Hire an immigration lawyer or file by ourselves

[a302 0]

I could use some help on this. For those that have used a lawyer could you describe your experience? Those of you that have done the paperwork yourselves could you tell me about your experience?

Thanks for any advice received.

[웃 910]

It's ridiculously easy so there is absolutely no need to pay a lawyer $500.

Are you filing a K-1 petition? If so go here and follow the step by step guide: http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

K-3 here: http://www.visajourney.com/content/k3guide

All you do is fill out a couple forms, send a check, include a couple pictures and a flight itinerary, and a few copies of documents such as a passport, birth certificate, etc. Stuff everything in a large envelope and mail it out.....Wait 6 months and then you get a visa. Really simple and easy.

[^_^ 5,021]

Like LI said - it's ridiculously easy and simple. But that comes with one major caveat. You have to be willing to read. You have to be able to read somewhat complex language and understand it. You have to be patient and detail-oriented.

And it helps to have a case devoid of any red flags.

[Romancita 3]

Hi!

Unless your case is complicated and complex, you can definitely do it yourselves! I am so happy my husband talked me out of using a lawyer! We filed ourselves and on Monday we got the EAD/AP combo card. We are having the interview in two weeks and no request for evidence (or RFE) yet.

Good luck!

[^_^ 5,021]

Yeah. Definitely forego the lawyer if you think your case is simple and you are up to it.

Also, please bear in mind that there are scamsters on VJ who provide "immigration consultation" services. These gentlemen are nothing more than con artists. They are not lawyers. Beware.

[luckytxn 2,264]

Do it yourself. If you do hire a lawyer you will still have to get all the info to the shyster anyway and even after that get the paperwork and check it for errors. Also during this time it is back and forth so that is time that could have been saved by just doing it yourself. Also we have had many here complain that their lawyers have made critical mistakes.

[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.

[Krikit 1,164]

Moving from Off Topic to General Immigration Discussion.

[JiaYou 22]

Follow the guide on this website and you will be fine. Be extremely careful not to make any typos on your forms. I mistakenly wrote 2010 instead of 2009 somewhere on mine and it ended up costing us another 2 month wait and an RFE.

Edited April 15, 2011 by JiaYou

[Dakine10 5,452]

First have a look at the guides on this site and see if it's something you want to do yourself. It's not too hard, and you will get a lot of information by reading and posting on this site. You can always look at the guide and decide if it's something you want to do by yourself.

Two general scenarios I can think of for hiring an attorney are:

-you have an unusual or difficult case that does not match well with anything in the guides.

-the loss of a few thousand dollars means nothing to you, and you would rather spend the time thinking about something else.

The advantage to doing it yourself is that you have a lot invested in yourself, in following the process, and in learning about immigration in general.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Becoming an immigrant is not a legal process, it's an administrative one. A lawyer is needed in court to represent you in front of a judge, so once you are in deportation proceedings, you'll need a lawyer. For the immigration process, the by far best investment you can make is to familiarize yourself with the process. Many lawyers screw up, big time, and nobody has a higher interest in your case than you. The lawyer will give you a list of documents to provide, ask you the questions that are in the application form, and then fill them in, at an $250 to $350-per hour rate.

There are so many experienced people on this board who know ever step of the process intimately, know all the caveats and snafus, if you come here daily for 1 month you will know more than enough to do this on your own. And if you have a problem or question, all you have to do is ask and help is only a mouse click away.

Edited April 16, 2011 by Just Bob