Immigration attorney or marriage agency?

[Jason & Masha 0]

Hello fellow Visa Journey members,

I am just about ready to start the K1 visa process and I want professional help on this. My question is, should I go with an immigration attorney or marriage agency? The cost is not an issue for me, I just want it done right and done as quickly as possible. My only concern would be the I-134 Affidavit of support. This will be my first year filing taxes. I have made about 20k. (125% over the poverty line in my state is 18 something.) I can get multiple co-sponsors, so maybe it won't be an issue.

With that in mind, who should I go with? (immigration attorney or marriage agency) All input is greatly appreciated!!!

Thank you!

[LeftCoastLady 441]

Hello fellow Visa Journey members,

I am just about ready to start the K1 visa process and I want professional help on this. My question is, should I go with an immigration attorney or marriage agency? The cost is not an issue for me, I just want it done right and done as quickly as possible. My only concern would be the I-134 Affidavit of support. This will be my first year filing taxes. I have made about 20k. (125% over the poverty line in my state is 18 something.) I can get multiple co-sponsors, so maybe it won't be an issue.

With that in mind, who should I go with? (immigration attorney or marriage agency) All input is greatly appreciated!!!

Thank you!

Most people on this site file the petition and go through the process on their own without any legal assistance. If your situation is fairly simple -- no kids, no divorces, no felony record -- you should be able to follow the K-1 Guide on this site and do it on your own.

On the I-134, if it's just your fiancé(e) and yourself, then $20k is over the minimum and you wouldn't need a co-sponsor.

[Jason & Masha 0]

Thank you LeftCoastLady! The reason I want to seek professional help is because I'm only 22 years old and this is all new to me. My fear is that I would not file a certain paper correctly and the process delayed weeks, maybe months!

[Inky 1,110]

Thank you LeftCoastLady! The reason I want to seek professional help is because I'm only 22 years old and this is all new to me. My fear is that I would not file a certain paper correctly and the process delayed weeks, maybe months!

All you need to do is follow the step by step guides found on this site and read the instruction pages for the forms. They also have example forms available to help you fill out the forms. Its very easy if you sit down and go through each item carefully.

A lawyer could care less about your stuff zip through it and create tons of errors where you yourself are the one who cares and has the time to go over things carefully.

[LeftCoastLady 441]

Thank you LeftCoastLady! The reason I want to seek professional help is because I'm only 22 years old and this is all new to me. My fear is that I would not file a certain paper correctly and the process delayed weeks, maybe months!

If that's the concern, I would just say to set aside time to read through everything -- the guides, the forms, etc. -- very carefully before you begin. Using an attorney does not guarantee that a petition will be error-free.

You can also search through this forum to see examples of people who have employed an immigration attorney for their cases to see their results. Some good, some bad.

[Xanax 349]

If you look through this site, a lot of the time you will find an attorney has actually slowed the process down.

[Jason & Masha 0]

If you look through this site, a lot of the time you will find an attorney has actually slowed the process down.

Hmm I didn't know that, that's interesting. What about an agency that specializes in marriage visa. I would assume they would be fast and reliable?

[Darnell 8,478]

reliable for what?

[LeftCoastLady 441]

Hmm I didn't know that, that's interesting. What about an agency that specializes in marriage visa. I would assume they would be fast and reliable?

As the petitioner, all of the information would come from you, so you would still have to do a lot of the heavy lifting in this process. Using an attorney or visa service -- again, I recommend doing a search through the forum to see feedback on those who did employ such a service -- will not speed up the petition and visa process. As BrittandDan mentioned, it could even slow down the process.

Plus, those services are expensive. There have been forum members who have spent thousands of dollars for something you can do on your own for probably $400 (including the petition filing fee). Again, if your situation is fairly simple, sitting down and reading through everything will help immensely. If nothing else, if you do decide to use a service, you'll know the right questions to ask.

This forum is incredibly helpful, so if you have a question, it can usually be answered by reading the guide, doing a search for a similar situation, or posting a question to get feedback from everyone.

Edited April 3, 2012 by LeftCoastLady

[Jason & Masha 0]

As the petitioner, all of the information would come from you, so you would still have to do a lot of the heavy lifting in this process. Using an attorney or visa service -- again, I recommend doing a search through the forum to see feedback on those who did employ such a service -- will not speed up the petition and visa process. As BrittandDan mentioned, it could even slow down the process.

Plus, those services are expensive. There have been forum members who have spent thousands of dollars for something you can do on your own for probably $400 (including the petition filing fee). Again, if your situation is fairly simple, sitting down and reading through everything will help immensely. If nothing else, if you do decide to use a service, you'll know the right questions to ask.

This forum is incredibly helpful, so if you have a question, it can usually be answered by reading the guide, doing a search for a similar situation, or posting a question to get feedback from everyone.

Ok, thank you all for your help. I am convinced on doing it myself now. I appreciate all of your input.

Darnell, I was assuming that a professional agency would be reliable in regards to filling all correct papers and in a timely manner.

[Xanax 349]

Ok, thank you all for your help. I am convinced on doing it myself now. I appreciate all of your input.

Darnell, I was assuming that a professional agency would be reliable in regards to filling all correct papers and in a timely manner.

You can do it! Following the instructions will put you in good stead and any additional questions can most probably be answered here by the very knowledgable senior members

[bigdog 376]

You can do this, if you have an attorney you will do all the work they get money. Yous sounds ordinary and if you document what uscis needs it will go smooth.

[Jason & Masha 0]

Again thank you all. I just spoke with a man named Fred Wahl from HeartOfAsiaOnline.com and FianceeVisaServices.com and he made a compelling sales pitch to me. He told me that the you have to present a convincing case to the consulate and prove you have a "bone fide" relationship. He said he puts all the documents together in a convincing manner to the consulate. He says that you needs photos and things such as letters, emails, online messages to each other and he will pick and choose what to use. Here is his youtube video, it seems pretty convincing to me.

I honestly don't care about saving money, I just want it done right. Do you guys still think I should do it myself?

[C-ma'am 684]

Again thank you all. I just spoke with a man named Fred Wahl from HeartOfAsiaOnline.com and FianceeVisaServices.com and he made a compelling sales pitch to me. He told me that the you have to present a convincing case to the consulate and prove you have a "bone fide" relationship. He said he puts all the documents together in a convincing manner to the consulate. He says that you needs photos and things such as letters, emails, online messages to each other and he will pick and choose what to use. Here is his youtube video, it seems pretty convincing to me.

I honestly don't care about saving money, I just want it done right. Do you guys still think I should do it myself?

Yes, definitely. All you have to do is go step by step, and when you are insecure about something, you can always ask the community. While a lawyer or an agency can also do it right, it's a fact that you will waste precious time sending papers back and forth... when in reality, you can skip that third person in the picture and send everything directly to the appropriate places.

The decision is yours; but trust us. Unless you have a difficult case in your hands, you may save days or even weeks, by eliminating that middle man.

Good luck on your journey!

[Ivie & Eguagie 119]

Again thank you all. I just spoke with a man named Fred Wahl from HeartOfAsiaOnline.com and FianceeVisaServices.com and he made a compelling sales pitch to me. He told me that the you have to present a convincing case to the consulate and prove you have a "bone fide" relationship. He said he puts all the documents together in a convincing manner to the consulate. He says that you needs photos and things such as letters, emails, online messages to each other and he will pick and choose what to use. Here is his youtube video, it seems pretty convincing to me.

I honestly don't care about saving money, I just want it done right. Do you guys still think I should do it myself?

It sounds like you are almost ready to use an Agency/Attorney to file the petition. Well, all the advices that has been given to you do it yourself are sound and correct but you must be ready to follow up and read all the guides on here on VJ to help you sail through, if there is anything confusing you don't seem to understand then post a question and intelligent VJ members will surely come to your aid. IF you are not ready to do it as you have sounded, i think you should go with your choice of using agency/attorney because advice here are just suggestions and you are the one to make the final decision on what to do, whether to do it yourself or not. Everyone has said you should follow the steps here and do it yourself and you are still insisting and doing researches on some agency that means if you eventually do it yourself and perhaps you got an rfe later down the road, all the advice/suggestion given might bite us in the butt with the way you sound. Maybe I'm wrong but this is how i perceive it. Good luck in whatever you chose for yourself

Edited April 3, 2012 by Ken & Lecia