starting the the fiancee visa

[FLASH2D]

I know that there are many archives on applying for a fiancee visa on this board. I also know that some of the rules and process are changing.for those of you that have been through this and successfully applied, I pose a question. how many of you did it yourself or used a service or attorney? what was your very first step? Any suggestions?

[Sunny]

... in response to starting the the fiancee visa, posted by FLASH2D on Jul 14, 2003

There are many good things about filling out the necessary paperwork together with your fiancee.  My fiancee's visa was approved recently after a 3 and 2/3 month wait.  No problems with our application.  I gathered all the necessary forms and filled out the ones I could before traveling to Belarus.  My fiancee arranged for all the required translations.  We took the necesary photos (full face and 3/4 face) for the visa application and Warsaw Embassy interview at that time.  Within a week of returning to the U.S., the visa application was ready for mailing. No attorney's help was needed.

Filling out the papers ourselves was certainly hard work.  But we were able to prove to one another that we both were very serious about our relationship.  Our love, trust and respect for each other definitely grew by completing the paperwork ourselves.

[SteveM]

... in response to Re: starting the the fiancee visa, posted by Sunny on Jul 18, 2003

Good point--doing the process yourself does help you figure out if a) your fiancee is any good at taking care of things that need to be done (mine was great), and b) whether you work well together (good, and getting better all the time).

Steve M.

[tbirdjoy]

... in response to starting the the fiancee visa, posted by FLASH2D on Jul 14, 2003

I used a service in Odessa. Best $300 I ever spent.  They did all the work and the translations.  They did her paperwork and my paperwork and then fedexed the whole packet to me.  I signed the paperwork added the check to the packet and sent it to the INS.  Three months later the petition is approved!

Mark

[Yeahbaby]

... in response to starting the the fiancee visa, posted by FLASH2D on Jul 14, 2003

I did it myself at the advice of others here.  Was it a pain in the butt?  Yes.  Was it worth saving the $1500 for my trouble?  Yes.  

My first step and the one that helped me the most was receiving a table of contents from another guys (Rags) application showing me everything he included in his.  I ended up adding to it but that was the greatest help for me!

Good luck,

Oscar

[John K]

... in response to starting the the fiancee visa, posted by FLASH2D on Jul 14, 2003

It isn't necessary to do so, but I chose to use a lawyer.  My main concern was to have someone in my court should I ever need legal representation.  I did almost all my work through my attorney, except some of the green card paperwork at the end.

While an immigration lawyer is helpful, it really isn't necessary.  The only time you ever really need one is if you or your wife screw up royally somehow in the immigration process.  That's where the bulk of my lawyer's time is spent.  When he and I went for lunch a few years back, he mentioned that he was almost to the point of refusing cases, unless they started the paperwork with him.  Those 80+ hour work weeks wear you down after a while...

If you are in an area where there are very few immigration lawyers, like I was, you may want to negotiate a retainer fee (just in case) and do the paperwork yourself.  That way you keep your costs down, but if you really need a lawyer, you don't have to wait in line.  If you are in a large metropolitan area where immigration lawyers abound, I wouldn't bother to do it.

[Charles]

... in response to starting the the fiancee visa, posted by FLASH2D on Jul 14, 2003

You certainly do not need an attorney for this.  Unless you are incredibly busy and have $1000 or so to burn, an attorney is not necessary as the tasks involve filling out an application and submitting the required documents.  Go to the BCIS website and follow the instructions on the forms and check the archives for information.  The main thing you should first attempt to obtain is your fiance's documents (birth cert and divorce decrees) translated into English by a certified translator as well as the initial G-325A form signed by your fiance.  From there it's really a matter of filling out the application and submitting it, then starting, depending on where you live, the hurry up and wait game.