What your really looking for when you chose to hire an Attorney is piece of mind. The forms for filing a K1 Fiance Visa are all online with instructions. With the proper amount of time and focus, I think most people can fill out the forms themselves and file their petition. Certainly its helpful to understand the process and what needs to be done after the initial petition is approved by USCIS, but even the next set of forms required by The US State Department and Embassy can be learned online. The time for processing is determined by USCIS and the US State Department, not counsel. So when asking yourself whether you want to use an Attorney to help you or not, I think it comes down to what’s the value of your piece of mind. Hiring experienced counsel will take the stress out of the process, remove the time required to learn the process, and the fear that you will feel trying to do it yourself without making a mistake.  Hiring counsel will give you the assurance that all will be done correctly and when its supposed to be done and that the visa will be issued as expected.

Choose an Attorney who will talk with you up front to understand your circumstances and hear first hand whether you have met the basic requirements of a K1 Fiance Visa. You should not have to pay to ask questions to determine if you qualify or if the lawyer will take your case.

I would also consider any past reviews that you can find online about the Attorney’s services. Now having said this, if the Attorney has been in business a long time, he or she will undoubtedly get a bad review from someone. There are just some people who are impossible to make happy and or don’t cooperate and become difficult to work with. If a client’s expectations of service are unreasonable or if the Attorney fires a client for good reason, there will be a breakdown in the Attorney Client Relationship and this will likely lead to a bad or unfair review. Don’t disregard an experienced Attorney for one or two bad reviews over the course of several years if they have a history of many good reviews. Bad reviews don’t always provide accurate and helpful information. We have all enjoyed restaurants that someone else didn’t like or enjoyed a movie that some critic said was bad. Nobody is perfect, but if your Attorney has been in business for several years and has received several good reviews for many years, you have likely found someone good that you can trust and will be happy working with.

Price should be a factor to consider as well. Prices vary significantly on the internet. Some will not tell you what they charge before you call. I would be careful choosing a company or Attorney that offers very cheap service and one that charges significantly more than most. Try to find an Attorney somewhere in the middle. I currently charge $2500 for the legal work to obtain a K1 Fiance Visa and given my experience and knowledge of the process, I truly think this is a fair price for everyone. Remember, just because an Attorney’s price is high doesn’t mean the quality of the service or work is better. Maybe the difference in price is related to the type of service you are actually buying. Can you call or email the Attorney anytime during the process to talk about your case or ask questions without charge? Will your case be done by an Attorney or someone else in the office like a Para Legal or Law Clerk? Or worse yet, is your case being handled by a company that does not use lawyers? Make sure you know what your paying for. There are other reasons why prices may vary. It may simply be a function of where the law office is located.  A firm located in New York City will likely need to charge more than a good Attorney in Oklahoma. That’s just business. And sometimes, its just not the focus of the firm and the higher price reflects this fact.

The process isn’t fast and your goal should not be to find the Attorney who promises you the fastest service. It takes some time to gather your information, organize and review your documents and prepare your forms for review.  Then more time is normally needed to work directly with the client to make whatever mistakes or changes need to be made so everything is accurate when filed with USCIS.  Also, when the Attorney has several cases that they are working on (which is a good sign), the Attorney has to be fair about their time so everyone gets good service. What’s a reasonable turn around time to file a K1 Fiance Visa? I think its reasonable to wait 3-4 weeks after hiring an Attorney to have your case ready to file. Be careful of the so called “24 hour” turn around. I’ve seen this online and I would be wary of this promise.

My best advice is to call the Attorney you see online and speak with them directly. Gauge their interest in working with you, how easy they are to speak with and if they are open to your questions. Trust your judgment and instincts.  If you don’t get to speak with an Attorney directly, but rather someone else like a Para Legal, Law Clerk or Legal Secretary, you might want to move on to another practice. I speak with all of my potential clients first before agreeing to represent them. Its my first opportunity to get to know them and to determine what I will need to do to help them get their visa.

Finding a trusted Attorney online can be hard. Take the time to do a little research and speak with a few Attorneys. Ask the questions that you are most concerned about and find someone who seems easy to speak with and who will be responsive to your calls and emails. There are lots of good Attorneys working on K1 Fiance Visas, and with a little patience and care on your part, you will find a good one. Good luck and congratulations on your wedding plans!

If you have questions, you are welcome to call me anytime to discuss your matter. I am also happy to do zoom and google video calls if that works better for you. You can reach me toll free at 1-888-515-3529 or you can email me through my website at www.marriagevisaservices.com.

Attorney Jeff Pettys

www.marriagevisaservices.com

Before proceeding, I recommend that you discuss your financial situation with an experienced Immigration attorney who can help you determine if you will meet the income requirements for a smooth and successful process for your size family. In the case of a family of two, this is normally about 27,000 per year. You can determine the exact amount you need by going to the US Poverty Guideline site online. The US Poverty Guideline chart will break down the poverty level for whatever size family you are.  Find that number and multiply it by 1.25. If you meet or exceed this number, you should be fine.

USCIS will first look to your most recent Tax return to determine your income and this tax return will need to be supported by a W2 or 1099. You need both. USCIS will also look at any Bank and Investment statements that you have to show your assets, especially if your income falls below the required amount.

You are welcome to call me anytime at 1-888-515-3529 to discuss your income and assets or ask me about the K1 Fiance Visa process.

Attorney Jeff Pettys

There are a few basic requirements that a student must meet to successfully apply for an Adjustment of Status. These requirements are:

• Valid legal entry into The United States (with an approved student visa) and attendance in school as originally contemplated

Even if your intent was to simply visit, never get married within the first 90 days of your arrival. Getting married within the first 90 days of your arrival on a Visitors Visa, creates a presumption that you intended to get married and adjust your status on your Visitors Visa all along.  This presumption can be difficult to overcome. So always wait to get married until after you have been here for more than 90 days.

You can expect to be questioned about your intent at your interview. The hearing officer may ask questions to help the government determine what your true intent was when you entered the US.   Did you have a round trip ticket when you entered the US? Did you give up your living arrangements before arriving the the US? Were you employed at the time you entered the US? If your not returning to your home after entering the US, what arrangements, if any, did you take so you can stay in the US? For example, if you were employed when you entered the US and subsequently quit your job because you decided to get married and stay in the US, did you send a resignation letter and when was your letter dated? Same for your living arrangements.

K1 Fiance Visa

• Faster processing times. Typically 10-14 months to obtain the Visa

You are welcome to call me anytime to discuss the K1 Fiance Visa and how my office may be able to assist you. You can reach me toll free at 1-888-515-35209.

Attorney Jeff Pettys

The proof requirements for a K1 Fiance Visa are the same for same sex couples as for anyone else, but sometimes due to privacy issues and local cultural norms, obtaining good proof can be a little bit more challenging. Pictures are always the best form of proof that a couple have met and are in love. I always ask my clients to take many pictures together and pictures including local attractions and pictures with family and friends. Sometimes, this isn’t easy to do if the relationship is somewhat secret or when there are local acceptance issues leading to privacy concerns. In such cases, look for opportunities to take your pictures in private and at paces well known like restaurants and hotels.

Another good form of proof for loving couples are letters and Affidavits from family and friends. Its always nice to be able to submit a letter or Affidavit from a family member or a close personal friend who supports your relationship and is willing to attest to their knowledge of your relationship and your love for one another.

At a minimum, you should be prepared to submit evidence that you have met in person, which includes travel receipts (airfare, hotels,meals), Passport stamps coming and going from the country you have met in as well as pictures together.  All of this evidence is important, but none more than good pictures. You should try to take several pictures together, pictures in places with local monuments and attractions, as well as pictures including family and friends. The issue most concerning to USCIS is fraud. So for K1 Fiance Visa applications,  its important to show that your relationship is not a secret and that it has been shared with and hopefully supported by family and friends.

Genuine couples also talk frequently. So when apart, its important to keep some sort of record of your communications.  You can make copies of these records and submit with your application and bring to your eventual interview to show the hearing officer at the Embassy. Such proof is especially important for same sex couples who may not have pictures with friends and family due to privacy concerns.

You are welcome to call me anytime to discuss the K1 Fiance Visa and how my office may be able to assist you. You can reach me toll free at 1-888-515-35209.

Attorney Jeff Pettys