Use of VISA processing firms

[jiker 5]

Has anyone had issues with a VISA processing company?

If so could you list the issue but not the company.

[JeanneAdil 6,322]

we have seen many issued including petition filled out wrong (and the USC is responsible for all things)

documents not submitted resulting in RFE (request for evidence) and delaying the process

being told the process is easy and fast and it is not fast,  not cheap and not easy

some charge fees that are higher than normal

 

if there are no issues such as a criminal background , the petition and all things are stated factually and can is DIY

[Boiler 44,014]

Pretty much every issue you can think of, if I remember a couple who were eligible to DCF,  that cost them a year.

[brevig 28]

I've watched many YouTube videos from lawyers giving advice, and basically this is what all of them said:

 

Visa processing companies in many ways are here today and gone tomorrow.  They do not have a license like a lawyer and you have little recourse if they mess up.  I was even on a 1 hour live Q&A call with a lawyer where he answered about 8-12 people's questions and 2 of them were issues from using such companies.

 

Like Boiler said, pretty much any issue you can think of can happen.  And they won't be around later to fix.

 

Like JeanneAdil said, if there is no criminal background or other big flags, and you are comfortable filling out forms properly, DIY would be better.   If you are worried about DIY get a lawyer.

 

Also, there are companies and people that will review your DIY submission to give you advice if they see issues.  Not sure how Boiler/JeanneAdil/Others feel about those, but I would put them above having a non lawyer do everything for you.

[Boiler 44,014]

1 minute ago, brevig said:

I've watched many YouTube videos from lawyers giving advice, and basically this is what all of them said:

 

Visa processing companies in many ways are here today and gone tomorrow.  They do not have a license like a lawyer and you have little recourse if they mess up.  I was even on a 1 hour live Q&A call with a lawyer where he answered about 8-12 people's questions and 2 of them were issues from using such companies.

 

Like Boiler said, pretty much any issue you can think of can happen.  And they won't be around later to fix.

 

Like JeanneAdil said, if there is no criminal background or other big flags, and you are comfortable filling out forms properly, DIY would be better.   If you are worried about DIY get a lawyer.

 

Also, there are companies and people that will review your DIY submission to give you advice if they see issues.  Not sure how Boiler/JeanneAdil/Others feel about those, but I would put them above having a non lawyer do everything for you.

I saw you on YT

 

Not sure you got the correct answer about the name your wife should use

[jiker 5]

I've paid one of those Companies $539. It's been 4 weeks for them to review the application (K1). I do have a criminal history, misdemeanor offenses and have been purged from all the State and Federal records. Do I need a Lawyer? RapidVISA have been dragging their feet with this review.

[Chancy 6,235]

6 hours ago, jiker said:

I do have a criminal history, misdemeanor offenses and have been purged from all the State and Federal records.

 

I hope you disclosed all those arrests in the I-129F petition even if the records have been expunged.  There's a very well-known case here on VJ of a K1 case handled by a visa services company, denied due to non-disclosure of expunged record.

 

[jiker 5]

6 hours ago, Chancy said:

 

I hope you disclosed all those arrests in the I-129F petition even if the records have been expunged.  There's a very well-known case here on VJ of a K1 case handled by a visa services company, denied due to non-disclosure of expunged record.

 

Yes, everything has been included with the Application.

[martinzl 91]

As I wrote in a previous post, my fiance, now wife, was living in the Philippines, not completely comfortable with the process nor with using the computer, and while her English was pretty good there were still some language issues.  So I hired a Filipino visa service to assist her on her end.  I thought it was money well spent and they only charged me half of their usual fee.  They helped walk her through the process and greatly relieved her stress. Communication was no longer any issue. On my end, things were straightforward and easy so I just took care of everything else.

[Scott-Ilyn 78]

I have used RapidVisa (RV) for my K1 filing because I wasn't fully confident in my ability to process the paperwork at the time.  So, I wanted a 3rd party to review my paperwork before it was sent out.  When RV returned the paperwork for my review, I went over every field and ensured that it was filled out correctly.  Fast forward to now (NOA2 received last month), I have full confidence in my abilities to process any other immigration paperwork going forward.  You will find many stories of errors made by one of these services.  Thankfully, I'm not one of those stories.  Had I found this website VJ (VisaJourney.com) sooner, I would have saved myself $500+ and my fiance would (probably) be in the USA with me right now because I thought we had to wait to be officially engaged (delay of 6 months).  So, overall, VJ has been more valuable to me than RV by far.

 

You will have a lot of time while waiting, use that time to read and gain the confidence you need.

 

I hope this helps.

[SalishSea 17,050]

23 hours ago, jiker said:

Has anyone had issues with a VISA processing company?

If so could you list the issue but not the company.

I think the main problems stem from people relying on such companies in lieu of doing their own research and becoming educated about the process.   I spent hours and hours reading up on what we needed to know before we filed anything, and it’s been a flawless process so far.

 

No one has as much at stake in this as you and your beneficiary, regardless of how much you pay them.

 

The misconception (“Rapid”) that these companies can speed up the process, or influence an approval is widespread.  
 

They have no special privileges or “in” with USCIS or Department of State.   If anything, their inattention (back to that thing about no one caring as much about your case as you do) often leads to delays, RFEs and denials.

[LU SEE FURR 14]

On 9/2/2021 at 12:51 AM, Chancy said:

 

I hope you disclosed all those arrests in the I-129F petition even if the records have been expunged.  There's a very well-known case here on VJ of a K1 case handled by a visa services company, denied due to non-disclosure of expunged record.

 

I never disclosed any of my arrest never had an issue.

 

Very well known on here you say?  Sounds like more of bad luck to me. 

 

 

[Chancy 6,235]

3 minutes ago, LU SEE FURR said:

I never disclosed any of my arrest never had an issue.

 

That you got away with not complying with USCIS requirements does not mean others should follow your example.  Disclosure of all arrests, even if the records were expunged, is required as per the I-129F form instructions.

 

Note also that it is against VJ's Terms of Service to condone or instruct others, even indirectly, on committing fraudulent immigration activities, such as lying on an immigration form.

 

[Adventine 3,187]

31 minutes ago, LU SEE FURR said:

I never disclosed any of my arrest never had an issue.

 

Very well known on here you say?  Sounds like more of bad luck to me. 

 

 

 

Actually, if I remember right, it was @John & Rose 's case:  their K1 petition was approved, but during the interview at the US Embassy in Manila, the visa was denied because the petitioner didn't disclose his entire criminal history. They had to start from scratch with a spousal visa. John, correct me if this isn't accurate.

[jiker 5]

On 9/1/2021 at 4:44 PM, jiker said:

I've paid one of those Companies $539. It's been 4 weeks for them to review the application (K1). I do have a criminal history, misdemeanor offenses and have been purged from all the State and Federal records. Do I need a Lawyer? RapidVISA have been dragging their feet with this review.

RapidVISA has been very responsive to any and all of my questions.

I need to learn how to read and if I'm in doubt call them! With that being said I am satisfied with RapidVISA.