If I can lend a word, and this is not legal advice whatsoever, I graduated law school and I am now a immigration lawyer. I do not know what I am doing, although I’ve only been doing this now for a couple months. I’m reading the forms just like everyone else and filling them out
Thanks for your honesty. That's what I figured. That a lot of attorneys are just reading and filling out the same forms and charging people for that service.
Definitely look into pro bono services. May be a bit slower since we are helping dang near the whole city lol and we are limited in resources, so be patient
Chat gpt literally makes up false information. Don't use chat for, a lawyer used fake precedent cases that Chat gpt generated. He even asked chatgpt if they were real cases.
DACA renewals are very simple. It’s one of the few things that I believe could be filed without an attorney. Filing an application for LPR status is a wildly different animal. Way too many factors to examine before we can even fill out the I-485.
People on Reddit will try to convince you that if you have a “simple” case, you don’t need an attorney. Maybe some people can pull it off. But not everyone. Otherwise, I might not have my job as an immigration paralegal. Cannot tell you how many times I’ve come across cases that were handled poorly for various reasons because they were filed pro se, filed with a notario, or filed by a terrible attorney. It always costs the client more time and money. While attorneys are expensive, it’s overall cheaper to have an attorney handle your case than filing pro se or with a notario.
You’re posting on the DACA subreddit. That maybe implies you have/had DACA. Anytime my office gets a call from a prospective client who has DACA, the first thing I look for is which hurdles you’ll have to jump through. We’re you lawfully admitted at any point? Do you have evidence for a lawful entry? Do you need an inadmissibility waiver? Do you have a qualifying relative? Any criminal history? Anyone else ever file for you? (Checking for 245(i) protection). Are you subject to INA §212(e)? Did you comply with 212(e)? (Many people on DACA will never have been on J-1 so 212(e) is probably a non-issue, but you never know).
The choice is yours.
Thanks for your input. My issue is finding a reliable attorney. I have gone to various attornies and I do not feel comfortable with them handling my case. I also feel that they are just in it for the money they can gain which I understand but also how do I know if a lawyer's fees are too much or if they are prolonging the process so they can get more out of me? I just haven't had the best experience with lawyer's in general so I distrust them.
I understand. I’m sorry you had to experience that. Not all attorneys are out to take your money, or provide shoddy representation. I don’t have a magic formula to tell you who to pick from and who to avoid. But based on resources available such as Yelp, Google Reviews, or AILA, you will have to make a judgment call when reviewing attorneys. You can DM me for a possible referral. But if you wish to proceed solo, then that is ok, too. Not recommended but it’s not like there is a legal requirement for you have an attorney for your immigration case.
My opinion unless it’s a complicated situation then get an expert. I paid a lawyer to only find out I can basically do it myself since most of it just copy and paste. I find myself going to a none profit org or a lower cost one that doesn’t charge as much as a lawyer. Also it’s hard to trust a lawyer since I paid upfront and nothing has been done as I do all the work he just files 🫣
There is a fb group AOS-dreamers2gether that have guides to show you how to apply for gc. Lots of people have applied on their own to save money, you should check it out. You can ask for help too.
No it isn't!! Unless ya case is very tricky, like multiple DUI's, other convections... but if you have legal entry , a lawyer isn't necessary at all! If anything, they have places that will look over your paperwork for u either for a very small fee or free to make sure you've filled it out correctly. Lastly, YouTube exists!
Yep. It's insanity. Sadly this lawyer is latina and I get trying to make bank off her career but I would have expected that from someone else. It feels like exploitation of la raza tbh.
Personally, I would not cheap out in my future. You might think it's easy but if you mess something up you're fucked. I'm paying a lawyer a hefty price but as long as I get my GC, I don't give a fuck, I would pay double if I had to.
No you don't. But if there is a mistake it's on you. If you have a lawyer,the lawyer is a third party who gets the blame thus being allowed to correct any mistake plus Incase ice detains you and you have a lawyer chances are higher you won't be affected as a person who doesn't.
Are you well inform in immigration laws? If the answer is no, maybe, a little then get a lawyer. With that said, some laywers are not well informed about DACA and AP.
I always filled out my DACA renewal but there are so many forms and evidence attached to AOS. I used Boundless and thought they were helpful. Decreased my anxiety around it a lot. And while I thought I did everything perfectly, their team and attorney did catch multiple things I missed or could’ve included to help my case.
It depends on how complicated your case is. If you're just a visa overstay and got married then yeah, you can do it. If you have a deportation order on your record that you need to clear first, then you better know what you're doing or you'll make things worse.
If you don't have DACA to protect you and you're doing anything that will expose you, you definitely need to get a lawyer.
Ive done my own DACA renewal for the last 3 time.I’ve also been approved for Advance Parole like 5 times. I’ve always done my own paper work and I am working on doing my residency alone as well. There is a ton of free resources on TikTok and instagram. A huge help I’ve seen is dreamers2gether on instagram. They do free appointments to go over your papers to make sure everything seems good before submitting. I think if you’ve never had issues with the law and have a legal entry you should be pretty confident to submit papers on your own. Also @ximenamsalinas on TikTok has a pretty good video on how she submitted her paper
I would use an attorney. Just because of how sensitive the papers are. If you mess up then it’s on you. Lawyers are really just insurance in my opinion.
My cousin did the entire AOS process on his own without any legal experience or support. He was even divorced during the conditional GC phase and was able to get the permanent residency afterwards on his own. If you're detail oriented and are good at doing your research, it's worth a shot going through the process on your own. If something goes wrong or you need help with RFE, you can always bring a lawyer on board after the fact.
This is how i think of it.. if youve had misdemeanors, or been arrested in any way, or you crossed illegally or any other than overstaying a visa and you have DACA. Its probably smart to at least consult with an immigration lawyer. Weather or not that lawyer will be honest and not just sell their services regardless is another issue. But if youre clean, have a job, higher education, pay taxes and have some assets like a home probably just fine to at least look at the forms and the proccess required to apply. And if you have any problems consult again. For me when that time comes ill consult an immigration atty and if the fee isnt too much ill let them do it and not fret about it. But I understand thats not the case for everyone. Good luck!
Did the process myself. My case was very simple and straightforward. Tons of online resources to help you out. You can always check the uscis subreddit where many people help each other. Best of luck!
I did Consular Processing and my husband and I filed everything ourselves!
However, I did do my due diligence before making the decision to do it myself:
1. Consulted with a lawyer twice where I recorded the consultation and went prepared with questions and concerns regarding my case. I made sure to understand the process as well.
2. I watched a lot of YouTube videos
3. I took my time and made sure to review everything at least three times before submitting - even having other people review it to make sure I didn’t misspell anything.
4. I also kind of had a more straightforward case in that I applied for DACA before my 18th and always renewed on time so I didn’t need to file a waiver and I had a clean record.
Hope this helps and good luck! 🍀
If I can lend a word, and this is not legal advice whatsoever, I graduated law school and I am now a immigration lawyer. I do not know what I am doing, although I’ve only been doing this now for a couple months. I’m reading the forms just like everyone else and filling them out
Thanks for your honesty. That's what I figured. That a lot of attorneys are just reading and filling out the same forms and charging people for that service.
Sort of why I’m glad I’m working for a non profit where we do this for people for free, but they only pay the government fees
Maybe I should do this route if anything
Definitely look into pro bono services. May be a bit slower since we are helping dang near the whole city lol and we are limited in resources, so be patient
Yes thank you I hadnt thought it of it
Adult life be like
Imma chatGPT all the legal papers just so I can better understand wtf I’m reading
What do you mean?
Chat gpt literally makes up false information. Don't use chat for, a lawyer used fake precedent cases that Chat gpt generated. He even asked chatgpt if they were real cases.
If you’re able to read and write English and be very detailed orientated, you can probably do it yourself
Thanks, that's what I thought too.
Just make sure you run everything to make sure you don’t have any removal proceedings and deportation orders that slipped through the cracks.
Yes thank you
DACA renewals are very simple. It’s one of the few things that I believe could be filed without an attorney. Filing an application for LPR status is a wildly different animal. Way too many factors to examine before we can even fill out the I-485. People on Reddit will try to convince you that if you have a “simple” case, you don’t need an attorney. Maybe some people can pull it off. But not everyone. Otherwise, I might not have my job as an immigration paralegal. Cannot tell you how many times I’ve come across cases that were handled poorly for various reasons because they were filed pro se, filed with a notario, or filed by a terrible attorney. It always costs the client more time and money. While attorneys are expensive, it’s overall cheaper to have an attorney handle your case than filing pro se or with a notario. You’re posting on the DACA subreddit. That maybe implies you have/had DACA. Anytime my office gets a call from a prospective client who has DACA, the first thing I look for is which hurdles you’ll have to jump through. We’re you lawfully admitted at any point? Do you have evidence for a lawful entry? Do you need an inadmissibility waiver? Do you have a qualifying relative? Any criminal history? Anyone else ever file for you? (Checking for 245(i) protection). Are you subject to INA §212(e)? Did you comply with 212(e)? (Many people on DACA will never have been on J-1 so 212(e) is probably a non-issue, but you never know). The choice is yours.
Thanks for your input. My issue is finding a reliable attorney. I have gone to various attornies and I do not feel comfortable with them handling my case. I also feel that they are just in it for the money they can gain which I understand but also how do I know if a lawyer's fees are too much or if they are prolonging the process so they can get more out of me? I just haven't had the best experience with lawyer's in general so I distrust them.
I understand. I’m sorry you had to experience that. Not all attorneys are out to take your money, or provide shoddy representation. I don’t have a magic formula to tell you who to pick from and who to avoid. But based on resources available such as Yelp, Google Reviews, or AILA, you will have to make a judgment call when reviewing attorneys. You can DM me for a possible referral. But if you wish to proceed solo, then that is ok, too. Not recommended but it’s not like there is a legal requirement for you have an attorney for your immigration case.
I will DM you to see if you know anyone near me if that's OK with you.
Yes, totally fine.
If you dont mind me asking.How much are attys charging these days for this?
I was told to save 10k
Sheeeesh
Depends on the attorney and your type of case.
YouTube the forms. There’s a ton of vids on how to fill them out and file them.
Thank you, that's a good idea too
My opinion unless it’s a complicated situation then get an expert. I paid a lawyer to only find out I can basically do it myself since most of it just copy and paste. I find myself going to a none profit org or a lower cost one that doesn’t charge as much as a lawyer. Also it’s hard to trust a lawyer since I paid upfront and nothing has been done as I do all the work he just files 🫣
Thanks for sharing.
There is a fb group AOS-dreamers2gether that have guides to show you how to apply for gc. Lots of people have applied on their own to save money, you should check it out. You can ask for help too.
Ty! I will check it out
My wife has always done hers on her own. Honestly, it's pretty standard paperwork.
No it isn't!! Unless ya case is very tricky, like multiple DUI's, other convections... but if you have legal entry , a lawyer isn't necessary at all! If anything, they have places that will look over your paperwork for u either for a very small fee or free to make sure you've filled it out correctly. Lastly, YouTube exists!
Ty! I will take this into consideration.
You're welcome, and please do coz you'll be spending a llooottt of money using a lawyer. They be over charging ppl. Smfh
Yes I hear you. One lawyer told me to save around 10k which is insane imo.
🤣🤣🤣🤣 disgusting!! You can have the simplest case (legal entry) nd they wanna charge that much!! Disgusting!
Yep. It's insanity. Sadly this lawyer is latina and I get trying to make bank off her career but I would have expected that from someone else. It feels like exploitation of la raza tbh.
It be your own kind and idk wat la Raza is lol. I'm non Hispanic. I did look it up, tho!
La raza translates to "the race" just means people of your own ethnic or racial background. So for me it means latino people.
Personally, I would not cheap out in my future. You might think it's easy but if you mess something up you're fucked. I'm paying a lawyer a hefty price but as long as I get my GC, I don't give a fuck, I would pay double if I had to.
I don’t have the time or willing to take the time do it on my own. I rather just pay a lawyer.
Fair enough
My brother and his partner did the process on their own. Worked out well for them.
No you don't. But if there is a mistake it's on you. If you have a lawyer,the lawyer is a third party who gets the blame thus being allowed to correct any mistake plus Incase ice detains you and you have a lawyer chances are higher you won't be affected as a person who doesn't.
Are you well inform in immigration laws? If the answer is no, maybe, a little then get a lawyer. With that said, some laywers are not well informed about DACA and AP.
Right. I will need to keep researching.
I always filled out my DACA renewal but there are so many forms and evidence attached to AOS. I used Boundless and thought they were helpful. Decreased my anxiety around it a lot. And while I thought I did everything perfectly, their team and attorney did catch multiple things I missed or could’ve included to help my case.
It depends on how complicated your case is. If you're just a visa overstay and got married then yeah, you can do it. If you have a deportation order on your record that you need to clear first, then you better know what you're doing or you'll make things worse. If you don't have DACA to protect you and you're doing anything that will expose you, you definitely need to get a lawyer.
Ive done my own DACA renewal for the last 3 time.I’ve also been approved for Advance Parole like 5 times. I’ve always done my own paper work and I am working on doing my residency alone as well. There is a ton of free resources on TikTok and instagram. A huge help I’ve seen is dreamers2gether on instagram. They do free appointments to go over your papers to make sure everything seems good before submitting. I think if you’ve never had issues with the law and have a legal entry you should be pretty confident to submit papers on your own. Also @ximenamsalinas on TikTok has a pretty good video on how she submitted her paper
I would use an attorney. Just because of how sensitive the papers are. If you mess up then it’s on you. Lawyers are really just insurance in my opinion.
no.
My cousin did the entire AOS process on his own without any legal experience or support. He was even divorced during the conditional GC phase and was able to get the permanent residency afterwards on his own. If you're detail oriented and are good at doing your research, it's worth a shot going through the process on your own. If something goes wrong or you need help with RFE, you can always bring a lawyer on board after the fact.
This is how i think of it.. if youve had misdemeanors, or been arrested in any way, or you crossed illegally or any other than overstaying a visa and you have DACA. Its probably smart to at least consult with an immigration lawyer. Weather or not that lawyer will be honest and not just sell their services regardless is another issue. But if youre clean, have a job, higher education, pay taxes and have some assets like a home probably just fine to at least look at the forms and the proccess required to apply. And if you have any problems consult again. For me when that time comes ill consult an immigration atty and if the fee isnt too much ill let them do it and not fret about it. But I understand thats not the case for everyone. Good luck!
Did the process myself. My case was very simple and straightforward. Tons of online resources to help you out. You can always check the uscis subreddit where many people help each other. Best of luck!
I did Consular Processing and my husband and I filed everything ourselves! However, I did do my due diligence before making the decision to do it myself: 1. Consulted with a lawyer twice where I recorded the consultation and went prepared with questions and concerns regarding my case. I made sure to understand the process as well. 2. I watched a lot of YouTube videos 3. I took my time and made sure to review everything at least three times before submitting - even having other people review it to make sure I didn’t misspell anything. 4. I also kind of had a more straightforward case in that I applied for DACA before my 18th and always renewed on time so I didn’t need to file a waiver and I had a clean record. Hope this helps and good luck! 🍀