girlyflyer

I was just interested to see the breakdown of days it took with a lawyer and without. So, if you'd be so kind to reply something like...

Lawyer - 60 days - still waiitng
No lawyer - 45 days - approved

Dekka's Angel

Umm lessee:

Lawyer - 118 days - approved.
No lawyer - 118 days - approved.

Oh wait. I forgot that's the experience of same person. Me.

I guess I can't count it twice, huh?

girlyflyer

Sorry, so you did or did not sue a lawyer?

Scout

ROFLMAO!!!

I think you meant use and not sue and Dekka's Angel is messing with you cause she is a lawyer (not an immigration attorney mind you).
You are wicked Dekka's Angel ;-)

My timeline without a lawyer is below.

Cheers,

Leslie

Folinskyinla

Hi:

Angel was joking -- she IS a lawyer but not an immigration lawyer. So, she had the proverbial "fool for a client". [An old professional joke].

To be quite honest, there is usually nothing that having a lawyer, PER SE, that speeds up a case.

However, use of an experienced immigration lawyer increases the chances quite a bit that the case will be done right and efficiently and therefore avoid delay. However, this is NOT guaranteed.

The question is more along the lines of whether you should go to an accountant to do your own taxes. I could do MY taxes, but I chose not to. My accountant makes it easier.

girlyflyer

Oh right, missed that one! Still working on my second cup of coffee. =)

Dekka's Angel

I make it my personal habit never to sue lawyers.

Their clients, however, are another story altogether.

Shannon

We did not use a lawyer and I think that things would have been a bit quicker with one. Maybe.

In our case the then-INS made a mistake in the way they handled the paperwork and we assumed the long wait was normal. When we finally asked, they fixed the problem quickly (refiled one form that day and AP issued on the spot).

I imagine a lawyer would have spotted the delay sooner.

My advice would be to use a lawyer if you are not organized and willing to stay on top of the process yourself.

Shannon

Noorah101

Hi,

I retained an attorney to help me with my fiance's K1 visa process, because my fiance is Iranian and I thought we might encounter some difficulties along the way. I felt safer having an "attorney on record" for us. I also was VERY new to the immigration process and wanted to make sure paperwork was done correctly. I doubt she is having any influence over the speediness of my progress, though...there are things she can help with, and things she can't.

I recently spoke with her about her fees for the AOS portion, once my fiance enters the states. She has one fee which covers her doing all the paperwork and going on record as our attorney. She has a much lower fee if I do the paperwork and just have her check it for errors, and she does not go on record. I'm debating which to do, but I think I will go for having her go on record and pay the more expensive fee. I know so many Iranians that run into immigration related problems, that if something happens and I need to retain her for services later, her hourly rate is probably higher than the initial rate she's quoting. She becomes his attorney until he receives his green card (in Phoenix that's close to 3 years).

Even after all the reading I do on my own, I still find myself confused about some issues regarding AOS, EAD, AP, SSN, etc. and I'm sure it will be easier for her to do the paperwork and make sure things are done in a timely manner.

Rene

ScottHenshaw

I believe that having a lawyer will not speed up a case as the BCIS processes at the same speed with or with out. A lawyer would certainly speed things up in the sense that a chance for an RFE or embassy problem would be lessened do to their experience. More important for me though would be the reduction of stress. Not a day went by that I did not think, "Did I do this right or that right, did I fill out the form wrong, write none instead of N/A". I came out OK, but if I had to do it all over again I would have gladly laid down funds for a lawyer that specialized in immigration and had a firm understanding of both the BCIS and the particular embassy that I was dealing with. Again, to me it is not so much the time, as it passes naturaly, it is moreso to stress and uncertainty. As far as the cost of an lawyer, it is far less than the greif of having to tell your loved one, "Hang in there, I think things will be OK"... It woul dhave been nice to say, "Don't worry we are in good hands with Mr. or Mrs. _________ "Johhny Cockran" or something like that


Scott

Pallyn

This is no lawyer, VSC, challenging consulate, no criminals, no overstays, no health issues, no prior marriages, no age difference, no big red flags. The dates may not be exact, because this is old.

29 July 00 Filed I129F to VSC -the first NOA was back within a week or two
5 Sept 00 - 2nd NOA Approval from VSC
22 Feb 01 - Visa issued by Kingston, Jamaica
15 March 01 - Married!
30 April 01 - Filed AOS in Philadelphia
7 June 02 - Interview, stamped approved. green card came a few weeks later.

The length of time that it took between the approval & the visa had more to do with the Jamaican mail than the lack of a lawyer. My husband was told to go home and wait some more the first two times he went to get the forms from the embassy, but they never came in the mail. In that time, the approval notice expired, they told him to have me file a whole nother petition and we worked through that without a lawyer but with newsgroup assistance.
The length of time between filing & AOS interview was affected by the fact that we were filing at the end of the open window of the LIFE act. Philadelphia is usually a little faster, but it seems like it is slowing down recently.
If you are super nervous, feel uncomfortable advocating for yourself or don't have time to deal with research, you may find a lawyer valuable. If you have any red flags, you may want to consult with an experienced attorney to assess further need. I did check wtih Catholic Charities' immigration service before I proceeded in the direction my research was pointing me. I paid them $40, they confirmed I was on the right track, I went on my merry way.

Don Quijote

Folinskyinla <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
    > Originally posted by girlyflyer
    >
    > > I was just interested to see the breakdown of days it took with a
    > > lawyer and without. So, if you'd be so kind to reply something like...
    >
    > >
    >
    > > Lawyer - 60 days - still waiitng
    >
    > > No lawyer - 45 days - approved
    >
    >
    >
    > Hi:
    >
    >
    >
    > Angel was joking -- she IS a lawyer but not an immigration lawyer. So,
    > she had the proverbial "fool for a client". [An old professional joke].
    >
    >
    >
    > To be quite honest, there is usually nothing that having a lawyer, PER
    > SE, that speeds up a case.
    >
    >
    >
    > However, use of an experienced immigration lawyer increases the chances
    > quite a bit that the case will be done right and efficiently and
    > therefore avoid delay. However, this is NOT guaranteed.
    >
    >
    >
    > The question is more along the lines of whether you should go to an
    > accountant to do your own taxes. I could do MY taxes, but I chose not
    > to. My accountant makes it easier.

One of the biggest mistakes when they come to USA is hire a lawyer <-
I call them translators -> they dont do anything for you except
translating your papers and go on the interview. They can't speed up
your case If you know how to fill up all application and translate
them I dont see any reason to call for lawyer. If the case is simple
family ,work sponsor ect. all you have to do -> read instructions on
the back. If the case is more complicated -> asylum, deportation Or
like with my case (papers got lost) than I would say this is time to
call for lawyer and spend $$$ not guaranteed you gonne win -> for sure
you can delay your case if you know there is a little chance
(sometimes it is worth to spend extra $$$)

Joe

You say that "use of an experienced immigration lawyer increases the
chances
quite a bit that the case will be done right and efficiently and
therefore avoid delay"

Will the use of a lawyer prevent complications with the BCIS? I filed
an AOS based on a marriage to a USC petition on my own without the aid
of an lawyer. The BCIS put me in removal proceedings on receipt of my
petition. It is at this point, I consulted with an immigration
attorney. The attorney reviewed my AOS petition and found no reason
why the BCIS should have put me in removal proceedings. The only red
flags were working unauthorized and overstay of H1B visa by over 3
years - both generally forgiven for the spouse of a US citizen.


Would I have been better off if I had an attorney file my AOS petition
with the BCIS?



Folinskyinla <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
    > Originally posted by girlyflyer
    >
    > > I was just interested to see the breakdown of days it took with a
    > > lawyer and without. So, if you'd be so kind to reply something like...
    >
    > >
    >
    > > Lawyer - 60 days - still waiitng
    >
    > > No lawyer - 45 days - approved
    >
    >
    >
    > Hi:
    >
    >
    >
    > Angel was joking -- she IS a lawyer but not an immigration lawyer. So,
    > she had the proverbial "fool for a client". [An old professional joke].
    >
    >
    >
    > To be quite honest, there is usually nothing that having a lawyer, PER
    > SE, that speeds up a case.
    >
    >
    >
    > However, use of an experienced immigration lawyer increases the chances
    > quite a bit that the case will be done right and efficiently and
    > therefore avoid delay. However, this is NOT guaranteed.
    >
    >
    >
    > The question is more along the lines of whether you should go to an
    > accountant to do your own taxes. I could do MY taxes, but I chose not
    > to. My accountant makes it easier.

Leslie

One of the biggest mistakes when they come to USA is hire a lawyer <-
I call them translators -> they dont do anything for you except
translating your papers and go on the interview. They can't speed up


I completely disagree. Having a lawyer is never a mistake. It may not always be absolutely necessary, but mistake? I don't think so. Expense yes. Mistake no.

Leslie

jeffreyhy

girly,

What is the "it" for which you are counting days?

Assuming that "it" is approval of an I-129f petion, what is the starting point for counting the days? In the case of having used the lawyer, is the starting point the date on which the lawyer filed the petition? Or the date on which you could have filed the petition yourself had you not used the lawyer?