Need Lawyers?

[TF1 0]

I'm curious as to how many of you used a lawyer to help with all the filing of forms and visas? And if so, do you think having an immigration lawyer even makes a difference? Or is it better to do it on your own? Do you think it's a waste of money to hire one or a good option?

[HappyRs 8]

I'm curious as to how many of you used a lawyer to help with all the filing of forms and visas? And if so, do you think having an immigration lawyer even makes a difference? Or is it better to do it on your own? Do you think it's a waste of money to hire one or a good option?

usually it is recommended to hire a lawyer if you have a difficult case (overstay etc.) or the beneficiary's country is considered "high fraud"...Otherwise, it's a waste of money. Most of us here applied without the help of any lawyer...You'll find this website extremely helpful every step of the way.

and...

[magdasal 19]

I suspect most people here on VJ didn't use a lawyer, since this is really a 'do it yourself' site. And there is no reason to use a lawyer for most visas unless you have some heavy complications...or run into severe trouble during the process.

And, as has been attested to many times here by many who turn it all over to lawyers...they mess the process up quite frequently, costing additional time and money. So I think there is more risk in using a lawyer than not.

There are some very outstanding lawyers, mentioned here on VJ for trouble cases and from what I read, they get good results...but are usually a last resort when something terrible happens with the process.

If you've got a straightforward case and want to *know* it's done right, then I recommend you do it yourself.

[jkelly07 120]

agree with above,if you don't have any problems with the law,or any immigration issues,then you really don't need a lawyer,you give him all your information he fill the forms for you, he may charge you hundreds of dollars,you can save yourself a lot of money. do it yourself, read the guides, and look at the examples of the forms you need.vj members are here to help you.

[Darnell 8,478]

VJ is a great DIY immigration portal, with an emphasis on 'Y' and 'D'.

The guides are great, mostly (if only they'd kill the K-3 instructions)

and the mentoring here is great, also - we tend to 'pay it forward', most of the time.

Getting a lawyer sometimes is necessary, here's my guidelines about it:

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. You are concerned with time, I am concerned with your 'knowledge acquisition', as knowledge is power. You can have 'it' good, fast or cheap - pick 2.

[Indy90 21]

I think that there is a myth on this website that lawyers are not useful. As someone who has worked with immigration lawyers, I can tell you that they can be extremely useful. The problem is that so many people make the mistake of choosing lawyers who have the slickest advertising/cheapest price or lawyers that do not concentrate in immigration law.

Some of the red flags that I would look for when choosing a lawyer include things like making promises (a lawyer should not guarantee anything, there are way too many variables), if the lawyer went to a very low ranked or unaccredited law school (just because they did does not mean that they are a bad lawyer, but I would be more cautious), how many lawyers work at the firm in relation to location (I have seen immigration law firms that have one attorney but have set up offices in cities around the country, meaning that poorly paid and probably untrained assistants are actually doing the work). You should also consider how much the lawyer is charging...don't go for the attorney that charges the lowest or highest amount and make sure that the attorney actually specializes in immigration or has a lot of experience. Law is very specialized and a tax lawyer is probably not going to know much more than you about immigration law. Finally, listen to what other people say about the attorney.

As many have said, an attorney is not needed for most basic cases, and me and my wife did not use one. However, you will have to spend a lot of time researching the process. The amount of time that I spent researching probably added up to several days of my life (minimally). If your time is very valuable, it might be a good idea to consider a lawyer. If not, you should be able to do things on your own.

[tea4two 0]

We hired a lawyer on the advice of both my father and a family friend who both (independently) knew people going through immigration proceedings that needed one. In the end, it was mostly a waste of money - not that the lawyer was bad or unethical, just that it wasn't necessary. We had a fairly plain straight-forward case, except we requested an expedite on military grounds, which I did at both the USCIS and NVC levels without any assistance from the lawyer. In fact, when we got an RFE from NVC, I knew about it within a couple of days and had responded before my lawyer had any idea that we'd even gotten an RFE.

Darnell's and Indy's advice is solid. Even if you have a bunch of questions after looking through the forms, there are usually lots of answers on the forums, you just have to recognize the information given isn't legally binding (or sometimes correct), but it's a good knowledge base here. Do I feel like I tossed away a hunk of cash by hiring a lawyer - yes. Did I have a bit more peace of mind because I could call the office and talk to any of the lawyers there and get an answer within minutes - yes.

[TF1 0]

and...

We're getting married in June in Thailand. So I guess... after that my timeline will look a little more legit. HAHAHAHA And I am still figuring out the difference between K-3 and CR-1. To my understanding when you file the I-130 it sort of defaults to the CR-1?

[seko 0]

Do it your self you don't have to pay for layer and ask anything you want in the forums they are so good guys

[HappyRs 8]

We're getting married in June in Thailand. So I guess... after that my timeline will look a little more legit. HAHAHAHA And I am still figuring out the difference between K-3 and CR-1. To my understanding when you file the I-130 it sort of defaults to the CR-1?

I understand of course, it's just that timelines help members to give specific advice and/opinions that need info like beneficiary's country or USCIS office you'll file to etc. K-3 is dead as far as I know...CR-1 is the way to go. Best of luck .