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Don’t File Immigration Paperwork Without a Lawyer

I signed up for the Wicked 10K race three weeks before the date of the run.  The Wicked is a race where approximately 10,000 runners gather to run in crazy costumes along the Virginia Beach Boardwalk.  It’s 6.1 miles. I have never run farther than 3 miles before in my life.

I didn’t start training at week 3 when I signed up (that was too soon for me).  I’m a slacker when it comes to my fitness, what can I say?

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I started at week 2 and ran approximately five times before the race with my longest run prior to the race being 30 minutes.  Some training. Before I went on my first training run, I scoured the internet to find some running hacks. I literally was going from couch to 10K in two weeks, and I needed a shortcut.  What tricks were out there so I could run this thing with little to no training? There were so many videos, blogs and running tips on the World Wide Web, it was mind boggling. Articles on how to position yourself, how to breathe, where your foot should land when you “strike” the ground, etc.

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For those of you who are attempting to file your immigration paperwork on your own, does this road sound familiar?  Maybe you know the forms you have to file for your marriage-based case are the I-130 and the I-485, but do you file them together, do you send it to the Lockbox or somewhere else?  Does the Affidavit of Support go with it? If it’s Naturalization, which eligibility box should you check if you got your green card through your U.S. Citizen spouse, but you’ve had the card now for over five years?  What about the filing fees – can the filing fee and the biometrics fee be in one check or must they be separate checks?

You have so many questions and you know how important getting it right is to you, or to your spouse or other family member.  Perhaps you can find all of the answers on the internet, maybe you’ve even called USCIS, but boy is the amount of information overwhelming and confusing.  Oftentimes it’s even contradicting.

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My husband laughed at me for googling how to run a 10K.  “You just run, you goofball”, he said. Easy for him to say – he’s played soccer his whole life and running was like breathing to him. I needed guidance on how to do this in such a short period of time and without having a heart attack on my first 10K.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the one hack I was looking for, it didn’t exist. I did learn how to carry my arms to run more efficiently and to also stand up straighter for better oxygen flow. In the end, I ran the race and met my goal of finishing it without walking.  Not without a lot of pain though.

I might as well have had the flu after that race, I was so out of commission.  And the only reason I met my goal of running the whole thing and not walking is because my neighbor Jeanne, who is a legitimate runner, ran with me the whole way, encouraged me and pushed me to not walk.  I had a coach on race day.

If you’re inclined to self-file your immigration process, you may feel some of the pain like I did before, during and after the process.  You need to at the very least consult with an experienced immigration attorney to make sure that you’re on the right track. The pain I felt after my race went away after a couple of days. Unfortunately, some mistakes when filing on your own can last a very long time.

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If you’re dead-set on filing on your own, download my free PDF on the top ten mistakes people make when self-filing.

Good luck, and if you want some immigration tips, I can be your coach.

P.S. I guess I got the running bug and recently signed up for the Shamrock 1/2 Marathon here in Virginia Beach.  Guess what else I signed up and paid for? Coaching and training lessons!

Related posts:

  1. Watch Out for School Buses and School Zones
  2. Citizenship Day 2019
  3. Get Peace of Mind with Gardner & Mendoza
  4. One Good Reason You Need to Lawyer Up

Filed Under: Immigration Blog Articles

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Well, hard to believe… job done! I’m frank to admit I had no idea that it would be so involved compared to 10 years ago when I did the renewal myself. Happily I was fortunate enough to find the best people to help get it done this time. When I was a working stiff it was mostly as a field guy in sales & marketing. High tech communication in those days was a pay phone in customers’ lobbies, so someone back in the office skilled in dealing w/problems was absolutely essential when I couldn’t be contacted. Most of those who supported me that way were good at what they did, some were outstanding. None were better than you!! This tedious & sometimes worrisome process would have been unbearable without your keeping it, & me, on track. So we want to extend our thanks to you and Radlyn. Hoping for Gardner & Mendoza to continue the good work for many years to come. - Anonymous
Gardner and Mendoza Law Firm is a great law firm no matter what kind of situation you may be in! For example I had court today, John Gardner, my attorney represented me today and got the charged dismissed totally the first time we both appeared in front of the judge in Virginia Beach Traffic Court. He uses every bit of knowledge he can to help you get the best results!! He also works very well with Latinos! They have a Spanish speaking person in their office at all times!! - Sebastian
My husband and I had a great experience with Mrs. Mendoza. She provided excellent information and a sense of urgency with every step of our immigration process. Her team was always supportive in getting us the information we needed throughout the whole process. This legal firm also treats their clients with the highest levels of respect. In all of Virginia I would say that the Gardener & Mendoza team is the best recommendation for same sex immigration cases and for immigration cases in general. It was a pleasure to work with them. - Anonymous
I Highly Recommend Radlyn Mendoza, An Excellent Immigration Lawyer. My wife and I were very worried about my wife’s immigration and legal status. We were quite impressed with Attorney Mendoza during our initial consultation. She proved to be a smart, knowledgeable, and very capable immigration attorney. She and her staff were very helpful and responsive to all of our requests. Kudos to her and staff, especially Leesa, for successfully handling our case. Thanks for a job well done. - Thomas and Cheong W.
My daughter received a reckless driving ticket going 60 in a 35 mph zone, so understandably, I was very concerned. In court, Mr. Gardner was able to get the reckless driving charge and ticket completely dismissed due to his knowledge of what the police officer had to present in court. Mr. Gardner was a familiar face to the judge and the clerks in the Virginia Beach courthouse. When we contacted John Gardner’s office at Gardner & Mendoza, he and his staff made us feel comfortable by explaining the whole process to us. His track record and the reviews online helped make the decision to choose Mr. Gardner over other attorneys easy. I highly recommend Mr. Gardner. He gave us peace of mind and won the case too! - Michelle

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