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proven999

Filing spouse visa by self or use a lawyer services?

By proven999 in Adjustment of Status from Work, Student, & Tourist Visas

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proven999 Apprentice

proven999   1

Posted
Filed: AOS (pnd) Country: India
 Timeline
Posted

Hello all -

I am very new to this forum so forgive me if my question is stupid :(

I am on a H1B and my new bride is a US citizen through Naturalization. She wants to file my GC/citizenship. I inquired a couple of lawyers in my area and they are charging 2000$ just as attorney fee to start my paperwork.

I tried reading up online to see if I could do it myself and I have read a lot of people saying "if you can file taxes by yourself, you can do the visa papers, it is that easy"

My case is very clear. Was on F1 initially, now on company sponsored H1B since 2012.

Please advise. Thanks in advance for all the help.

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Miki28 Enthusiast

Miki28   91

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Czech Republic
 Timeline
Posted

Most of the people I know (including myself) doing paperwork without lawyers. I honestly don't think there is need for "a third party" unless you have super complicated case. It's not hard and VJ is very helpful. :)

I-130 sent: 28th of October, 2015
USCIS received I-130: 2nd of November, 2015
NOA1 - text message: 4th of November, 2015
CASE routed to Nebraska Service Center
NOA1 - mail: About a week later - not sure about the exact date
NOA2 - 8th of March, 2016

Adjustment of Status

AOS packet sent - 6th of June, 2016
AOS delivered/picked up - 7th of June, 2016

3x NOA1 via e-mail/text - 20JUNE, 2016

3x NOA1 hard copy - 24JUNE, 2016

Biometrics letter - 30JUNE, 2016 (appointment date 07/15/2016)

Biometrics done - 1JULY, 2016

Interview for GC scheduled - 15 August, 2016 (date was 15 September, 2016)

EAD/AP approval - 23 AUGUST, 2016

EAD/AP received - 30 AUGUST, 2016

Interview rescheduled - 13 September, 2016

Interview date - 18 October, 2016

 

Removal of Conditions 

I-751 packet sent: 13th of September, 2018 (Texas),

Text notification of case received : 20th of September, 2018 (receipt number SRC xxxx]

Biometrics: REUSED, notice 22 MAY, 2019

Case transferred: 25 JULY, 2019

 

N-400

Applied online: 24 JULY, 2019

NOA: 24 JULY, 2010

Biometrics: Appointment scheduled on 8/3/2019 for 22 AUGUST, 2019

Biometrics: successful WALK IN on 8 AUGUST, 2019 (Jacksonville, FL) 

Biometrics: "We reviewed your biometrics" update 8 AUGUST, 2019 

Estimated time of completion: November 2019 (3 months)

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Amadia Proficient

Amadia   711

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Trinidad and Tobago
 Timeline
Posted

Hi,

I can understand your confusion and I am certain that many of the members here on VJ started off with little or no information and now they are so versed in being able to guide others :)

With that said, you can start by searching for answers here: http://www.visajourney.com/wiki

Look for the i130 process, that's your stepping stone on your visa journey :thumbs:

FYI - I did this without an attorney.

IR-1/CR-1
Spoiler

GOT MARRIED: 3-APR-2015 :wub:

HUSBAND FILED I-130: 29-MAY-2015

VISAS APPROVED: 15-JUN-2016

VISAS IN HAND; GREEN CARD FEES PAID: 21-JUN-2016

PORT OF ENTRY - FT. LAUDERDALE INTL AIRPORT: 06-AUG-2016
CONDITIONAL GREEN CARDS RECEIVED: 23-SEP-2016
 
I-751 FILER   
Spoiler
FILED REMOVAL OF CONDITIONS: 25-JUN-2018
FILE SENT TO NEBRASKA SERVICE CENTER 11-MAY-2019
10-YR GREEN CARDS APPROVED 17-JUN-2019 
10-YR GREEN CARDS RECEIVED 21-JUN-2019 :dance: 

N-400 FILER
Spoiler
FILED CITIZENSHIP ONLINE; RECEIVED NOA1: 8-DEC-2019
BIOMETRICS WALK-IN: 18-DEC-2019
INTERVIEW SCHEDULED: 26-OCT-2020
APPROVED/SAME DAY OATH CEREMONY: 26-OCT-2020
 
US PASSPORT
APPLICATION APPOINTMENT AT USPS (ROUTINE): 16-SEP-2021
PASSPORT APPROVED: 30-SEP-2021
PASSPORT RECEIVED: 5-OCT-2021
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Ryan H Grand Master

Ryan H   3,812

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
 Timeline
Posted

Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Process & Procedures to Adjustment of Status from Work, Student, & Tourist Visas forum.

Our journey:

Spoiler

September 2007: Met online via social networking site (MySpace); began exchanging messages.
March 26, 2009: We become a couple!
September 10, 2009: Arrived for first meeting in-person!
June 17, 2010: Arrived for second in-person meeting and start of travel together to other areas of China!
June 21, 2010: Engaged!!!
September 1, 2010: Switched course from K1 to CR-1
December 8, 2010: Wedding date set; it will be on February 18, 2011!
February 9, 2011: Depart for China
February 11, 2011: Registered for marriage in Wuhan, officially married!!!
February 18, 2011: Wedding ceremony in Shiyan!!!
April 22, 2011: Mailed I-130 to Chicago
April 28, 2011: Received NOA1 via text/email, file routed to CSC (priority date April 25th)
April 29, 2011: Updated
May 3, 2011: Received NOA1 hardcopy in mail
July 26, 2011: Received NOA2 via text/email!!!
July 30, 2011: Received NOA2 hardcopy in mail
August 8, 2011: NVC received file
September 1, 2011: NVC case number assigned
September 2, 2011: AOS invoice received, OPTIN email for EP sent
September 7, 2011: Paid AOS bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 9, 2011)
September 8, 2011: OPTIN email accepted, GZO number assigned
September 10, 2011: Emailed AOS package
September 12, 2011: IV bill invoiced
September 13, 2011: Paid IV bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 14, 2011)
September 14, 2011: Emailed IV package
October 3, 2011: Emailed checklist response (checklist generated due to typo on Form DS-230)
October 6, 2011: Case complete at NVC
November 10, 2011: Interview - APPROVED!!!
December 7, 2011: POE - Sea-Tac Airport

September 17, 2013: Mailed I-751 to CSC

September 23, 2013: Received NOA1 in mail (receipt date September 19th)

October 16, 2013: Biometrics Appointment

January 28, 2014: Production of new Green Card ordered

February 3, 2014: New Green Card received; done with USCIS until fall of 2023*

December 18, 2023:  Filed I-90 to renew Green Card

December 21, 2023:  Production of new Green Card ordered - will be seeing USCIS again every 10 years for renewal

 

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EM_Vandaveer Experienced

EM_Vandaveer   2,408

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Hungary
 Timeline
Posted

You don't need a lawyer for a straightforward Adjustment of Status through marriage to USC case.

Simply follow this guide: http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide2

The filing fee is $1490, so save yourself that other $2k you would have spent on a lawyer :)

Entry on VWP to visit then-boyfriend 06/13/2011

Married 06/24/2011

Our first son was born 10/31/2012, our daughter was born 06/30/2014, our second son was born 06/20/2017

AOS Timeline

AOS package mailed 09/06/2011 (Chicago Lockbox)

AOS package signed for by R Mercado 09/07/2011

Priority date for I-485&I-130 09/08/2011

Biometrics done 10/03/2011

Interview letter received 11/18/2011

INTERVIEW DATE!!!! 12/20/2011

Approval e-mail 12/21/2011

Card production e-mail 12/27/2011

GREEN CARD ARRIVED 12/31/2011

Resident since 12/21/2011

ROC Timeline

ROC package mailed to VSC 11/22/2013

NOA1 date 11/26/2013

Biometrics date 12/26/2013

Transfer notice to CSC 03/14/2014

Change of address 03/27/2014

Card production ordered 04/30/2014

10-YEAR GREEN CARD ARRIVED 05/06/2014

N-400 Timeline

N-400 package mailed 09/30/2014

N-400 package delivered 10/01/2014

NOA1 date 10/20/2014

Biometrics date 11/14/2014

Early walk-in biometrics 11/12/2014

In-line for interview 11/23/2014

Interview letter 03/18/2015

Interview date 04/17/2015 ("Decision cannot yet be made.")

In-line for oath scheduling 05/04/2015

Oath ceremony letter dated 05/11/2015

Oath ceremony 06/02/2015

I am a United States citizen!

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Jamaican_Gooner Enthusiast

Jamaican_Gooner   36

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Jamaica
 Timeline
Posted

Hello all -

I am very new to this forum so forgive me if my question is stupid :(

I am on a H1B and my new bride is a US citizen through Naturalization. She wants to file my GC/citizenship. I inquired a couple of lawyers in my area and they are charging 2000$ just as attorney fee to start my paperwork.

I tried reading up online to see if I could do it myself and I have read a lot of people saying "if you can file taxes by yourself, you can do the visa papers, it is that easy"

My case is very clear. Was on F1 initially, now on company sponsored H1B since 2012.

Please advise. Thanks in advance for all the help.

I was in the same situation as you, F1 then H1B and then AOS, my main complication was I was married before and just got divorced then married my US Citizen Wife (also naturalized). So I had that additional complexity and we did not use a lwyer and just did it ourself. We had no issues, the interview was ~ minutes. Save your money and do it yourself. Spend time online and gather all the information that most people submit. Ensure that you have a will and have each other as Beneficiaries on your life insurance. just have all your documents in order. You will be fine.

All the best.

AOS through Marriage Journey

 

10/25/2013: Civil Marriage
10/31/2013 [Day 00]: I-130; I-485; I-693; I-765; I-864 Mailed to Chicago Lockbox, via UPS next day
11/01/2013 [Day 01]: Packet arrives at Chicago Lockbox, notified via UPS Tracking
11/05/2013 [Day 05]: EMail and Texts notifying receipt of documents, NOA1
11/09/2013 [Day 09]: NOA1 Hard copies came in the mail
11/12/2013[Day 12]: Letter arrived via USPS confirming Biometrics Appointment for 12/2/2013
11/18/2013[Day 18]: Successful Biometrics walk in at the Jacksonville USCIS office
11/25/2013[Day 25]: Email and Text confirmation that my status on my I-485 application changed to testing and interview
01/08/2014[Day 68]: Email and Text stating that I-765 changed to "Card/Document Production"
01/16/2014[Day 76]: Received EAD Card
02/05/2014[Day 96]: I-485 Interview Date (rescheduled) Approved on the Spot!!
02/05/2014[Day 96]:Email and Text stating that my I-130 approved, that my green card has been approved
02/12/2014[Day 103]:Received Green Card in the mail



ROC I-751 Journey

 

11/06/2015 [Day 0]: Mailed I-751 Packet to VSC via USPS Priority Mail
11/10/2015 [Day 1]: NOA1 Receipt date
11/13/2015 [Day 4]: Check cashed
11/16/2015 [Day 7]: NOA1 Hard copies came in the mail
11/22/2016 [Day 378]: Email from USCIS that my card went into production, YA!!! :dancing:



N-400 Citizenship Journey

 

11/05/2016 [Day 0]: Mailed N-400 Packet to Texas Lockbox via USPS Priority Mail
11/07/2016 [Day 0]: 1st day of the 90 days, N-400 eligibility based on the married to a US Citizen for 3 years rule
11/08/2016 [Day 1]: Package delivered to the Dallas Lockbox by USPS Priority Mail, confirmed via tracking
11/10/2016 [Day 3]: Pending Fee to USCIS for $680 on my Credit Card

11/15/2016 [Day 8]: Email/Text confirmation that my case was received

11/19/2016 [Day 12]: Hard Copy came in the mail

11/25/2016 [Day 18]: Biometric Appointment for Dec 6th came in the mail

07/01/2017: Moved to Atlanta

02/14/2018: Naturalization Interview (Decision can't be made)

09/05/2018: Case update that my oath ceremony was scheduled

09/24/2018: Oath Ceremony, I'm a US citizen!!

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