Do I need to lawyer up?

[Trixter09 0]

I have spoken to a few friends who have either just completed the Green Card process or are in the midst of it... and they highly recommend I get a lawyer to take care of the details. I have been on this forum for multiple hours/days, have read the guides, downloaded the forms, have taken notes, have been on the government websites and have done a lot of research. I feel I have a good grasp on what is being asked and can do it myself... but maybe I'm just inexperienced and have no idea what I'm getting myself into? Any advice?

[domwardbound 73]

The people and guides/instructions here are more than enough. I think most here will tell you that a lawyer is a waste of money - this stuff honestly isn't super difficult, and by doing it yourself you can be sure that things are moving as fast as possible.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

If you are able to research and figure out forms and can manage instructions well, and have no unusual or 'extenuating' circumstances (immigration violations, criminal record, drug use, medical concerns, etc.) then you are more than capable of doing this process on your own without using a lawyer. You are one client among many with a lawyer who may not be as familiar with the immigration process as he/she would like to think they are. A good bit of the process is gathering together a lot of documents and filling in a lot of forms with information only you would know. Your lawyer would give you a list of stuff to get together, then he/she would interview you and fill out the forms. You can decide if you want to pay someone else to do that - on their schedule, not yours - or if you want to go ahead and try it on your own.

An easy way to determine if you think you might find the process too complicated to manage by yourself is to download the forms, read the instructions and do a 'test' run. Fill out the form, make a list of all of the 'attachments' you need to collect (which you will have to do even with a lawyer), then see what is involved in getting those forms. You will probably discover, like most of us, that is seems unnecessary to pay someone else to do something you can easily do yourself.

You can always ask questions here, get the information you provide 'vetted' by members of this forum, and gain an insight into the process and its timing far better from being an active participant in your own immigration journey than you would by having a third party involved that you have to pay to consult.

Good luck.

Edited June 21, 2013 by Kathryn41

[Trixter09 0]

that's great - thanks a lot. This group is extremely helpful. I'm so glad I found it!

[*Milly* 3]

Do it yourself!!! We hired a lawyer and just paid for nothing. Kathryn 41 is right, just our lawyer gave a list of necessary document to collect. Even when he filed out applications he did so many mistakes, thanks to God my hubby is educated person so he correct it and filed in himself from the beginning. Now its gonna be 6 months since we filed and no NOA2, when my hubby called a lawyer and asked him to help to find out whats going on with our case and he want to get an infopass in local office, lawyer said that there is no local office for I130 petitions and they are processing only at NBC but when my husband called USCIS, he informed that our file was transferred to local office, so here you can make a decision .. an Immigration Lawyer even doesnt know what is Local office and Infopass, he is out off all news and reforms...

[Ash & Tiffany 4]

i'd recommend doing it yourself. my wife and i did the CR-1 process ourselves with absolutely no trouble at all. there were times when i doubted members but hey, you read the step by step guides they made and you'll be right as rain. just be patient and triple check everything.

if you follow the steps, you'll be fine. save the money for a plane ticket to your love.

[Darnell 8,478]

practice practice practice filling out the forms.

Have the instructions printed out

have the GUIDE printed out

Study this wiki page, as well

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/How_to_bring_your_foreign_spouse_to_live_in_the_US

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/How_to_bring_your_foreign_spouse_to_live_in_the_US

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/How_to_bring_your_foreign_spouse_to_live_in_the_US

practice practice practice !

Then if/when you still need the need for an attorney, go seek one.

VJ is a DIY Immigration portal, with an emphasis on Y and D. (You DO) .

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Simple question , who cares the nost about your forms being filled out correctly, taking time to make the calls if things get held up and quickly answering any requests for more evidence . Look in the mirror and hire that person.

[NikLR 13,227]

**** moved to General immigration as question can apply to multiple visa types ****

[Trixter09 0]

great advice everyone - thanks! i was thinking of doing it ourselves and have been putting in the legwork - but i started wondering if i was missing some giant piece to the puzzle - this answers that question. thanks again everybody!

[christeen 966]

Just follow the step by step guides or ask if you have a specific question... As long as you don't have any difficult situations,, DIY is a great way to go. I felt it gave me some sort of control in a situation where your future is completely out of your hands. Also built confidence in dealing with official docs and applications... And saved the lawyers fees for an awesome vacation when he got here... I think you will gain a lot by DIY... Good luck..

[NickD 203]

In my case, a guy that never even heard of the USCIS, working full time, plus overtime, took the time to find one of the top US immigration attorney for guidance. In dealing with attorney's, got him to agree to a flat fee, drew up a contract for strictly guidance. Told me what forms to use, the best way to bring my girls here, paid half that $1,500 fee up front, other half to be paid when my girls, mom and daughter received their green cards.

His firm sent all the forms in and with his name on those forms, AOS went through very smoothly. We developed a very congenial relationship, answered question I had on the ROC and US citizen stages at no charge. When we had problems, told me to contact our senator's office, I didn't know that either. But then you can read many posts on this board where a poor attorney screws up and you get screwed in the process.

It's kind of a question if you have more money than time or more time than money, then finding an honest attorney, this can be the more difficult part. Guess how my wife and I spent our honeymoon? Filling out USCIS forms. Another huge problem for us was finding a USCIS approved doctor that wouldn't rob us to death. Did find one, 300 miles away, but that saved us around $9,000 for that trip from local crooks. We dealth directly with the University of Wisconsin in Madison medical school for all those communicable diseases with a certificate. And instead of paying 500-1000 bucks per test, was more like 10-25 bucks. And found a doctor that was in agreement to use those.

What a world, everyone is trying to rob you blind. My medical health insurance would not pay for these tests, strictly out of pocket.