How much did you pay your lawyer?

[Visitor User 253]

5 hours ago, kvito28 said:

1k. I hired this attorney for my I-751 as well. Only reason I opted for help with N400 was my prior divorce and a traffic ticket on record. I could have easily done it myself but chose that 1K was worth my peace of mind.

 

Attending the interview was an additional $500. This was optional.

Yes it’s really for peace of mind. You want to do what the lawyer wants you to do to give you the best chance at approval. Also, at the interview you have a backup if there is a misunderstanding between you and interviewer. 

[Visitor User 253]

4 hours ago, discoverusa said:

I know someone with prior arrests who got quoted 5K from a lawyer just to take the case. This is in Fairfield County, CT. 

 

He didn't end up hiring a lawyer and got his Citizenship. We obtained all court and police records and truthfully answered all questions. 

Congrats. 

[Neonred 3,562]

43 minutes ago, Visitor User said:

Yes it’s really for peace of mind. You want to do what the lawyer wants you to do to give you the best chance at approval. Also, at the interview you have a backup if there is a misunderstanding between you and interviewer. 

If you really want peace of mind I would think the more you pay the better.  

 

You know the saying "you get what you pay for".

[Crazy Cat 41,812]

57 minutes ago, Visitor User said:

Yes it’s really for peace of mind.

Who cares more about your case?  You...or the attorney's administrative clerk who is going to fill in your forms (after YOU do all the legwork)?  

Our attorney cost us a delay of 3 months because his office failed to submit REQUIRED documents to NVC during our CR-1 process.  

Thus, we did the I-751 process and N-400 process ourselves with the help of Visa Journey.  Most people don't realize just how easy an N-400 case is for most folks.

Edited October 1, 2023 by Crazy Cat

[Visitor User 253]

15 minutes ago, Neonred said:

If you really want peace of mind I would think the more you pay the better.  

 

You know the saying "you get what you pay for".

It depends on who your lawyer is.

[Visitor User 253]

8 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

Who cares more about your case?  You...or the attorney's administrative clerk who is going to fill in your forms (after YOU do all the legwork)?  

Our attorney cost us a delay of 3 months because his office failed to submit REQUIRED documents to NVC during our CR-1 process.  

I do but before it is submitted I get to see it usually before submission. My lawyer is awesome (best friend of my older brother). I get VIP treatment.

[Cathi 5,746]

For peace of mind, I would never hire an attorney, I'd do it myself, Time after time after time we see people here in VJ asking for advice to fix their cases because the high paid lawyers they hired for "peace of mind" screwed up their cases royally. I'm not exaggerating. The lawyer isn't even the person who will fill out the paperwork, a clerk will. Having a lawyer guarantees nothing and getting "VIP" treatment doesn't mean that clerk will fill out the information correctly. I have been on this site for 11 years now, I've seen and heard it all, almost daily we have people come and say how much the regret ever hiring a so called "immigration" attorney, especially for a straightforward case. Is your brother's best friend an immigration attorney? I'm also curious why you would need a lawyer for "backup" at the interview in case there is a "misunderstanding between you and interviewer"? If you tell the truth there won't be any misunderstandings. Obviously you are free to do as you wish, but you seem so concerned about price and you think that somehow hiring a lawyer will help with your "slam dunk" case. If money is a concern and your case is so air tight, it's precisely why you don't need a lawyer.  

Listen, this is a DIY site, you aren't going to find many, if any, people who tell you to hire an attorney, unless you have a complicated case. In fact, my husband and I had many so called red flags in our case and we never used an attorney during the entire journey, up to and including naturalization. I found this site after our petition had been approved and it was at the NVC, I came here to ask questions when needed, and never once did anyone steer me wrong. Not only did we DIY, we never at any point even received an RFE, I had total control over our case from start to finish. That's what I call peace of mind.

[ArizonaPHX 20]

6 hours ago, Visitor User said:

Sat in the interview process?

yes, he was there with me during the interview.

[ArizonaPHX 20]

6 hours ago, Visitor User said:

Good deal. How many years of experience did this lawyer have? 
 

How much for your Green Card process?

If the lawyer is fairly new that’s a good rate for a simple case.

He is not new, had more than 20 years experience.

Hired him for removal procedure & 485 for $3000

For 751 $1500

N-400 $1000

 

My case was a bit complicate with removal procedure and DUI

 

 

Edited October 1, 2023 by ArizonaPHX

[W199 333]

On 9/30/2023 at 4:43 PM, Visitor User said:

For those they chose the lawyer/attorney route for whatever reason. How much were your fees not counting the $725 for N-400 and Biometric?

I used a paralegal agency which specializes in Philippine K-1 and CR-1 cases, and literally does thousands of them.

They were priceless, invaluable, and I think saved me from getting denied, and prevented my case from delayed at the USCIS and embassy level for multiple different reasons due to their experience. They also saved me countless hours researching, and not getting caught up in a lot of misleading or incorrect info on the internet, and they greatly simplified what I would have submitted on my own.

 

They were $600 for the I-129F or CR-1, including unlimited assistance and instructions to the embassy interview.

 

For the AOS, they also will charge $600. That includes the EAP and AP.

 

They did such a professional job, in all facets of my complicate case. I had also consulted a lawyer, and he gave me some bad advice, and I followed what the agency said to do and had no issues.

Edited October 1, 2023 by W199

[Visitor User 253]

7 hours ago, Old_Glory said:

I used a lawyer in Houston for AOS. Cost me $2500 almost ten years ago and even though it was an easy case, using a lawyer was meant to be for my peace of mind. I supplied all the information on a portal and still had to correct mistakes on every form before the lawyer submitted the application. No peace of mind given, none taken. 
 

After my approval, I asked him about the N400…he replied “don’t waste your money. N400 is the simplest process in the whole immigration journey.”  He was right, did the application on line with no RFE’s etc. if you want a lawyer for your peace of mind or if you have a complicated case, sure then get a lawyer, it’s your money. I’m curious why you are asking since this is DIY site and your lawyer is “awesome”

With lawyer you still have to work as a team and the interview appearance of lawyer was worth every penny because there was couple miss communication with the interviewer and my lawyer interrupted the conversation and had to explain to the interviewer about the documents we submitted. I am not sure if that employee was new but my lawyer has decades of experience and has done hundreds of interview in the same field office so he knows pretty much the entire staff and is well respected. I am in good hands. I was approved within hours for AOS. I know this is a DIY site but it still is well worth to show up here and gain info. It’s like working as a team. Me, all you awesome users of knowledge, my lawyer and his staff. 

Edited October 2, 2023 by Visitor User

[Visitor User 253]

10 hours ago, Cathi said:

For peace of mind, I would never hire an attorney, I'd do it myself, Time after time after time we see people here in VJ asking for advice to fix their cases because the high paid lawyers they hired for "peace of mind" screwed up their cases royally. I'm not exaggerating. The lawyer isn't even the person who will fill out the paperwork, a clerk will. Having a lawyer guarantees nothing and getting "VIP" treatment doesn't mean that clerk will fill out the information correctly. I have been on this site for 11 years now, I've seen and heard it all, almost daily we have people come and say how much the regret ever hiring a so called "immigration" attorney, especially for a straightforward case. Is your brother's best friend an immigration attorney? I'm also curious why you would need a lawyer for "backup" at the interview in case there is a "misunderstanding between you and interviewer"? If you tell the truth there won't be any misunderstandings. Obviously you are free to do as you wish, but you seem so concerned about price and you think that somehow hiring a lawyer will help with your "slam dunk" case. If money is a concern and your case is so air tight, it's precisely why you don't need a lawyer.  

Listen, this is a DIY site, you aren't going to find many, if any, people who tell you to hire an attorney, unless you have a complicated case. In fact, my husband and I had many so called red flags in our case and we never used an attorney during the entire journey, up to and including naturalization. I found this site after our petition had been approved and it was at the NVC, I came here to ask questions when needed, and never once did anyone steer me wrong. Not only did we DIY, we never at any point even received an RFE, I had total control over our case from start to finish. That's what I call peace of mind.

I’ve had really good experience with my lawyer. The staff they hire may do the paperwork but the lawyer reviews it and I get to see it as well. 
 

Yes, he is an immigration attorney. Over 2 decades of experience in the same city and FO. 

This post was meant for general discussion. I think you might be analyzing a bit too much.

 

I am glad it worked for you by DIY.

 

5 hours ago, ArizonaPHX said:

yes, he was there with me during the interview.

Did he had to say anything there?

[Visitor User 253]

5 hours ago, ArizonaPHX said:

He is not new, had more than 20 years experience.

Hired him for removal procedure & 485 for $3000

For 751 $1500

N-400 $1000

 

My case was a bit complicate with removal procedure and DUI

 

 

Ah I see. Yeah, you don’t want to take chances without a lawyer for removal procedure and DUI. Experience Lawyer is best route. Sure, it maybe expensive now but you also got to stay here now and as we know USA is the biggest land of opportunity so this is the place to make money.

Edited October 2, 2023 by Visitor User

[Visitor User 253]

5 hours ago, W199 said:

I used a paralegal agency which specializes in Philippine K-1 and CR-1 cases, and literally does thousands of them.

They were priceless, invaluable, and I think saved me from getting denied, and prevented my case from delayed at the USCIS and embassy level for multiple different reasons due to their experience. They also saved me countless hours researching, and not getting caught up in a lot of misleading or incorrect info on the internet, and they greatly simplified what I would have submitted on my own.

 

They were $600 for the I-129F or CR-1, including unlimited assistance and instructions to the embassy interview.

 

For the AOS, they also will charge $600. That includes the EAP and AP.

 

They did such a professional job, in all facets of my complicate case. I had also consulted a lawyer, and he gave me some bad advice, and I followed what the agency said to do and had no issues.

Awesome. That price was really cheap. 

[RamonGomez 271]

We've used the same attorney on and off over the years.

 

For the N400, my wife filled out the forms.  The attorney is charging $600 to familiarize herself with the submitted N400 (1 hour), a 1-hour strategy/prep session before the interview, and the interview itself. So basically $200/hr for 3 hours of her time.

 

We definitely want a witness there in case the USCIS officer acts of line (rare, but happens, and much less likely to happen with an attorney present), if we ever get into a "USCIS's word vs. our word" type of situation, etc. Plus the attorney knows pretty much all the officers there and knows how to handle the few oddballs. And if we run into the rare problem post-interview, like a denial, we already have an attorney that's familiar with the case and can get working on next steps ASAP.