Gorgieboy

Hi guys,

I was looking for some advice and I have been told by a friend that uses this forum that this is a really good place to start.

I am Scottish and my American girlfriend and I are planning to get married before my visa here runs out in a little over three months.

I know that you can fill out the forms yourself (although have read on here that this can be complicated). What I really wanted to know is: What are the costs involved if you do the forms yourself AND where do you get them from?

ii) What are the approximate costs (I know they will vary - although I'm in New York) for getting an immigration lawyer to do everything?

By costs, I'm looking for all inclusuve eg - lawyer, visa applications etc etc

Thanks in advane for any help/advice!

PS - I should have added, I am here on a J1 visa. So, if we get married before that expires am I right in thinking I can remain in the country in the meantime? Albeit I know there are limitations on working etc (for 90 days I believe).

Thanks again!

chartreuse

No advice, I'm afraid, but welcome to BE and good save with your edit. You've saved yourself one ear bashing there.

Gorgieboy

Thanks

Also, on reading other threads, I should add that I have no two-year requirement on my visa!

welshgirl1

IMO so long as you have not had any criminal incidents in your past, so long as you've not overstayed a visa or anything the forms are only as complicated as you want them to be...so long as you can be patient and read everything thoroughly they are straightforward to fill out.

(That's my opinion from filling our the I129F, K1 visa, and AOS forms)

Having completed them myself I would have felt incredibly ripped off having someone filling them out for me.

AOS forms cost approx $1010, plus photocopying, sending forms via reistered mail, getting photos done, etc...)

Noorah101

All the forms you need can be found at the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov, Immigration Forms. You can fill them in online and print them out, or print out blank ones and fill them in by hand. Each form has its own "front page" on the website, where you'll find the most up to date information. The form instructions are also there, and are detailed as to what backup documents are required for each form.

The current cost for filing AOS is:
I-130 = $355
I-485 plus other AOS forms = $1,010
Plus cost of full medical and any vaccinations you might need
Plus incidentals (trips to doctor, postage, photos, photocopying, etc)

If you budget about $2,000, you should have everything covered.

This is almost impossible to answer, as each lawyer sets his own fee. It will be whatever the lawyer charges, plus the cost of the fees and medical mentioned above. You will have to shop around and ask what lawyers' fees are. You can go to www.ailalawyer.com to find a lawyer with AILA, and start from there.

Rene

Noorah101

OP will also need form I-130, at the fee of $355.

Rene

ian-mstm

It's only complicated if... 1) you don't carefully read and understand what's being asked; 2) you have criminal history or previous overstay issues; or 3) if you're afraid to ask questions here! Otherwise, it's completely doable without an attorney and many of us, myself included, have done everything on our own. If you think you'll sleep better at night, hire an attorney... otherwise, it's a lot of money and it won't speed things up, you'll still be responsible for ensuring the information on each and every form is correct, and you'll still be responsible for rounding up all the evidentiary documentation that you'll need.


All the forms are available at www.uscis.gov - click the "forms" link at the top of that page. That also lists the filing fees. You'll need: I-130, I-485, I-765, I-131, I-864, and two G-325As. Total cost ~$1600.


An attorney will cost you anywhere from $2000 to $5000 extra... and *you* will still be responsible for everything that gets submitted on your behalf.


... and no 2-year HRR I see. You are in great shape! If you get married and file the forms ASAP, you might have only a tiny gap in your employment authorization.

Ian

meauxna

Based on you saying that you need to do a 'visa application' I would highly recommend a lot more study, or hired professional help.

It's not hard, but there is a lot of detail, detail that matters. At minimum, with a previous immigration history (your J-1), you should consult with an immigration attorney after doing some research. Hiring a lawyer is no reason for you to not know what she should be doing at a given period of time, or knowing yourself how your case should be progressing, and monitoring how it actually IS going.
I decided if I was going to do all that work anyway, I may as well 'pay' myself for it. Our situation was ours though; only you know about yourselves.

MrEmjoy

I think you'll be able to do it on your own.

The most complicated thing is the G325A

Gorgieboy

Thanks for all your help guys. I have all the forms needed and am going to start ploughing my way through them this evening although it looks like it will be a time consuming task!

Is there any kind of personal documentation (other than vaccination records from doctors) that could take a while to get? I'm assuming they might need birth certificate, copy of passport etc etc?

I will find out things as I read through the forms but it was just in case there was anything that could take a while as I want to get the wheels in motion as quickly as possible!

Thanks for your help!

Noorah101

If you're from the UK, make sure you have your "long form" birth certificate.

If you've ever had any past criminal activity (arrests, cautions, etc), get court documents. You don't need a police report as you would have for obtaining a visa, but if you've had any criminal past, you'll need to show how it was resolved (court documents).

Rene

Noorah101

Remember that the I-130, the I-864, and one of the G-325As are for the USC to fill out. You fill out the I-485, I-765, I-131, and two G-325As.

Treat each application as a stand-alone form, answer all the questions, supply whatever backup is required, and then put it aside. Move on to the next form and do the same thing. If you treat each form separately, it's less likely to be overwhelming. Some information and evidence will be duplicated, but just go ahead and attach whatever evidence that form asks for, even if you've attached the same thing to a previous form.

Don't forget to use the mailing address on the I-485 (not the I-130). Double check the mailing address at www.uscis.gov, Immigration Forms, I-485 front page - that is where the most recent info is listed (not on the form instructions).

Come on back if you have any questions.

Rene

Gorgieboy

Once I have filled in all the paperwork do you just send them all to the relevant addresses at the same time? Or are there parts of some of the forms that can only be filled in once other forms have been submitted and processed?

ian-mstm

You send *all* the paperwork, as one large package, to the Chicago lockbox address as listed on www.uscis.gov for the I-485.

Ian

Noorah101

Yep, what Ian said.

Rene