Lawyer vs. Boundless/SimpleCitizen/etc. vs. DIY

[smpcole 3]

Hi all! New here.  I'm a US citizen and my fiancé lives in Latin America.  We are going to get married as soon as COVID allows, then start the spousal visa application process.  We're trying to decide whether to lawyer up or use a service like Boundless, SimpleCitizen, etc. Based on what I've read, it seems like the general consensus is that it's better to lawyer up if you can afford it, but I am wondering what the SPECIFIC advantages of an attorney over these services are, especially since Boundless and SimpleCitizen provide you with an immigration attorney as part of their services. I would certainly feel more comfortable with a lawyer (and we consulted with one who seems really good), but our case is pretty straightforward (no previous marriages, kids, crimes, etc.), so maybe it's completely unnecessary?

Anyone out there have experience with Boundless, SimpleCitizen, etc.?  If so, how was your experience? Did they actually connect you with an immigration attorney? If so, how available were they? Were you able to consult with them as much as needed?  Did they seem competent and trustworthy?

Thanks for all your input!

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

26 minutes ago, smpcole said:

Hi all! New here.  I'm a US citizen and my fiancé lives in Latin America.  We are going to get married as soon as COVID allows, then start the spousal visa application process.  We're trying to decide whether to lawyer up or use a service like Boundless, SimpleCitizen, etc. Based on what I've read, it seems like the general consensus is that it's better to lawyer up if you can afford it, but I am wondering what the SPECIFIC advantages of an attorney over these services are, especially since Boundless and SimpleCitizen provide you with an immigration attorney as part of their services. I would certainly feel more comfortable with a lawyer (and we consulted with one who seems really good), but our case is pretty straightforward (no previous marriages, kids, crimes, etc.), so maybe it's completely unnecessary?

Anyone out there have experience with Boundless, SimpleCitizen, etc.?  If so, how was your experience? Did they actually connect you with an immigration attorney? If so, how available were they? Were you able to consult with them as much as needed?  Did they seem competent and trustworthy?

Thanks for all your input!

I can’t speak for using those services but you can search this site to read experiences. Also, I am not sure where your general consensus of it being better to have a lawyer came from; definitely not this site as it is a DIY site.

 

I can speak to using a lawyer however - they will tell you what documents are needed and put together the packet with information YOU submitted to them. If you have no red flags this isn’t something you couldn’t do yourself unless you were illiterate. Based on your post- you are not. I met with my lawyer 2-3x (for both k1, AOS & ROC)  she told me the documents I needed (it was more thorough than what most people suggest here) and I gathered them and brought them back. She completed the forms with the information I provided and I reviewed them over and signed them. She told me what letters I needed and gave me a template (easily found on this site tho) She also has a document translated for me. Did I have peace of mind? Yes. I also found her before I found this website. There isn’t too much info out there on my husbands country so I felt comfortable working w a professional. I also didn’t know anyone that did this process so it was completely foreign. I should also add she was a community based immigration lawyer that worked primarily with poorer folk (I didn’t have my career job at that point) and what I paid was basically less than my current monthly car payment. Oh and she was a nun so I had faith she wasn’t going to screw us over. 😃 Would I personally use an online immigrations service/lawyer that I would never meet? No. An attorney can’t guarantee approval or make your case process faster. 
 

For a bit of comparison, our cousin just did the k1 process with a “professional” (although not a lawyer) and he got an RFE for something completely stupid the preparer didn’t include. I worked with cousin for his RFE as well as the rest of the k1 at the embassy stage and they got approved. I also gathered his CRBA information and they had no issues with approval and this year I helped them with their adjustment of status. All with my personal experience and experience I gained from this site. 
 

If money is of no concern for you and you want peace of mind (lawyers mess up too though) then go with a lawyer after thorough research of whom to chose. You can do your research through this site and confidently submit your application yourself however.

[smpcole 3]

@Luckycuds Thanks so much for your detailed reply! 😁

 

I can afford a lawyer, though it would be a tough financial pill to swallow.  However, since our marriage/life together is on the line I want to make sure I do things RIGHT.  I am not very confident in my ability to DIY it--I've never dealt with immigration before and I don't really know anyone personally who's been through the process.  Plus I am about to move to a new city and start a new job, which I expect to be pretty demanding, so idk if I will have time/energy to spend hours pouring over forms, forums, etc. in my free time.    So having a lawyer might help streamline the process...

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

4 minutes ago, smpcole said:

@Luckycuds Thanks so much for your detailed reply! 😁

 

I can afford a lawyer, though it would be a tough financial pill to swallow.  However, since our marriage/life together is on the line I want to make sure I do things RIGHT.  I am not very confident in my ability to DIY it--I've never dealt with immigration before and I don't really know anyone personally who's been through the process.  Plus I am about to move to a new city and start a new job, which I expect to be pretty demanding, so idk if I will have time/energy to spend hours pouring over forms, forums, etc. in my free time.    So having a lawyer might help streamline the process...

I want to add yes it may streamline the process but you still will have to provide him/her all your details; past address, jobs, parent information etc. You will provide copies of passport stamps, proof of meetings, you will label the photos, etc. provide your financial documents, so you do a lot of the work yourself. She/he would create your cover letter and make it looked organized however. Although I do believe the CR1 can now be filed online;someone else can attest to that I’m sure. I understand you moving/starting a job and maybe it will give you peace of mind to have someone else prepare it; just know you will still be pretty involved in the process. Also- if you chose a lawyer for the CR1 it doesn’t mean you need to use them for removal of conditions later on- you may feel comfortable doing that yourself. If you use an online  one- keep doing research on others experiences so you find the best one for you. Good luck on your journey.

 

You can also get your feet wet with visiting https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/family-immigration/immigrant-visa-for-spouse.html And

 

[smpcole 3]

4 minutes ago, Luckycuds said:

I want to add yes it may streamline the process but you still will have to provide him/her all your details; past address, jobs, parent information etc. You will provide copies of passport stamps, proof of

meetings, you will label the photos, etc. provide your financial documents, so you do a lot of the work yourself.

 

The main advantage I see to having a lawyer is that they could tell us exactly what we need to do, and when.  If we did it ourselves, in addition to the amount of work to actually assemble all of the necessary documents, we would have to spend a lot of time researching what we have to do next, exactly which documents to include, etc.  I am both very thorough and very indecisive, so I could easily see that doubling the amount of time it would take!

 

Quote

Also- if you chose a lawyer for the CR1 it doesn’t mean you need to use them for removal of conditions later on- you may feel comfortable doing that yourself. 

True, in fact the lawyer we talked to splits up the spousal visa application process into two parts, so theoretically we wouldn't even need to hire her for all of it.

 

Thanks again for all your advice--that is a huge help!

[SteveInBostonI130 3,489]

For simple cases, a lawyer would basically be a taskmaster for you.  And depending on what lawyer you get, they can have you providing unnecessary things just because, for them, more paperwork is better.

 

Because of the nature of this site, we hear about the negative experiences with lawyers.   It makes sense - for those who had great experiences, there is no need to be on this site or similar looking for answers.   The posts has been things about typos and mistakes that they didn't properly review before submitting to delaying things by telling you that you need A or B when those are just optional and not necessary to just being downright wrong.  For example, I think someone here delayed their submission by several months because the lawyer told them they needed joint bank accounts (this is incorrect. It is one type of bona fide relationship proof, but is optional and not necessary if you have other proof).

 

The DIY guides here on VJ are great to use, and outlines exactly what you need and when.  Before deciding, take a moment and review the guides and the I-130 spouse visa forum.

 

 

[Just Paul 4,595]

Yes, review the guides.   Assuming you don't have any serious red flags or your spouse is from Northern Africa, Nigeria, Pakistan or another banned country it is pretty much DIY.   If you hire an attorney make sure it is one that does a lot of FAMILY immigration not work immigration.  

 

The whole process is very straightforward and easy to follow.  We met in the Philippines, married in Hong Kong and immigrated/interviewed in Mexico.  We have a large age gap. I had a prior divorce and that was the only extra item I needed to obtain to file the I-130.  Then you wait. The NVC step is also pretty straightforward as you upload the documents needed.  

 

The interview is pretty simple for her.

[smpcole 3]

Thanks for the help, all!

 

I guess the biggest concern I have is proving our relationship is genuine and knowing exactly what evidence to include in our application.  We love each other very much and have every intention of building a life together in the US, but we have only been together for a little over a year, most of which has been long distance.  We video chat every single day (I think we literally have not gone a day without talking since we met), have met each other's family and friends, etc., but we have only spent about a month total together physically.  So I am kind of worried that immigration will think we are trying to pull a fast one on them if we don't provide the right sort of evidence.

[SalishSea 18,225]

FYI:  a lawyer cannot impact a decision either way, nor does having one speed up the process at all.  A cursory look around VJ shows, anecdotally, that people get just as many RFEs with a lawyer as without.  And the legwork for you is the same, either way.

[Timona 4,208]

What @Luckycuds is saying is so simple. You are going to do all the legwork. It's not like you're just gonna pay the lawyer and he'll dig out your addreses, SSN, DOB etc. He'll give you the paper and you go fill it out and bring it back. The he gives you a list of things to bring back as evidence......what does that mean? You did all the work. So why not cut him off and use the guide posted above....it's like going to the mechanic and the mechanic sits aside and tells you what to do then charges you as if he did the work himself. If you had a step by step manual from GM on how to fix your Ford, wouldn't you rather follow that and fix your car on a weekend rather than pay a mechanic? 

 

Btw, those step by step guides given to you have been used by many people here on VJ without any problem. They also contain what list of evidence you can submit....Finally, you'll be wasting more time going back and forth with the lawyer in terms of verification while in actual sense, you can just submit the application yourself ASAP as soon as you're done. And if you have any questions, ask VJers...just my 2 cents @smpcole

 

Proving a genuine relationship?? Easy..Tickets, itinerary, pictures etc. Someone here did like 4 pictures on a printing paper and submitted like 5 printing papers (= 20 pictures total). You don't need to submit everything on the list but the best that you have. I just gave you a free answer which a lawyer was gonna charge your massively..

Edited July 28, 2020 by Timona

[Bbking2 93]

We used simple citizen. They were excellent. Don't waste your money on a lawyer. 

[Carpe Vinum 2,331]

You should do it yourself. Then you know the ulcers that you get during the process were either caused by you or USCIS and not some middleman)).  Seriously, a lawyer would be needed if you had a difficult case i.e. a waiver case.  You are going to be providing the information and documents for the process anyway. Just as easy to do it yourself.  I personally wouldn't want to trust someone else doing it for me. Just one more fly in the ointment. Good luck.

[PBabz 141]

14 hours ago, smpcole said:

Hi all! New here.  I'm a US citizen and my fiancé lives in Latin America.  We are going to get married as soon as COVID allows, then start the spousal visa application process.  We're trying to decide whether to lawyer up or use a service like Boundless, SimpleCitizen, etc. Based on what I've read, it seems like the general consensus is that it's better to lawyer up if you can afford it, but I am wondering what the SPECIFIC advantages of an attorney over these services are, especially since Boundless and SimpleCitizen provide you with an immigration attorney as part of their services. I would certainly feel more comfortable with a lawyer (and we consulted with one who seems really good), but our case is pretty straightforward (no previous marriages, kids, crimes, etc.), so maybe it's completely unnecessary?

Anyone out there have experience with Boundless, SimpleCitizen, etc.?  If so, how was your experience? Did they actually connect you with an immigration attorney? If so, how available were they? Were you able to consult with them as much as needed?  Did they seem competent and trustworthy?

Thanks for all your input!

Recognising that I don't have a massive amount of experience (currently waiting for embassy interview myself) but the process my husband and I went through was quite straightforward.

I am the 'get it done' person in the relationship, but him being the US citizen, I left things up to him and he just came to me when he required information.

We submitted our initial petition with USCIS and was approved with no trouble. Equally, our case at NVC sailed through with no issues, just a small hiccup about a signature, but all documents and evidences we submitted were accepted with no issue.

He did complain somewhat about the websites sometimes being a little annoying, but technology, eh?

 

Truly, no major issues though and again our situation is similar; no kids, no previous marriages, no red flags. 

I was much like you before we started the process in so much as I thought we should at least consult with a lawyer but my husband thought we might end up being roped in to paying for services we didn't require.

I'm only saying it because he isn't on this forum - he was right, we didn't need any help! 

 

I think it is entirely a personal decision and recognising that you have other factors in play, your new job/move etc can potentially be added stress for you, I think you have to weigh the pros and cons and perhaps take the advice of others on this website. The general consensus seems to be the same, lawyers tend to be the collators of the documents but tell you what you might need. 

 

People here seem to be quite friendly and particularly helpful if you did have any questions during the process, am sure you could put it to everyone here to get some advice and support.

 

Hope that helps! 

 

[Mollie09 1,543]

13 hours ago, smpcole said:

@Luckycuds Thanks so much for your detailed reply! 😁

 

I can afford a lawyer, though it would be a tough financial pill to swallow.  However, since our marriage/life together is on the line I want to make sure I do things RIGHT.  I am not very confident in my ability to DIY it--I've never dealt with immigration before and I don't really know anyone personally who's been through the process.  Plus I am about to move to a new city and start a new job, which I expect to be pretty demanding, so idk if I will have time/energy to spend hours pouring over forms, forums, etc. in my free time.    So having a lawyer might help streamline the process...

I used a lawyer for I-485 (adjusting status) and for I-751 (removing conditions), but not for N-400 (naturalization).

 

For I-485 it was because my (now ex) husband and I had demanding jobs and basically got a list from the lawyer of what she needed based on our situation, spent a weekend sorting through it, sent it all in, got another list based on the first group of documents, sent those in, and she filed. She went to the interview and the officer asked her a clarification question instead of me, and I'm glad she was there because it was kind of tricky - related to an old J-2. Could I have done it myself? Yes, my husband wasn't around much to help with his travel-heavy job and I didn't want to spend the time to figure it out myself when I had so much else to do, so I don't regret it.

 

Then I got divorced and the I-751 terrified me. Same thing with a new lawyer - sent me a list, I sent in documents, he sent me another list and clarifying questions, etc. He wasn't as good as the other lawyer (I had to triple-check the filing) but he kept asking me for different types of evidence I hadn't considered. Could I have done that myself? Maybe. I probably wouldn't have submitted everything he asked me to, I got annoyed with the breadth and depth of what he wanted until I realized it was probably very necessary in my case. I was approved without an interview, so I don't regret that one either.

 

N-400, meh. I had been on VJ for years at that point and filed under 5 years. That was easy.

 

I will say, if you have time to go through the VJ guides and then read some of the threads people have posted that more closely match your situation (the simpler the situation, the easier that is) you don't really need much else.

Edited July 28, 2020 by Mollie09

[retheem 568]

Unless you or  spouse has a criminal record or you had legal issues in the process of getting your green card, you don't need a lawyer to help you petition.