I think there are a few important factors to consider when choosing an Attorney to help you file for a K1 Fiance Visa.
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