practice writing up attestation letters about each red flag.

Now, after doing (with major emphasis on DOING ) all of the above, if you do NOT understand the forms and the process and potential red flags for your petition,

then I'd suggest getting a good IMMIGRATION lawyer.

[sdfghjk 0]

Well i talked with my fiance and he completely agrees with you guys on that one .. him who wanted one in the first place we will be using the links and checking the samples etc.. and doing it ourselves. The form doesnt seem too complicated but yet theres always those little details that could possibly mess it up but we will still try ty all for your comments

[Bernie C 24]

May have been stated in a previous post but in case I missed it I just wanted to point this out too.

If you hire an immigration attorney to fill out your papers (which is effectively what you are doing), it is still YOUR responsibility to double and triple check ALL of their work. If there is an error, they will not take the responsibility. It is yours.

Some of the forms may seem complicated at times but with most folks can work through it. We all have questions and seek help and advice (even when we know the answers). Its always good to get an opinion or some reassurance when you have a doubt about something.

The folks here at VJ are really great and as you have already seen have lots of opinions. Every case is unique unto the couple who are involved - even two cases that appear to be exactly the same can have varied results. Its a crazy system and a crazy world but you can do it!

Best Wishes Always!!!

[HeatDeath 430]

Well i talked with my fiance and he completely agrees with you guys on that one .. him who wanted one in the first place we will be using the links and checking the samples etc.. and doing it ourselves. The form doesnt seem too complicated but yet theres always those little details that could possibly mess it up but we will still try ty all for your comments

Even if you make a mistake or two on the forms, it's usually not that big a deal. There are only three show-stopping fatal mistakes a potential immigrant can make:

A ) Entering the US without inspection (i.e. hiking across the border in a deserted part of Montana or North Dakota without ever seeing a Customs official.) Doing this will basically hose you forever, from an immigration-status point-of-view.

B ) Intentional misrepresentation of a material fact on any of the forms or interviews with any USCIS or DoS or CBP official, ever. Pay attention to details and ALWAYS tell the whole truth!

C ) Misrepresenting oneself as a US citizen when you aren't yet one.

Those are the three show-stoppers - the "crash landings" - the only fatal, unforgivable offenses. If you avoid those, any other mistake you make can be corrected. Might sometimes be a stressful pain in the rear [and occasionally involve expensive legal fees] to correct, but any other mistake can always be corrected. Avoid the above three "crash landings", pay really close attention to the instructions, and everything will be fine.

Edited June 3, 2010 by HeatDeath

[ericdette@137 0]

NO need to hire a lawyer if I were you because it would cost you much much of money. If you and your fiance/e has genuine proofs of relationships( like you meet each another personally or with both family meeting with evidences like photos or videos or airline tickets, proof of engagement letters, emails/ mails etc), legal documents both sides, proof of affidavit of support for soon as one of the requirements need whne you are filling or on the interview day..If you think you all have this you don't need to hire lawyer because some I heared too it would just a waste of money or time, like for example if there are Questions to ask on both sides like in a case on your Birth cert. or whatever lawyers need more time to answer that etc etc. unlike if the it is by your self it would just easy because you know all your personal date/documents and some says that some takes very low. In my case, I did not hire a laywer because I know I can do it and plus I all have my proofs of evidences detailed and organized, I kept all the proofs from the very start of our relationship and it turns out great on the day of interview. I handled binders & folders with me even it is very heavy to bring it during the interview. And it works without a lawyer and on ethe day of interview I was only me no fiance backup lol as others have . Since the day of filling( made my my petioner/fiance) we got the NOA1 from the USCIS 2 months later then, since then we only waited 3 months I got the NA2 from the Embassy for my interview. I think it went all like 7 months all of waiting. We really thought it takes a year but Thanks God it went so smooth & great! So, Good luck for your processing. Think positive as you go forward on this process surely it will go through fine to boht of you!

Hope my simple advice will help:).

Oops sorry I meant on my message NOA( Notice of Action) from the USCIS.

[sdfghjk 0]

Well no criminal records or anything like that i plan to follow every exactly like it should be and well theres no false representation of me being a us, citizen when i am not ...

as for proof we have pictures 2 years of conversations on msn/skype, i kept all my plain tickets the e-tickets that i got in my email with my name on it and my itineraries .. as for engagement well technically we are engaged but he plans to come down next month and propose properly .. will that cause a problem since it hasnt done formally?

besides that nothing really can stop me from being accepted .. i hope...

but my son will be comming with me .. i have full legal custody of him his dad hasnt come to visit him in over 2 years 1/2 i still have to reach my lawyer to find out if his dad can randomly pop up in the picture and stop me from bringing him with me... hes not an immigration lawyer so was hoping if anyone on here has brought a child with them can clue me in on how that maybe works.