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Is a Lawyer needed?

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Philippines
Timeline

Hey I was just curious is anybody using a lawyer for the K1 Visa? Has anybody not used a Lawyer and still had succuss? Just curious.

Thanks, Louie

Mailed I-129F Packet 1/17/06 to TSC registered express mail. Was transfered to Cali.

Received 1/19/06.

Received Signed Return Receipt 1/22/06.

Check Cashed 1/27/06

Received NOA1 today 1/30/06 :-)

Received E-mail from USCIS Petition was approved on April 13, 2006

Received in the mail April 17,2006 NOA2

Received from NVC 5/4/06 Approval Notice. Petition was being forward to the Embassy in Manila :-)

Fiancee Received Packet 3 and Packet 4 together. She is to fill out Packet 3 and bring with her to the Visa Interview. Medical Exam scheduled for (8/30/06) and Interview Date (9/6/06) We are on our way.

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most people who frequent this website do not use a lawyer.

a lawyer is recommended if you have any issues out of the ordinary that would require someone with more knowledge of immigration laws (such as if your fiance(e) had any arrests, overstays in the US, etc).

most run of the mill couples, can do it themselves without incurring the extra expense.

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Faith: not wanting to know what is true.~Nietzsche~

“The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is.”

~Winston Churchill~

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Australia
Timeline

If you looked on the old forum there were several polls about who used a lawyer for their visa... and about 75% of people who responded did it all themselves. And most of them were successful. It's not like a court case where you need a professional legal representative or somebody who knows the law book backwards - you just fill out the forms carefully and in the right order and send them in and wait around a lot. Anybody of average intelligence and with the ability to read English should be able to do it for themselves just as well as a laywer.

Edited by Kajikit

Karen - Melbourne, Australia/John - Florida, USA

- Proposal (20 August 2000) to marriage (19 December 2004) - 4 years, 3 months, 25 days (1,578 days)

STAGE 1 - Applying for K1 (15 September 2003) to K1 Approval (13 July 2004) - 9 months, 29 days (303 days)

STAGE 2A - Arriving in US (4 Nov 2004) to AOS Application (16 April 2005) - 5 months, 13 days (164 days)

STAGE 2B - Applying for AOS to GC Approval - 9 months, 4 days (279 days)

STAGE 3 - Lifting Conditions. Filing (19 Dec 2007) to Approval (December 11 2008)

STAGE 4 - CITIZENSHIP (filing under 5-year rule - residency start date on green card Jan 11th, 2006)

*N400 filed December 15, 2011

*Interview March 12, 2012

*Oath Ceremony March 23, 2012.

ALL DONE!!!!!!!!

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You dont need a lawyer, you have found this invaluable site!!! Any questions you need to ask, ask us, you will always get a reply! Save your money for your wedding ...

LONDON TO CALIFORNIA ....

K1

May 5th 05 - K1 petition sent to CSC

August 23rd 05 - Visa Approved!!!

AOS and EAD

December 5th 05 - AOS and EAD sent

December 16th 05 - NOA's received for both AOS and EAD

December 31st 05 - Receive letter for AOS interview

February 6th 06 - AOS Interview - APPROVED

February 16th 06 - Biometrics Appointment

February 22nd 06 - EAD Approved via e mail

February 27th 06 - EAD card in mail!!!

March 6th 06 - Got a job!

March 17th 06 - Green Card Approval via e mail

March 18th 06 - 'Welcome to America' letter arrives

March 24th 06 - Green Card Arrives!

"Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world.

For indeed, that's all who ever have."

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dont use a lawyer unless there are some unusual circumstances in your case..

August 2003 met my sweet viktoria online

January 2004 feeling the love..heart.gif

November 2004 Really wanting to meet

August 04, 2005 first moments together St Petersburgdance.gif

August 11, 2005 Proposed marraigehearton.gif

Sept 12, 2005 129f received at TSC mail.gif

Sept 16, 2005 NOA1 received From CSC

Oct 26, 2005 date i had expected to receive my NOA2

(past now with this forever july 7 issue new expected -never)

well maybe not -i expect in about 4 months

Nov 14 NOA2

Dec 7 Sent to embassy

Jan 17 interview - got visa!

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Ireland
Timeline

I agree- no need for a lawyer at all if you've got a straightforward case. Just make sure you READ all the directions for all of the forms a good two or three times. Highlight things. Read them again. Follow the guides on here, ask any questions (even if it seems like there should be an obvious answer), and you will do just fine

Sept 26- mailed I129F from the UK

Oct 04- NSC receives Petition

Oct 7- Check cashed, we're in the system!

Oct 12- NOA1 receivedl

Oct 21- NOA2 RECEIVED! (email)!! yeah baby, yeah!!!!

Oct 25 NSC ships application to NVC...really rolling now...

Nov 4- NVC ships case to Dublin!!

Nov. 24- Packet 3 received

Dec. 8- Packet 3 materials mailed to Embassy

Dec. 13- Medical in Cork

January 27, 2006- The Interview- SUCCESS!

Feb. 7- He arrived in America- welcome home sweetie!!

Feb. 8- legally married at the Indianapolis clerk's office

Feb. 25- Mailed AOS, EAD, and AP to Chicago lockbox (packet weighed 2.6 pounds!), rec'd Feb. 27

Mar. 6- Received NOAs for I485 and I765, rejection for I131 (incorrect payment). I485 has wrong A#.

Mar. 7- Resubmitted I131

Mar. 14- NOA for I131

April 1, 2006- our Wedding with family and friends in Michigan!!

April 14- Biometrics appointment in Indianapolis

April 25- received Advance Parole

June 19- AOS interview, Indianapolis--APPROVED

June 30- GREEN CARD ARRIVES!!!

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I elected to do it myself and Claudeth would have been here in just under four months if we would have remembered to get her police clearance translated. I can't see using an attorney just to fill out some forms.

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United States & Republic of the Philippines

"Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid." John Wayne

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Filed: Timeline

Haven't used a lawyer for the filing of any immigration forms and haven't had a problem yet. I always say if you file your own state and federal taxes, you can file all the immigration forms yourself.

If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, or don't feel like taking the time read up on what you need to do and have the money to blow, get a lawyer.

The only time I would say it makes sense to at least talk to a lawyer is if the case involves something out of the ordinary, i.e. previous visa overstay.

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I agree with everyone's comments (we aren't using a lawyer as I come from a low fraud country AND we have no 'special circumstances' or 'complex issues') and would add only that having a lawyer will not 'speed up the process' at all - it will take the same amount of time with or without a lawyer. Any lawyer promising you a 'faster than normal' route to your K1 should be avoided as they have no preferrential treatment in the eyes of USCIS

Edited by Jaylen Brit

Applied for K1

Met online 2001 - just aquaintances

Sept 2002 - 1st US visit - everything goes perfectly.

Dec 20th - Forms recev'd at CSC

Dec 27th - NOA1 received by snail mail!

Dec 29th - 'Touched'

March 10 2006 - NOA2!

March 23 - recv'd at NVC

March 24 - petition sent to London

April 9th - Pkt 3 rec'd!

May 17th - Pkt 3 signed for at London Embassy

May 24th - Medical

May24th - Pkt 4

June 14th - Interview 10am - APPROVED 1pm!!

June 16th - Visas received in my hot little hands 1pm :)

July 19th - flying to US!

July 27th - Married!! :-)

Aug 7th - Applied for SSN in married name

Aug 9th - SSN received

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I'm not a lawyer I just have opinions on everything :)

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I saw a post recently (before they all went away) where someone that hadn't used an attorney said that if they had to do it all over again they would have used one.

I am using one. If for nothing else, I like the idea of an attorney putting their information on the forms. I think it may help to indicate the sincerity of the application and importance you place on the relationship. Maybe that's one of the reasons we sailed so easily through the interview in Manila.

We only paid $2500 and that includes Adjustment of Status.

If you do decide to use an attorney, look for one that deals primarily with the country you will be dealing with.

Good luck regardless of your choice.

05/16/2005 I-129F Sent

05/28/2005 I-129F NOA1

06/21/2005 I-129F NOA2

07/18/2005 Consulate Received package from NVC

11/09/2005 Medical

11/16/2005 Interview APPROVED

12/05/2005 Visa received

12/07/2005 POE Minneapolis

12/17/2005 Wedding

12/20/2005 Applied for SSN

01/14/2005 SSN received in the mail

02/03/2006 AOS sent (Did not apply for EAD or AP)

02/09/2006 NOA

02/16/2006 Case status Online

05/01/2006 Biometrics Appt.

07/12/2006 AOS Interview APPROVED

07/24/2006 GC arrived

05/02/2007 Driver's License - Passed Road Test!

05/27/2008 Lifting of Conditions sent (TSC > VSC)

06/03/2008 Check Cleared

07/08/2008 INFOPASS (I-551 stamp)

07/08/2008 Driver's License renewed

04/20/2009 Lifting of Conditions approved

04/28/2009 Card received in the mail

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