Do I need a lawyer for my case of AOS?

[Eimisak 0]

Thanks for replies and I never intended to ask anyone to do something for me. I'm sorry if I worded out my post wrong to make it seem like it. Everyone provided me with more help than I expected already!

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

I hired one and for $3000 in Tn, all he did was ask me for the evidence, copy and mail it

i expected support for interview as he said, "if denied, call me immediately and i will work on it from here"

Denied and he then went email saying " I have done my work, no longer your attorney"

I did my own appeal and won that with a court decision of "marriage is not fraudulent"

Lawyers are worthless unless it is something that needs lawyer for a court case

my opinion only

you can do all the paperwork yourself just remember to start collection evidence, keep copy of all you send in to immigration

and good luck

you do need more information on that overstay so ask specificially here about that again / seems the ones who know missed that point

[marianath 27]

Better save the lawyer fees for honeymoon ??

Saved ours for her car...lol

[3rd 84]

you do need more information on that overstay so ask specificially here about that again / seems the ones who know missed that point

Any overstay when adjusting status based on marriage is forgiven. The only thing that could run an issue is if the overstay was more than 180 days and you were using your AP to re-enter the country. Seems to be mixed opinions on this one! I even had an issue getting back into the country with an I-551 stamp in my passport. Hellish.

Edited May 5, 2016 by 3rd

[Caykay1 71]

Hello everyone, I registered here because I red online that this is the best place to get honest information about all kind of immigration cases.

I will try to write my story in short text and my main question is do I need to get a attorney/lawyer for my case?

I came to USA in 2010 with ESTA waiver from Lithuania. My father lives illegally here since 2000. My waiver was only for 90 days and I overstayed my visa.

A year ago I got married to an US Citizen. I'm 24 years old she is 23 years old. We want to get me a green card. I went to couple places and one place wants to charge me $3000 for filling everything+coming to interview and another guy ask $1900 but he isn't even attorney he just has an agency that does lots of stuff.

By looking online and emailing these two persons I collected a lot of information and we got almost all papers ready. We brought all papers to one of them but then decided to take it back thinking that we might try by ourselves.

You don't need any lawyer for now. If they try to get you a tough time then you might need one. If you can read and write, do it yourself and follow all instructions.

Please if someone were in the same boat as me and did everything by themselves please share the information with me and help me out. I live in Hamptons NY thats why all legal services are sky rocked in pricing. I understand that doing everything by ourselves will take more time but hey I've been illegal here for 5 years. I can wait another few months or more. My main question would be if we make a mistake somewhere or we miss our on a document how complicated situation could get? And if we messed everything up could we just get a lawyer then to help us out? Again, I came here under ESTA Waiver for 90 days. My wife don't make enough so we will have a joint sponsor. Which exact forms I would need to fill? I would really appreciate some feedback on procedures and step-by-step information on how we could work it out by ourselves.

THANK YOU!

Hello everyone, I registered here because I red online that this is the best place to get honest information about all kind of immigration cases.

I will try to write my story in short text and my main question is do I need to get a attorney/lawyer for my case?

I came to USA in 2010 with ESTA waiver from Lithuania. My father lives illegally here since 2000. My waiver was only for 90 days and I overstayed my visa.

A year ago I got married to an US Citizen. I'm 24 years old she is 23 years old. We want to get me a green card. I went to couple places and one place wants to charge me $3000 for filling everything+coming to interview and another guy ask $1900 but he isn't even attorney he just has an agency that does lots of stuff.

By looking online and emailing these two persons I collected a lot of information and we got almost all papers ready. We brought all papers to one of them but then decided to take it back thinking that we might try by ourselves.

You don't need any lawyer for now. If they try to get you a tough time then you might need one. If you can read and write, do it yourself and follow all instructions.

Please if someone were in the same boat as me and did everything by themselves please share the information with me and help me out. I live in Hamptons NY thats why all legal services are sky rocked in pricing. I understand that doing everything by ourselves will take more time but hey I've been illegal here for 5 years. I can wait another few months or more. My main question would be if we make a mistake somewhere or we miss our on a document how complicated situation could get? And if we messed everything up could we just get a lawyer then to help us out? Again, I came here under ESTA Waiver for 90 days. My wife don't make enough so we will have a joint sponsor. Which exact forms I would need to fill? I would really appreciate some feedback on procedures and step-by-step information on how we could work it out by ourselves.

THANK YOU!

You don't need a lawyer at this point. Follow all instructions carefully and you should be good.

[francais_usa 74]

Thanks for replies and I never intended to ask anyone to do something for me. I'm sorry if I worded out my post wrong to make it seem like it. Everyone provided me with more help than I expected already!

As many others above you have said, you don't need a lawyer, and no one on this site is going to urge you to get a lawyer--this site is largely do-it-yourself, and with a straightforward case like yours, you do not need a lawyer at all.

You will need a ton of forms, and it's exhausting for me to type everything out, but I will list the main ones--please attach all the supporting evidence for each of these forms: I-485 (this is the green card application), I-864 (this is the sponsor/joint sponsor application; your wife needs to fill this out even if she lacks the $ along with your joint sponsor), I-131 (this is OPTIONAL and only if you want to leave the country while your adjustment application is pending without the consequence of abandoning your AOS), I-765 (this is OPTIONAL and only if you want to work before your green card arrives). Both the I131 and I765 are highly recommended, as they don't cost anything if you file concurrently with your I485 application.

I have done everything by myself without a lawyer (as have the majority of members on VJ), and I have not received any request for evidence or delays. My application was often processed faster than my friends who have used lawyers.

Edited May 5, 2016 by francais_usa

[Russ&Caro 1,549]

Better save the lawyer fees for honeymoon ??

Why? Is his fiance a lawyer and she is going to charge him by the hour during the honeymoon?

[IcezMan_IcezLady 582]

Why? Is his fiance a lawyer and she is going to charge him by the hour during the honeymoon?

No.. he meant that OP could use that $3000 to go on honeymoon. Flight ticket and hotel package for two is around that number.

[almost_umrican 54]

Hello everyone, I registered here because I red online that this is the best place to get honest information about all kind of immigration cases.

I will try to write my story in short text and my main question is do I need to get a attorney/lawyer for my case?

I came to USA in 2010 with ESTA waiver from Lithuania. My father lives illegally here since 2000. My waiver was only for 90 days and I overstayed my visa.

A year ago I got married to an US Citizen. I'm 24 years old she is 23 years old. We want to get me a green card. I went to couple places and one place wants to charge me $3000 for filling everything+coming to interview and another guy ask $1900 but he isn't even attorney he just has an agency that does lots of stuff.

By looking online and emailing these two persons I collected a lot of information and we got almost all papers ready. We brought all papers to one of them but then decided to take it back thinking that we might try by ourselves.

Please if someone were in the same boat as me and did everything by themselves please share the information with me and help me out. I live in Hamptons NY thats why all legal services are sky rocked in pricing. I understand that doing everything by ourselves will take more time but hey I've been illegal here for 5 years. I can wait another few months or more. My main question would be if we make a mistake somewhere or we miss our on a document how complicated situation could get? And if we messed everything up could we just get a lawyer then to help us out? Again, I came here under ESTA Waiver for 90 days. My wife don't make enough so we will have a joint sponsor. Which exact forms I would need to fill? I would really appreciate some feedback on procedures and step-by-step information on how we could work it out by ourselves.

THANK YOU!

you guys will need I-130, I-485, Biometric, Affidavit of support, medical. someone else can step in if i have missed any.

[Eimisak 0]

I was always thinking that I should do everything by myself but I had people around me that tried to prevent me from doing so that's why I joined this community as I needed opinions and people say that I totally should do it by myself.

I found the guide http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide2 and my question is should I fill all "optional" forms too? I know someone here said I should, but again I just want more opinions. If I only fill what's necessary maybe all process will be faster than filling all forms plus optional ones?

[newacct 688]

I found the guide http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide2 and my question is should I fill all "optional" forms too? I know someone here said I should, but again I just want more opinions. If I only fill what's necessary maybe all process will be faster than filling all forms plus optional ones?

Sure. EAD and AP are free to apply for and there is no downside to applying for them. You don't have to use them if you get them but you have the choice to use them in case they are needed. It's not faster if you don't apply for them.