Lawyer or do it ourselves?

[CoyKoi 0]

Wondering if people think our case is straightforward enough to handle ourselves? Otherwise, we have been in contact with a legal team that can help us. We'd obviously like to save the several thousand USD if possible, but also don't want to risk my husband being rejected.

 

Relevant points:

• Him: Australian, 35 / Me: American, 41
• Both living in Thailand together (dating) at the same residences for the past 6 years (known each other for 9 years)
  • plenty of evidence of bona fide relationship
    • I can easily get the lease from our current location (3.5 years here together)
    • Many trips / pictures / social media interactions / joint bank accounts / mutual friends / my visits to Australia / etc.
• Married via Utah Zoom wedding together from Thailand on Sept 7 2021
• Me: on Thai work permit / Him: on a spousal visa in Thailand based on my work permit (he recently left his job and gave up his Thai work permit)
  • We plan to continue to reside in Thailand until the issuance of the CR1
• Him: 1 DUI from 2015: no person or property was injured (Australia) - record clear except for this
  • Me: clear record
• Him: one minor overstay (resolved by paying fine of about $15 per day) on his Thai visa due to misunderstanding when leaving his work permit (did not involve arrest or charges, he simply paid a fine of less than $200 to rectify the error once realizing the issue) - I strongly (100%) doubt it will show up on his Police Record for Thailand 
• Me: finances currently below minimum requirements while we reside in Thailand (although I have 2 graduate degrees and am employable in the US / He has a BA degree);
  • My parents will be our co-sponsors (they have ample income for the requirement)
  • Me: I have filed taxes abroad for the past two years, owing no federal taxes (I admit to being lazy for a couple years prior to that, since I didn't owe taxes).
  • Me: student loan debt of $100k+, currently on pause from payment.
    • In January when loans go back into repayment after the Covid emergency deferment, I'll likely continue to defer my loans until our return to the US due to my current low income.
• We plan to reside at my parents' house when we return to the US until we can secure employment and housing.
• Me: married once prior / divorced in 2011. 
  • Him: never previously married
• Him/Me: 1 AZ vaccine received, second AZ vaccine scheduled to be received around 14 weeks after the first
  • Due to a local covid outbreak, health officials have postponed our second dose and we now will not have it within the recommended maximum 12 week space between doses - so it could hypothetically be considered our second "first dose"
  • Thai manufactured Astrazeneca vaccine (not currently recognized by the USA)
  • We are open to receiving additional booster shot(s) if recommended for his entry 

 

I realize some information (like our degrees or my student loans) may not be important, I wasn't 100% sure on a few things, so I included them to be safe while trying to keep the summary brief.

 

Is this straight forward enough to tackle on our own or would people generally recommend we hire a lawyer for our situation? We're in the process of gathering documents right now and hope to file by the end of October.

 

Much thanks for your insight and advice!

 

[TBoneTX 44,969]

Most here may suggest that you do it yourself.  A happy medium might be a visa firm.  Of those affiliated with VJ as partners, Platinum* seems to have the best reputation.

 

https://www.visajourney.com/partners/

 

*with which I have no association

Edited September 21, 2021 by TBoneTX

[navypilot29 16]

I hired a lawyer to do our visa and what a waste of money.  I wish I had just done it myself to be honest.  In fact I think the process went even slower because of him.