Immigration lawyer

[cndgirl 0]

Did any of you get an immigration lawyer to make sure the forms are filled out properly? if so how would I go about doing this, do you have any suggestions? approx. how much will it cost?

if you didn't get an immigration lawyer how did everything turn out? did you have any problems?

[yasjay001 0]

Did any of you get an immigration lawyer to make sure the forms are filled out properly? if so how would I go about doing this, do you have any suggestions? approx. how much will it cost?

if you didn't get an immigration lawyer how did everything turn out? did you have any problems?

[Hank_ 9,174]

The forms are pretty straight forward to complete, there is a great section here on the forum to assist with getting every in proper order.

http://www.visajourney.com/content/guides :thumbs:

[yasjay001 0]

I have a lawyer who filled out all the paperwork. The lawyer costs me $2000+ filling fees which together come to 3500 I guess.

[Girl from Celebes 588]

Did any of you get an immigration lawyer to make sure the forms are filled out properly? if so how would I go about doing this, do you have any suggestions? approx. how much will it cost?

if you didn't get an immigration lawyer how did everything turn out? did you have any problems?

Nope. My fiance and I never use a lawyer to prepare our documents even though he did go to meet them to ask a few question just because US military provide it. I personally refuse a lawyer to involved unless it's really complicated case. We both are use USCIS website (that's my fiance), VJ forum, and ask VJ'ers many questions (that's my job, he he he). That's all. Good luck for your I-129F.

Edited November 15, 2011 by Girl from Celebes

[Piefre 15]

cndgirl, I think you meant to post in this forum if you're filing for an F-1 Student Visa:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/142-student-%26-exchange-visitor-visas/

Everyone here is or has filed for a K-1 Fiance Visa. But in case you were asking about the K-1 anyway, I didn't use a lawyer. My fiance and I got an RFE but it was for a very minor issue that we easily fixed ourselves. The rest of our process has gone smoothly so far.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I consulted with a lawyer before I sent the petition, but I prepared all of the forms and documentation in the petition package myself using guidance from VJ. I hired an associate of the same attorney in Saigon to handle the interview preparation. The interview prep included a few 2-hour mock interview sessions, as well as document preparation. We didn't really need the interview prep, but my wife (then fiancee) was nervous and the sessions helped her feel like she was doing something constructive while we waited for the interview. I handled all of the adjustment of status documents for my wife and two step-kids myself.

Our petition was approved without any RFE's. The visa was approved at the interview with only four questions. We were selected for an AOS interview, and we were approved at the interview without any RFE's along the way. All in all, it was a pretty smooth ride for us.

[DiZZyLoX 114]

As long as your case is pretty straight forward, you should be able to pull it off yourself. I suppose it is a personal choice. I decided not to use one because when I went through the forms myself, i found it to be pretty self explanatory.But I should mention I'm kind of a control freak and I don't think anything can be done right unless i do it myself

Edited November 15, 2011 by DiZZyLoX

[Heather&Paul 7]

Hi,

To be honest, you do NOT need an immigration lawyer it's a waste of money! Unless you have a super complicated case you certainly can do a thorough enough job on your own. I received my NOA2 yesterday and I filled out everything on my own. I used the guides on Visa Journey and read through the forums with commonly asked questions. For the proof of meeting, I just thought of everything that would have put us in the same location during the last 2 years: photos, passport stamps, plane tickets, etc., etc. Do not be afraid to ask questions, everyone on here is more than willing to help you if you should have questions or concerns. Just make sure you triple check everything and give the USCIS exactly what they are asking for. Have a great day and the best of luck to you.

Also, I myself had checked out the immigration lawyer option and the lawyer admitted to me that filing the petition is not brain surgery and that it can certainly be done without the use of a lawyer. That is coming straight from a lawyer!

[bigdog 376]

We used one for our K1 wast of money, filed our own AOS. Only RFE was because our attorney did not know the difference between a divorce agreement and marriage dissolution (maybe the translated forms through him off). Once we mailed the correct form everything OK causing a 30 day delay and immediate K1 approval. Jim had a good approach for peace of mind.

[baron555 934]

Did any of you get an immigration lawyer to make sure the forms are filled out properly? if so how would I go about doing this, do you have any suggestions? approx. how much will it cost?

if you didn't get an immigration lawyer how did everything turn out? did you have any problems?

I did it all myself and never had a problem.

[mapletree 33]

A lawyer is like fire insurance. Most people never need one and you often won’t know if you needed one until it is too late. (For example, buying fire insurance the day after a fire is too late.) While the process can be done by people that pay attention, this board is filled with stories of people that filed the wrong form, or file a K-1 then got married between their NOA1 and NOA2, or did any one of a number of things that run afoul of the various rules.

If you are careful, pay attention, and willing to live with your mistakes, you can certainly do it yourself.

I am doing it on my own.

But for every five people that “waste” money on a lawyer, there is that one person that looking back, wishes they had hired and attorney and saved a lot of time and aggravation.

Do you need an attorney? No. You do not need fire insurance for your home either.

And if your attorney does their job well, you will not see that you ever needed their help as they will have saved you from the problems that might have derailed your visa process.

But don’t think the money is “wasted.” Just understand what you are buying. You are not buying a visa. You are buying help and assistance in a difficult process that though you can do it on your own, (as I am and many of us are) sometimes help is worth the expense.

Best of luck.

[brian_n_phuong 193]

I hired an associate of the same attorney in Saigon to handle the interview preparation. The interview prep included a few 2-hour mock interview sessions, as well as document preparation.

Jim --

Can you send me a PM about the attorney in HCMC? I think your idea may be usefull for the same reason in my case. I think she would feel more prepared after having someone other than myself firing questions at her.

Thanks !!