Do I need an Attorney for paperwork???

[Oscar]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the feeedback on the trip reports..  Sorry it took so long to write it all, I had to get SOME work done ya know!  LOL!'

Now the big ordeal-  This lady has a 6 year old boy..  Do I TRY to do the Fiance Visa myself or pay an attorney to do it??  It just sounds very daunting to say the least!
If I get the paperwork going, how long does it usually take to get things filed??  And so realistically, if we started next week to get the thing going, when might I look for her to actually be here?? 3 months, 4 months, 6 months??  The shortest I have ever heard anyone getting here (from Ukraine) was 3 months, but that was the absolute shortest!

Any and all imput will be appreciated!  Also, if any of you recommend attorneys, do you have a good person you can highly recommend??

Thanks,
Oscar

[SteveM]

... in response to Do I need an Attorney for paperwork???, posted by Oscar on Mar 23, 2002

Hey Oscar,

Just wanted to cast my vote on the side of "everyone's case is different".  My wife and I had corresponded/phoned for 3 months, and been together for 6 days, before we filed for the K-1.  We have been married for 16 months, and like it better all the time.  I am not saying this is a good strategy--in our case, neither of us were looking at all when we found each other.

Here's the warning.  When people say you have 90 days to be together here before you get married, ignore them.  First, it will be pretty traumatic for her to drop everything in life, move to another continent with a small child, and have to hit the reset button in a couple of months.  Second, and more importantly, the first few months are really tough, no matter how good a couple you are.  There was one week where we were both sure that it wasn't going to last until the wedding.

What can you do about it?  Try to get as many things done in the time before you are together.  For her, that means getting vaccinations taken care of, getting copies of medical, work and school records that may be helpful, getting international passports (if they don't already have them), and trying to get a head start on the police reports.

For you, it means cleaning your house, going through your old pictures and letters, getting caught up on your job and correspondence, and anything else you can do now.  Trust me, you will need all the time and energy you can get once she is here...

Good luck,

Steve M.

[yoe]

... in response to Do I need an Attorney for paperwork???, posted by Oscar on Mar 23, 2002

I got off cheap-$1000. He cost me an extra couple of months because he Fukked up. I could have done it myself. The only good thing is I got a couple of thousand in work from the Bass terd.
Joe

[Rags]

... in response to Do I need an Attorney for paperwork???, posted by Oscar on Mar 23, 2002

Go for it Oscar. It's really not that hard to do the paperwork. (Like T.Petty says: "The waiting is the hardest part.") Unfortunately, you must file with the NSC so you have a good long wait ahead. Hopefully things have changed for the better.

I would recomend that you be sure and get your fiancee's son his own int'l passport. This takes some time so I would get on it and the police report ASAP.

My wife also got permission from her Ex to take her daughter out of the country. It wasn't a pleasant expirience but it could save some headaches later (if her Ex finds out he could cause problems when she returns to Ukraine for visits). I think that this needs to be notarized or something at the US Embassy in Kyiv.

[Stan]

... in response to Do I need an Attorney for paperwork???, posted by Oscar on Mar 23, 2002

I would go for it on your own. I had everything except the interview in Warsaw with a woman once and used a lawyer, ($750.00) and with my wife and son I did it myself and everything went fine. I aggree with Stan to get her to a tutor or english classes as soon and often as possible, it will realy help her when she gets here. As for time to procces the application?,,,, ours took 6 months but INS seems to have speeded things up a little since 9-11. Don't worry, the time will fly fast enough and keep reassuring her that it will be O.K.,,, it's your right to do this as an American. If you love each other and you tell INS the truth,, you won't be denied.
Cograts and Good Luck!

[Bobby Orr]

... in response to Do I need an Attorney for paperwork???, posted by Oscar on Mar 23, 2002

All an attorney will do is tell you what to collect ie. all the work you do yourself anyway, and then he packages it for you.  Do not waste your money on those thieves, do it yourself.  Plenty of people here will help you.

[Stan B]

... in response to Do I need an Attorney for paperwork???, posted by Oscar on Mar 23, 2002

When I talked to 'the best' immigration lawyer here in the islands she pretty much said that the only thing that she does is check over your paperwork to make sure that you didn't omit anything. And with all the sites that you were refered to, you shouldn't have a problem.
But 1 thing that you might want to do is have her start taking some english classes before she comes over. Don't worry about her daughter too much, as mine couldn't speak it at all and within months she was doing fine (though my wife thinks the more your daughter knows, the better.) But I think it would have been really frustrating for both of us if Marina didn't speak english when she got here.
Anyway, good luck, I think you'll do fine...aloha

[Oatmeal]

... in response to Do I need an Attorney for paperwork???, posted by Oscar on Mar 23, 2002

When I applied for my K-1 visa, I did it in 2 1/2 months but I took a lot of little shortcuts that I learned from right here on the board.  

I think most attorneys can't even get this done in less than 3 months.  In any case, I think you should be able to do this yourself.  I would consult the doc-steen website and maybe the INS website for info.  
I might also suggest to check the archives for info and other websites to consult.  

I sent in my I-129F in on October 26th and we were flying back together from Warsaw on Jan. 17th  So that was all after the 9/11 incident.

I would only use an immigration attorney if there would be some real problems facing you in bringing her over, otherwise you should be able to do it yourself without too much problem, and  nowadays you can download nearly all necessary documents right of the internet and can even fill them out right on your computer before you print them out just so it looks nice and neat.

I will post some websites to look at in another post below.

One small piece of advice.  When you are filling out the G325-A form you might want to consider to type her name as it is translated from Ukainian and not Russian as that is how their travel passports are now translated from.  It is probably not a big deal but just the same I don't see the point in inviting a potential problem.

Good luck, Jim

[Oatmeal]

... in response to Re: Do I need an Attorney for paperwork?..., posted by Oatmeal on Mar 23, 2002

http://www.mindspring.com/~docsteen/visainfo/visainfo.htm

http://clik.to/getk1

http://www.embassy.usinfo.pl/consular/iv/fiance/fiances.htm

http://www.k1faq.com/faq_index.htm

[Quasimoto]

... in response to Do I need an Attorney for paperwork???, posted by Oscar on Mar 23, 2002

Hey Oscar,

Dan is one of the resident experts. I am sure there are others. You have been there enough to know. Don't listen to LP. He bases the lady on the ride he gets when he puts in a quarter! How many times has he been there? Too many! You are the lucky one, and who says you are already married. You will have 3 months together.

Steve

[LP]

... in response to Re: Do I need an Attorney for paperwork?..., posted by Quasimoto on Mar 23, 2002

....from a guy who puts all women so high on a pedestal he can't see them for what they really are at times. Normally I don't respond to you because your candy-ass, pansy-like tendencies are an afront to me, but this time I'll make an exception.

At least I know that women are no different the world over and capable of some of the most despicable acts known. Some of them are the scum of the Earth and deserve no different treatment then of like men. They sure as hell aren't the Godesses you make them all out to be. I have news for you lollipop, the fairer sex ain't all that fair. Maybe you're the one who should have been born female, but how would we tell exactly?

How do you know how many times I've been there? And to see how many different women? In fact, you don't know anything about me or my status at all. You don't know squat, thats what we love about visiting here. I could have picked one on a single trip also. I could have been like countless others but I didn't, and ended up with what I believe is a far greater sure thing than what some of those guys may have.

I wished Oscar luck, what more do you want? He has been there enough to "know"? Know what exactly? lol, during this one trip he was waffling between two girls. Three months together? On the phone is together?  Thats enough time to *marry* someone, is it? Oscar's comment about having been  to Kiev two years ago is telling, or did you miss that? What kind of moronic logic are you using? My intent is not to rain on Oscar's parade, he has already decided how to make his bed and I hope he understands this. Its to remind others there are better ways to stack the odds towards success and time is the most *basic* method. Frankly, I used to be astounded I even have to point that out, but not any longer.  

Oscar can do it anyway he wants. You do it your way, I did it mine. IMO, Oscar's way was little more than a private social, having the same risks and generating the same public perception of this process. If it blows up on him it could be yet another step towards eventual legislation that ruins it for guys, like you, not yet there. But its his deal and I wish him luck, what more do you want? In case you haven't noticed, I'm not here to be kiss ass popular.

Say, how *is* your deal going anyway? lol, profile sez you been engaged since 1989, maybe I got you all wrong. Jeesh, even I didn't go that long. You want some of my quarters? I no longer need them.

[Quasimoto]

... in response to Good avice...., posted by LP on Mar 23, 2002

It is supposed to say engaged, looking since 1989. How what a holdout she has been!!! Anyway maybe she will end up with my money in anohter 12 years.

My point is simple. I have heard yuor rather rough edged copulatory style of research, and pretty much think it is not me. But you get what you are looking for. And you go what you were looking for. I am just glad we weren't looking in the same "all the wrong places". I don't have the strength to argue tonight. Tomorrow perhaps. I think i will take my candy-ass to bed and get some sleep. But the main think is long live Oscar, and may his dreams come true. I think they will! But what does a panzy like me know? *Engaged 4 months*

Stefe

[LP]

... in response to Re: got me LP, but go for it Oscar, posted by Quasimoto on Mar 24, 2002

...OK, sorry to have jumped on you but if you prick me, do I not bleed? Was having a bad day suffering from a form of stress that is likely coming your way also, so don't get too smug about it.

Not sure what you meant about my style of research, it was pretty straight forward: Meet as many as possible until you find what you *think* is the right one and then spend lots of time developing it before even thinking about moving beyond that point. No slam bam K1s for me, no need, no hole to fill. If she really wants you, she'll wait. Thats what was done and so far I'm pretty satisfied with the results. (Except for the usual stress that makes me touchy at times, my apologies.)

Of course, this took time. Since I only worked about 28 weeks a year and could jet around for peanuts, I understand it will be more difficult for others to do it that way. Still, I firmly believe in not rushing this kind of thing. I believe these relationships should be as "normal" as possible, other than the distances involved. Too much to risk in doing it otherwise, at least for me. Yeah, I know even then its still a roll of the dice, but thats no excuse to pull the trigger before you know the condition of the gun. I've seen to many blow up in people's faces as it is.

Or maybe I needed to be more sure than usual because I haven't been married in 25 years and have enjoyed the luxury of just going our seperate ways in the few longterm live-ins I had during all that time. Unlike most guys who never allow themselves to recover after a marriage goes sour (seems many just can't wait to get into another one), I was just moseying along. Besides, along with my line of work having a history of many oppurtunities for companionship, its also well known for being somewhat hard on marriages. (lol, maybe there is a connection there?)

I agree, more power to Oscar, its his show. As for you, it should be clear that taking your time is gonna agree with me, and I hope it works out OK for you also. Just remember, the hard part come after she arrives.

[yoe]

... in response to Good avice...., posted by LP on Mar 23, 2002

"You think I am sent from heaven above!...I'm not that innocent". You did not know Brintney was so deep? Listen to the whole song! I was impressed my self.
Joe

[Rags]

... in response to In the immortal words of Britney Spears...., posted by yoe on Mar 23, 2002

Don't be so impressed. She doesn't write her own lyrics.

Besides, you weren't really listening to the lyrics, were you?