Getting Started

[pkfops]

In my opinion a lawyer is a waste of money at this point

in the process and should only be needed after your SO

arrives in the US legally, should the government try to

deport her.

 

You should be able to file yourself with the resources available

at this site or at VJ.

 

For me, I used a service when I filed my I-129F because I was

ignorant of the process then and have not yet discovered CFL.

 

The service cost $350 (at that time) and did a good job.

http://www.fianceevisas.net/

 

Since then I have become well educated in filling out forms and

gathering supporting documentation.

 

Good Luck on your Journey.

Edited January 11, 2006 by pkfops (see edit history)

[shyaushu]

There has been sufficient good advice here regarding hiring a lawyer, so you now can decide for yourself. There is a slew of evidence that there is no difference between the time it takes a petition to be granted whether an attorney is involved or not. So the only issue is whether you'd like to pay for a "service" you can do quite well for yourself.

 

But one word of caution I would offer. The biggest mistake, in my opinion, is being in a rush. Getting these visas (K-1/K-3/CR-1) is a little like planting a garden: if you are going to go out every day and feel disappointed that your carrots are not even "up", let alone ready to eat, you will be opening up yourself to disappointment and dispair.

 

THIS THING TAKES TIME, no matter who does it. It may be an eight month thing for one couple, or a twelve month one for another, depending on where they file; how quickly GUZ is handling things at the time, and who you get for an interviewer, etc.

 

But no one gets a visa in two months, and, unless there is some horrible problem (almost all of which get resolved) no one waits too much longer than 13 or 15 months or so. And the great majority of people (judging from the timelines on the CFL) get their visas in about 10-12 months, start to finish.

 

The best advice I can offer is to relax and take your time. Let your relationship develop and grow, fill out the forms carefully and deliberately, and you'll be eating carrots before the first frost.

[esun41]

No lawyer here, probably wouldn't have hurt to advise one but it is possible to do if all your ducks are in a row.

 

We struggled after denial for a bit but I do not think that had anything to do with our denial.

 

Lots of research and personal experience involved...

 

Candle has been a big resource. I followed the advice of men and women who had gone through what we were going through and that speaks volumes.

[jim_julian]

I did hire a lawyer. She is a certified immigration lawyer and is fluent in written and spoken Mandarin. She does visas involving China all the time. I research everything very carefully and she is very experienced ... it's a "belt and suspenders" approach.

 

I agree with the majority here that you don't need a lawyer but I just wanted to indicate that there are competent immigration lawyers in the US who are fluent in Chinese.

[Carl]

I did it all myself without any trouble at all. Save the money you would spend on a lawyer for a future trip or your SO's ticket for when she comes her.

 

Just my HUMBLE OPINION

[ameriken]

I did it all myself without any trouble at all.  Save the money you would spend on a lawyer for a future trip or your SO's ticket for when she comes her.

 

Just my HUMBLE OPINION

181590[/snapback]

I agree with your humble opinion Carl, I had a choice to spend $2500 to either be with my lawyer or one more time with my SO.

 

Hmmmmm.....let me think now.........lawyer, SO, lawyer, SO, lawyer, SO.

[artmill4]

I did it all myself without any trouble at all.  Save the money you would spend on a lawyer for a future trip or your SO's ticket for when she comes her.

 

Just my HUMBLE OPINION

181590[/snapback]

I agree with your humble opinion Carl, I had a choice to spend $2500 to either be with my lawyer or one more time with my SO.

 

Hmmmmm.....let me think now.........lawyer, SO, lawyer, SO, lawyer, SO.

181653[/snapback]

Welcome. Having just completed the portion of the journey you are about to start I think this. As others have said, “it is only my opinion.”

 

I think in the outside world the general thought is in America you need an attorney for everything. There is so much fear that goes along with immigration this would seem like the logical thing to do. Hire an attorney I mean. After talking with 3 local immigration lawyers and looking at this site, as well as others, I decided to do this myself. Each lawyer had a little different approach and yet it was same forms that needed to be filled out. When I thought …….. Is it a matter of money or do I want Ling here the fastest way possible? I wanted Ling here the fastest way I could get her here regardless of the cost. Based on all the information I could find I still decided to do it myself. You’re going to fill out some biographical information on yourself and your spouse. It is very repetitious actually. The forms need to be filled out as exact as possible. The forms need to be filed in a specific order. All of this you will take much more care in doing than anyone else in the world. There really is no need to be afraid of the process if you can take your time to learn. You are going to learn with a lawyer or without a lawyer.

 

It is a journey. Many times on this site I was told to take a seat and wait. It is the best advice I could have been given. I moved from one waiting room to the next. We stand in line in America or we stand in line in China. I prefer to sit over standing around all the time.

 

I see the process going much faster than the people who started the journey 2 years ago. “It is only my opinion.” Of course I would do K-3 again because it worked for me. 9 months and with a couple of visits to china during the time was not so bad. You will be fine because you ask questions and found this site early on in your journey. I had already started the process and then found the site. I was standing around by myself…no good.

 

Happy trails to you!