Lawyer costs

[NikLR 13,232]

Have you checked to see if you need translations. Many countries don't require translations for documents in the home country.

Depending on how long you've lived in Singapore, your wife will want to get a police certificate before she leaves.

Edited June 28, 2016 by NLR

[BackWhereIBelong 2]

All - thanks very much again for the replies on the lawyer information. It is a LOT of money that I would really not want to pay if I don't need to; the move, her stay unemployed in Japan and her WVP visits are / will be expensive enough.... Having said that, I am not 100% decided whether or not to use him or any other lawyer.

They lawyer contacted me about a briefing call we were to have at his suggestion, though at the time of the suggestion there was no mention of a consultation charge, today he said there would be one for USD$350. That was an unwelcome surprise and put me off to the whole thing. In his words, "I do believe this matter be problematic and I do suggest you hire an experienced US attorney to help you".

Have you checked to see if you need translations. Many countries don't require translations for documents in the home country.

Depending on how long you've lived in Singapore, your wife will want to get a police certificate before she leaves.

Thank you.

I can't see how we could avoid not getting her Japanese documents translated into English as nothing in Japan is in English and USCIS et. al, are unlikely to read Japanese.

We do need the the PCC / Singapore police report (Certificate of Clearance) but we can't get it while here as they insist on a letter stating the need (from USCIS?) and with my wife's name mentioned, and this can only come after the USCIS Step docs have been submitted. Actually, I am not clear on this part, how / when / from which authority this comes from.

I assume we will also need a PCC from the Japan Police for her time post-Singapore / pre-visa.

Wife will not and cannot remain in Singapore after I / we leave in 4 weeks, she will return to Japan or come with me on WVP for a couple months or so, duration TBC.

Edited June 28, 2016 by BackWhereIBelong

[NikLR 13,232]

The DOS is who determines translation requirements for beneficiary documents.

Found this

http://japan.usembassy.gov/mobile/e/visa/tvisa-ivfaq.html#twelve

Can the translations be written by hand? Does the translation format need to be the same as the original?

Hand-written translations are acceptable. The translation does not need to match the original format. However, the translation format must be easy to compare with the original. All foreign language documents must be translated and signed by the translator as complete and correct. However, they do not have to be notarized.

Btw run away from this lawyer. Your case is NOT that complicated. You could file right now. There is a spot for which embassy or consulte on the I-130.

Check in your regional forum if they require an official translator or if anyone fluent in both languages can do it.

[TabeaK 517]

Check if Singapore offers DCF. While you are both residents there, this would be the fastest route.

If they don't: There is no real reason for waiting to file the papers as long as you have a US address and a Japanese address to use - given that is where you and your wife will be living once the paperwork comes through.

Edited June 28, 2016 by TabeaK

[BackWhereIBelong 2]

Check if Singapore offers DCF. While you are both residents there, this would be the fastest route.

If they don't: There is no real reason for waiting to file the papers as long as you have a US address and a Japanese address to use - given that is where you and your wife will be living once the paperwork comes through.

Thank you.

I agree it would be better to file now. there is no DCF in Singapore.

I was told it would would raise eyebrows or even invalidate the g-325 or i-130 to list her home address as Japan before we have left Singapore. That may or may not be true.

[TabeaK 517]

I think you are overthinking the process. It sounds your move is imminent? Within the next couple weeks? Until you have gathered documents and literally sent the stuff across multiple oceans, you will be residents in the US or Japan.

[NikLR 13,232]

Thank you.

I agree it would be better to file now. there is no DCF in Singapore.

I was told it would would raise eyebrows or even invalidate the g-325 or i-130 to list her home address as Japan before we have left Singapore. That may or may not be true.

Whomever told you that is a doorknob that doesn't turn. You could even list her home address as Singapore and then later on the DS-260 change it to her current Japan address. You would also make sure your NVC number has the correct 3 letters for the case which is should if you put down the correct consulate on the I-130.

People can move during this process and it does not invalidate what you send.

I think you are overthinking the process. It sounds your move is imminent? Within the next couple weeks? Until you have gathered documents and literally sent the stuff across multiple oceans, you will be residents in the US or Japan.

OP and wife are currently in Singapore. He will be moving home to the USA and she will be moving to Japan after a vacation in the USA. She is planning on interviewing in Japan for her spousal visa.

Edited June 28, 2016 by NLR

[TabeaK 517]

Whomever told you that is a doorknob that doesn't turn. You could even list her home address as Singapore and then later on the DS-260 change it to her current Japan address. You would also make sure your NVC number has the correct 3 letters for the case which is should if you put down the correct consulate on the I-130.

People can move during this process and it does not invalidate what you send.

OP and wife are currently in Singapore. He will be moving home to the USA and she will be moving to Japan after a vacation in the USA. She is planning on interviewing in Japan for her spousal visa.

In understand that - I was saying, that if he was - needlessly - worried about addresses, their moves are upcoming anyway - hence, by the time any paperwork is delivered let alone being processed, the addresses would be current anyway.

[NikLR 13,232]

In understand that - I was saying, that if he was - needlessly - worried about addresses, their moves are upcoming anyway - hence, by the time any paperwork is delivered let alone being processed, the addresses would be current anyway.

Very true.

[NicolaRobert 7]

Whatever you do don't file now with her address as Singapore and then change it to Japan later. It's NOT a wise move.

We just spent 6 months trying to get them to change my interview location because we'd done a similar thing. They told us it would be oh so simple to change the address (and therefore the interview location) later. It took us 6 months, dozens of emails and hundreds of phone calls to get it fixed. We filed when we were both living in the Cayman Islands, we then had to leave because of work permits there and tried to change everything. Nightmare. Honestly, our case was 'completed' back in Feb and I have JUST had the location changed to London. Which included changing our case number and our completion date to June.

As for your actual question, even with all our hassles we still did it all ourselves without a lawyer. Every time we spoke to a lawyer they tried to convince me to come in on my Esta and then apply for AOS. Obviously we weren't going to do that.

To be honest, the paperwork really isn't that complicated. It's perfectly possible to do it all yourself. And save a few thousand dollars in the process. We were quoted 3,000 and 3,500 each time.

[NikLR 13,232]

When you first get to the NVC you dont submit anything without the right case number.

Someone recently had to change their case number because they didnt have Montreal as a case number. Only took 14 days to change it. They were told they could submit items, but i suggested to wait because otherwise theyd have issues. Thankfully they took the advice.