Projected cost?

[Kim-saru]

I have already paid the attorney and I-129F fees to file. My next question is how much does it cost for her medical exam, interview and any other filing fees on her end. I am not counting her travel cost, hotel stays, food or my tickets there and back and even her ticket. Just wonder what I am missing and how much it would be for each step.

 

Thanks.

[Sebastian]

i'm sorry, but if your attorney doesn't know, then it's time to fire him/her.

[BrokenHeart]

Why in the hell did you hire an attorney. They do nothing but take the money and run. They know nothing of the goings on at Guz, they are clueless. Sorry, you just wasted that money.

[dale7570]

I have already paid the attorney and I-129F fees to file. My next question is how much does it cost for her medical exam, interview and any other filing fees on her end. I am not counting her travel cost, hotel stays, food or my tickets there and back and even her ticket. Just wonder what I am missing and how much it would be for each step.

 

Thanks.

 

lets answer the questions instead of bashing the op.

medical exam is 600-800 rmb depending on the hospital you choose. visa app. fee is 131 USD. visa pick-up fee is 20 rmb.

[BrokenHeart]

http://www.visajourney.com/news/2007/01/31...-k-3-up-to-920/

[dnoblett]

In the meantime do some reading in the various forums.

 

From this I found an apartment owner in GUZ who rents apartments IN the consulate building for around 100 RMB per night.

 

We stayed in Guangzhou for about a week around the interview so the apartment was affordable, keep in mind the apartment is NOT a 4 star hotel.

 

We also did vaccinations after interview, the vaccinations are NOT required for a K-Visa, however they ARE required for adjustment of status later in the USA.

 

In the future do your self a favor, study the guides, YOU can do this process completely DIY, if and when you do marry on the K-1 consider filing the I-485 without a lawyer, we did and saved $$ and were approved without an interview.

[Kim-saru]

Some people have more spare time to do all this paper work and I have read a lot of the horror stories and how some of these can take 2 and even 3 years to do and many letters to the congressmen. Time, energy and the skill I do not have. I feel that a person hires an attorney when they file a divorce so why not to help with something like this.

 

The attorney gave me some figures about the interview and other process fees, but I didn't know if I had asked all the right questions. I just didn't know I was going to get bashed in this forum.

[Guest Tony n Terrific]

Sorry to read that you got bumped a little. Some people including myself do not care for attorneys and they sometimes expressed themselves accordingly.

You are right if you do not have the time to do the visa yourself you may look at an attorney for aid. Be careful there are many of these Visa services that are not attorneys. You do not need to be an attorney to prepare a visa.

Edited March 16, 2009 by Tony n Terrific (see edit history)

[HKG]

After it is all done and over, in your mind you may be humming these lyrics:

 

I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine

I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine

I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal

And the straw boss said "Well, a-bless my soul"

 

You load sixteen tons, what do you get

Another day older and deeper in debt

Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go

I owe my soul to the company store

[Guest Tony n Terrific]

After it is all done and over, in your mind you may be humming these lyrics:

 

I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine

I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine

I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal

And the straw boss said "Well, a-bless my soul"

 

You load sixteen tons, what do you get

Another day older and deeper in debt

Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go

I owe my soul to the company store

[credzba]

Some people have more spare time to do all this paper work and I have read a lot of the horror stories and how some of these can take 2 and even 3 years to do and many letters to the congressmen. Time, energy and the skill I do not have. I feel that a person hires an attorney when they file a divorce so why not to help with something like this.

 

The attorney gave me some figures about the interview and other process fees, but I didn't know if I had asked all the right questions. I just didn't know I was going to get bashed in this forum.

 

Don't feel bashed, feel happy these folks are concerned about you and your money.

Seriously, they didn't bash you, they bashed your lawyer (without even knowing who he is ! )

 

Many of these folks have been delayed in their visas because of lawyers, paid good money, only to do all the work themselves, and many other combination's of lawyers doing exactly what they said to you, "taking your money, and leaving you with the work."

 

Let me try to explain in logic what they explained in emotion...

 

1) Some lawyers say they can speed the process (I am not saying yours did, only that it occurs). They can not speed the process. Not even congregational intervention can speed the process unless you qualify for an expedited case, and this is very seldom done. Usually it is a soldier going to war, never does your personal needs allow expedition.

 

2) Lawyers can not fill out most of the paperwork. The paperwork required information of a personal nature, and in general, only you can give them the information so they can write it on the form, and charge you for their secretaries time, or you can just write it on the form and be done with it.

 

3) Lawyers don't know your relationship. Most of the problems in GUZ come from the "Not a real relationship" rejections. The only way to avoid this is to prove up your relationship in as sold a way as possible. Only YOU know all the ways you interact, and only YOU can get those pictures, chat logs, plane tickets, etc. to ensure GUZ has no doubts about your relationship.

 

4) Lawyers actually tend to slow down your case, because they don't know your information, so the mail process goes you to lawyer, lawyer to USCIS, USCIS to lawyer, lawer to you.. You see the problem? The forms require your signature, so even if they gather the info over the phone with you, they STILL must mail the forms to you for signature. USCIS wont accept faxes etc.

The truth is, someone to walk you through the papers and filing over the phone would be 100 times more beneficial than a lawyer. That is why these forums are popular.

 

5) Lawyers don't help you in China. Unless you hire a lawyer who works in China, you are not going to benefit from them at interview time. By the time you wait a year for GUZ to return your rejection to USCIS, you have wasted another year of your life, and most people don't wait. They abandon the K1, get married, and try again with cr/1 or k3.

 

So, summary is what these folks said is true (though they could have been a little gentler on you ). The lawyer will cost you money, delay your process (not on purpose, but just due to the mail if nothing else), and actually weaken your case unless you are pro-active, and prepare the relationship evidence yourself. And if your doing all the work yourself, then why are you paying this guy?

 

I paid a lawyer initially for a consultation, and they gave me good advice, but in the ended I did my own research, did my own filing, and even wrote short-cut pages to help those who came after me.

I was CR/1 though, so not much use to you (or I'd offer to walk you through the process over the phone for free )

 

Best wishes. Don't let these folks scare you away. This isn't a bad place to post, just some of the posters yell first, and think later.

Edited March 16, 2009 by credzba (see edit history)

[Sebastian]

Cedarreefer - wow - I am so sorry, I had no intention to bash YOU, on any level.

[warpedbored]

I don't think lawyers save you any time since you have to gather all the information yourself. Anyone that hires a lawyer should double check their work. I have heard of many mistakes made by lawyers that cost petitioners and beneficiaries needless time. One thing to remember, no one cares more about your petition than you do.

[Kim-saru]

Thanks credzba for the heads up. I spent a few weeks looking at the different lawyers and asking them question till they stopped answering them until I gave them a retainer fee. Also did some background checks and looked through the BBS. I know everyone might say with all this leg work I spent I could have done this paperwork myself, but with all these abbreviations and kitchen sink list that I see through the FAQ (yes, I have read and read, but still scratch my head). It's just mind boggling.

 

Everybody's case is a little different and I just felt a little safer if I just told them "K1" and then they say, fill this, sign here, do this. I don't think I will have a problem of the so called "not bonafide relationship" since I wrote a 2 page letter of every thing we did each day of my stay, took 50+ pics of us together (some with family) and kept every receipt, business card and even pamphlets of every place we ate, stayed and visited, and a record of your phone conversions that are about an hour long each day as of May of '08.

 

No hard feelings Sebastian, some people like Ford, some Chevy, everyone has like and dislikes. It's just hard to hear the tone of voice from a posting.

[BrokenHeart]

Thanks credzba for the heads up. I spent a few weeks looking at the different lawyers and asking them question till they stopped answering them until I gave them a retainer fee. Also did some background checks and looked through the BBS. I know everyone might say with all this leg work I spent I could have done this paperwork myself, but with all these abbreviations and kitchen sink list that I see through the FAQ (yes, I have read and read, but still scratch my head). It's just mind boggling.

 

Everybody's case is a little different and I just felt a little safer if I just told them "K1" and then they say, fill this, sign here, do this. I don't think I will have a problem of the so called "not bonafide relationship" since I wrote a 2 page letter of every thing we did each day of my stay, took 50+ pics of us together (some with family) and kept every receipt, business card and even pamphlets of every place we ate, stayed and visited, and a record of your phone conversions that are about an hour long each day as of May of '08.

 

No hard feelings Sebastian, some people like Ford, some Chevy, everyone has like and dislikes. It's just hard to hear the tone of voice from a posting.

 

Sorry, if you felt i was bashing, no no no i am not "a-son-of-a-bash".

I just widh more people would come here first and then ask. It would cost the time of getting the correct answers. The senior people have been there done that and have such a tremendous amount if info, I coundt have done this without these people, for sure.