Cat

Hi all,
I am just wondering if you guys have been working with lawyer or just
by yourself?
I was working with my lawyer, but she left, and hand my case to another
one. Now the second one is leaving, will hand it to the third lawyer. I
already paid too much to them. I feel that I should just go through
this myself.

I am waiting for my I-751 interview. It's taking so long, more than 1.5
years now. I am thinking, just go to interview myself. and wait for the
INS letter to arrive. Like most of you, I know all the steps and form
already. I think the only benifit of lawyer is when I move to a new
place, INS will always has the lawyer address to send them the letter.
So I can avoid the chance of not getting the interview letter....

Other than that, I think it's up to the INS to decide whther or not,
case should be approve. I think i have enough evident to show them my
marraige was true.

How do you guys think? Do you think a lawyer will help you with your
case?
My new lawyer never call me back when I call him......I am just tired of
dealing with bad lawyer....
Please share your idea and thank you for listening...

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Noorah101

Hi Cat,

There isn't always an interview associated with the I-751. You can try making an Infopass appointment to go in person to make an inquiry. You are free to apply for citizenship (form N-400) as soon as you are eligible, even if your I-751 is not yet adjudicated. At this point, I'm not sure what a lawyer would be doing for you except looking into why the I-751 is taking so long. There is nothing to do during the waiting period, except go ahead and file N-400 whenever you qualify.

Regarding who uses a lawyer...when I started the K-1 process, I hired a lawyer to see what direction I should take. Once I realized I could do the forms myself and we have pretty easy case, I did it on my own. But I wouldn't hesitate to consult with a lawyer again, if I needed to.

Best Wishes,
Rene

Folinskyinla

Hi:

Will you have to pay more money? I-751's either get approved without interview or they get referred to the district for interview -- where they are of low priority. And there is nothing you can do to speed it up OTHER than filing for naturalization if eligible.

Retire to Italy

Hi and welcome herein and please listen and learn by reading the great
posts of wisdom among the pages of this hallowed group.

That being said I have found that the need to engage eminent and
honorable legal counsel / attorney services is very much a matter for
each individual having regard to the circumstances of their said case
and also having regard to their position in life in the context of
having funds to expend in this aforesaid matter.

Many people will just feel better and sleep at night and dream happy
dreams if they have engaged an attorney who will guide them on every
matter and look after their interests. If you are such a person then I
suggest do engage eminent counsel as no matter whether the procedure is
simple or not you will not have a worry.

If you prefer in general to go it alone and do it yourself and are
happy with this approach then you most likely fo not need an attorney
if your application is routine and you are confident in the manner yto
deal with said procedure from start to finish.

I would always recomend an attorney if funds are not an issue as you
are best leaving all matters in life to professionals where said
professionals are to be trusted and have your interests always as a
priority.

Best of luck Julia a professional of long standing in this forum.

scrubbedexpat099

Did we ever get to the 'bottom' of Julia's profession?

Rete

How do you know that you are referred for an interview for the adjudication of the I-751. Has the service center sent you or your former attorney notification that your I-751 has been selected for an interview? And if so, what is the INS (now the CIS) letter you are referring to?

Rete

For once in her lifetime, a sensible and correct post. With the exception of the last sentence. She does not have a history of being around here all that long or all that often, thank goodness.

Rete

Cat

    > > Hi and welcome herein and please listen and learn by reading the
    > > great
    > > posts of wisdom among the pages of this hallowed group.
    > > That being said I have found that the need to engage eminent and
    > > honorable legal counsel / attorney services is very much a matter
    > > for
    > > each individual having regard to the circumstances of their said
    > > case
    > > and also having regard to their position in life in the context of
    > > having funds to expend in this aforesaid matter.
    > > Many people will just feel better and sleep at night and dream happy
    > > dreams if they have engaged an attorney who will guide them on every
    > > matter and look after their interests. If you are such a person then
    > > I
    > > suggest do engage eminent counsel as no matter whether the procedure
    > > is
    > > simple or not you will not have a worry.
    > > If you prefer in general to go it alone and do it yourself and are
    > > happy with this approach then you most likely fo not need an
    > > attorney
    > > if your application is routine and you are confident in the manner
    > > yto
    > > deal with said procedure from start to finish.
    > > I would always recomend an attorney if funds are not an issue as you
    > > are best leaving all matters in life to professionals where said
    > > professionals are to be trusted and have your interests always as a
    > > priority.
    > > Best of luck Julia a professional of long standing in this
    > > forum.
    > For once in her lifetime, a sensible and correct post. With the
    > exception of the last sentence. She does not have a history of being
    > around here all that long or all that often, thank goodness.
    > Rete
    > --
    > I'm not an attorney. This disclaimer is valid in NYS!

Thank you everyone for replying me on this matter. Rete, Noorah, you two
are the best. You guys always give the direct and supporting answer to
everyone. It's comforting to me at least.
And also thank you Boiler and retired to italy. Your advices are
helpful. I will do a lot of thinking about what you guys said.

Rete, the letter I am refering to is... INS notify me that they are
actively processing my case, and they will contact me when they have an
interview date...So I assume that I do need a interview...:(

It's taking so long that at this pont, I feel I don't care anymore, I
almost wish they call me and deny me tomorrow. The waiting game is
killing me slowly~ I think I have depression from this~
Thank you all again....

--
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Rete

Cat

A one and a half year wait for an interview is not unheard of unfortunately. The owners of the Kamya site which was once an active experience listing webpage for all CIS petitions had a wait of over two years in Newark, NJ for just this thing.

If you are inbetween attorneys at the moment and don't wish to retain a new one at an additional cost, there are a few things you might want to try:

1. Contact your local political representative and have their immigration laision inquire on your behalf as to the status of your I-751.

2. Make an infopass appointment for yourself and go in person and check out the status of your file. While there get a new updated I-551 stamp in your passport so you have proof of status while you are awaiting the adjudication of the I-751.

Note these two actions might "jar" their memories and pull your files from the pile for action.

3. File for naturalization. Since the naturalization cannot be finalized until the I-751 is adjudicated it will at least mean that your I-751 has to be pulled to be worked on and brought to the forefront of active files.

These are the first three of the "common" sense things I can come up with to help you find the status of your file and to get it back in the active pile.

Rete

Maryanne Kehoe

I agree with the previous poster that if money is not an issue, to go
the attorney route. We *finally* found a good one whom we have been
working with for the past 1 1/2 years-she's a godsend.

Unfortunately it's a fact that there are MORE denials made to people
without legal help than WITH an attorney filing the paperwork. I was
just in our attorney's office today and discussing this with the two
admins that work there.