Author Topic: I am going to contradict the advice often given here!  (Read 2661 times)

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Offline TomFisher

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I am going to contradict the advice often given here!
« on: April 18, 2010, 06:44:18 pm »
Ok now that I have your attention what I am about to say is NOT for EVERYONE!

First a little encouraging news, my wife got her VISA (CR1) on April 14th.  It took us less than 8 months from start to finish.  She will be here on the 8th of May... damn I'm one happy man!

The consensus here is generally to use an attorney to prepare the VISA paperwork. I took some time and did my research before I fired the attorney I had hired.  It was quite obvious to my wife and I that I was doing all the work and the attorney was only going to collect $1500 for mailing my work to USCIS.  I requested a detailed description of what the process would be with the attorney if we did in deed continue to use his services. Yes, I spent a couple bucks but cut my losses before they were too great.
   
When my wife went to the interview she echoed some of what Maxx has reported in the past, many women left in tears with no VISA. My Laopo, Jialian, was a bit disappointed because the process was "too easy", she tried to show Christmas Cards from my family and our 2009 taxes etc..  Ok, so if I did it all myself how did it become so easy for her?  I don't claim to be a genius just an average guy with a college education. With that said the key to the success would appear to be something I read on Visa Journey and took to heart.  "Front load" everything and be sure what you write is coherent, complete, and grammatically correct.  I included a lot of things to validate our marriage such as email with our benefits coordinator stating Jialian could not be covered by my health insurance and a number of other things of similar nature. Obviously,  emails, chat logs, phone logs, and evidence of my trips to China were included.  By including more than just a few emails and photos we were able to satisfy the VO without any additional information request.  With the initial submissions I made sure that all bases were covered but did not make the package too large, I learned long ago that sometimes less is truly more.  My wife told me she saw many women being asked to produce many things, but she only answered a few questions.  Jialian  told me that several women commented that she carried too much material with her to the interview, she told them that “my lagong told me we need to have everything so there is no problems”. Sadly, the same woman who told her this was one who left in tears with no VISA. Somehow I am now SuperMan in her eyes because everything I told her worked as we expected.  Additionally, we spent weeks reviewing possible questions (found on VISA Journey) so she was extremely confident and ready for any question they could ask her.  Confidence goes a long way in these things.

Again, my experience and thought are not for everyone but it can be done without the need to pay a lawyer to submit your work.  I would never want anyone to misconstrue this advice and go off half-cocked and fail.  If you should decide to proceed with out a lawyer please be certain that you  have all the I’s crossed and T’ crossed.  As a side note my son in-law (Chinese) used a Chinese American attorney to handle his brother’s immigration issues and fired him quickly and did it much quicker himself.

I hope all  of you find the woman of your dreams and get her here quickly and inexpensively.

Peace,

Tom

Offline jeffm

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RE: I am going to contradict the advice often given here!
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2010, 07:05:07 pm »
Thanks for sharing that.  It doesn't surprise me to read  that your attorney had you doing the work and he simply submits  it.  Most  of them want the easy money.  Finding an attorney who  is willing to work is rare these days.  In any area of law.  Where I live  to  find a domestic court attorney that is willing to work or fight for  you  has eluded me.  Very poor attornies where  I live.  Flat  out  lazy.
Watch what people do not what they say

Offline maxx

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RE: I am going to contradict the advice often given here!
« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2010, 07:29:23 pm »
Tom I'm glad to hear it worked out for you congradulations.You and your wife are only second couple I've ever heard of.Who got threw the interview without a lawyer.Again congradulations.And best wishes.

ttwjr32

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RE: I am going to contradict the advice often given here!
« Reply #3 on: April 18, 2010, 07:50:12 pm »
Maxx,

you can add me to the total also. we did everything ourselves like Tom
did and she was in the USA at the 8th month after the start of all the
paperwork we started to turn in. but of course that one didnt last and
i just chalk it up to a lifes lesson learned well.  NOW i am in the dilemma
of living in China and trying to find a way to just be able to visit the USA
with my wife at various times over the upcoming years. when i get that
figured out how to do i will post that info here.

Ted

Offline Buzz

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RE: I am going to contradict the advice often given here!
« Reply #4 on: April 18, 2010, 07:58:43 pm »
Tom, let me add my best wishes.  Yes I know it can be done without a lawyer, but after reading you post, it is clear that you do indeed cross all your  t's and dot all i's.  I do not have the detailed mind to make sure i have everything in order.  So for me, i want to succeed in the quickest time and chose to find a lawyer.  It is nice to hear what you sent with your wife to the interview.  All this and a bit more were requested and sent by my lawyer.  Thanks again for your post.  we need this information and success stories to keep us motivated.  best of luck.  buzz

Offline TomFisher

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RE: I am going to contradict the advice often given here!
« Reply #5 on: April 18, 2010, 08:10:32 pm »
Quote from: 'maxx' pid='37241' dateline='1271633363'

Tom I'm glad to hear it worked out for you congradulations.You and your wife are only second couple I've ever heard of.Who got threw the interview without a lawyer.Again congradulations.And best wishes.


Thanks Maxx, I didn't want to post until I was sure we were successful.  I will admit I was anxious throughout the process and at times questioned OUR decision to fire the attorney and leave everything up to me.  I hope everyone takes two things from my experience.  First, it can be done quickly.  Secondly, you can do it yourself if you  pay attention to detail.  

I guess this makes me one of the "experienced members" in this quest for to bring the most amazing wife imaginable.  May all find the same success we have.
Quote from: 'jeffm' pid='37236' dateline='1271631907'

Thanks for sharing that.  It doesn't surprise me to read  that your attorney had you doing the work and he simply submits  it.  Most  of them want the easy money.  Finding an attorney who  is willing to work is rare these days.  In any area of law.  Where I live  to  find a domestic court attorney that is willing to work or fight for  you  has eluded me.  Very poor attornies where  I live.  Flat  out  lazy.


Jeff,  if you look at what you need to provide the attorney is going to ask you to provide them with all the information and they will  only submit the forms with the information you supply.  I found valuable information on VISA Journey.
« Last Edit: April 18, 2010, 08:15:10 pm by TomFisher »

Offline Chong

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RE: I am going to contradict the advice often given here!
« Reply #6 on: April 18, 2010, 10:14:26 pm »
Mr. FISH  (x...)<

Glad to hear from you. Congratulations to you & Jialian. I hope you can contribute more to this particular subject as you're an expert now. Martin and I did the same thing ... applied ourselves in Canada.

Does Jialian want to borrow my scooter now ??????????? :icon_cool:
« Last Edit: April 18, 2010, 10:15:05 pm by Chong »

Offline TomFisher

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RE: I am going to contradict the advice often given here!
« Reply #7 on: April 19, 2010, 08:41:34 pm »
Quote from: 'Chong' pid='37257' dateline='1271643266'

Mr. FISH  (x...)<

Glad to hear from you. Congratulations to you & Jialian. I hope you can contribute more to this particular subject as you're an expert now. Martin and I did the same thing ... applied ourselves in Canada.

Does Jialian want to borrow my scooter now ??????????? :icon_cool:


Mr. Chong,

Thank you for the congratulations.  It has been a long journey but well worth the effort.

No I don't think she needs to borrow your scooter, I'm sure she will be very satisfied riding on the Harley. :icon_cheesygrin:

Arnold

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Re: I am going to contradict the advice often given here!
« Reply #8 on: August 17, 2010, 11:27:28 pm »
I agree with your last paragraph Scott . Qing and I had about .. let say between 20 and 30 lbs. of paper's with us . The fact that the Interviewer did  not look at all that , only the Passport of mine with Visa's for four Trips .. does not mean the next Guy interviewing will not ask for all that .
So it's always better safe then sorry .

Offline maxx

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Re: I am going to contradict the advice often given here!
« Reply #9 on: August 18, 2010, 12:39:12 am »
Scott and Arnold you both are on the right track.At my wife's interview they didn't ask for any of that stuff either.The important thing was that the interviewer seen my wife with all that stuff.When the person doing the interview sees your wife or girlfriend drag all that stuff to the interview with her it shows the people doing the interview.That both people in the relationship are committed to getting the visa.

It is the same thing when you hire a lawyer.You are showing GZ that you are serious about getting your lady a visa.And it is a little harder.For GZ to mess with the ladies at the interview.Because they know.They mess around with the lady.The lady is going to go down stairs crying.Then the boyfriend / husband is pissed.And the first thing the man does.When he gets out of the consulate.Is leave a very angry message on the lawyer answering machine.

So now the lawyer is pissed.His reputation is at stake here.So he calls GZ.And raises all kinds of fuss.And it keeps rolling down hill until it reaches the person who gave the interview.So the heat is on the interviewer now.The interviewer doesn't want that kind of heat.They may loose thiere job over something as simple as this.Then they loose the federal insurance they loose out living on easy street .Where just about everything they need is payed for.So thiere is allot at stake here.

GZ can mess with the woman all they want to.If thiere boyfriend/husband didn't hire a lawyer.If they fail the lady what are you going to do.Call your congressman.Leave a nasty message on GZ answering machine.GZ doesn't answer to you or your congressman.So thiere is no consequences or repercussions of thiere actions.And they know this.So they can do what they want to do.