10/18   Hi sodans.  I'm thinking of getting married to my h07 42n ch1x gf.
        After we get married, I want to convert her to a PR (green card).
        A lawyer is charging $1,500 for this plus $935 to the government,
        for a total of $2,435.  Process takes 4-6 months.  Does this all
        sound about right?  Thanks.  (The URL below mentions $500 for lawyer
        fees and $50 for a do-it-yourself kit.)
        http://www.usavisanow.com/immigrationservicesprices.htm
        \_ Why the hell do you need a Lawyer for this? Especially if
           she's here and you are marrying her. There's 0 probability
           of this being denied, short of her being a terrorist. So
           just file the paperwork yourself, it's not that
           complicated. You graduated from Berkeley and can't figure
           out how to file some INS paperwork?? Save the $1500 on
           something else. I know a place that will do this a lot
           cheaper in Mountain View, probably $300-$400. I'll post it
           tomorrow if you want it.
                    \- some of the INS paperwork is crazy. it's not a matter
                       of cleverness but recordkeeping and dilligence. i mean
                       the ask thinks like "list every time you have left the
                       country with dates" and "list ever law enforcement
                       event including all (non-parking) tickets, with dates".
                       so some of that's almost impossible to get 100% correct.
                       \_ Partha, how many "law enforcement events" have you
                          had? And c'mon, you don't keep track of when you're
                          in and out of the country? Mexico doesn't count.
                          \- i guess the INS/DHS probably doesnt know about
                             the "you, i know" episode with the campus police.
                             those are not the first words you want to hear
                             from a cop. it also seriously freaks out any
                             of the other people you are with.
           \_ thanks, fyi, the $1,500 lawyer is in cerritos, and another couple
              used them.  i also figured i could just spend $ on the govt
              filing fees (which I tabulate to $190 I-130 + $395 I-485 = $585),
              but I wasn't certain. -op
              \_ I-130, so she's not here. The place I used charged me
                 about $200-300 for filing the initial paperwork.
                 Afterwards I did all the follow-up paperwork myself,
                 no big deal. Makes me wonder if I should've paid the
                 $200 in the first place, but it's only $200.
                 \_ she just graduated on F-1 and will be working on OPT in the
                    U.S. for at least ten months.  don't i still need to file
                    an I-130 to establish the spousal relationship?
                    \_ I don't know. I thought I-130 is for spouse who
                       is not here. But I am no expert. I'll post the
                       place I used tomorrow.
        \_ My wife and I just finished the process, including lifting the
           conditional PR (married in late 2002).  It did require diligence
           and chasing the INS at various points, but I didn't think that it
           required a lawyer, just good record-keeping and thoroughness.
           Don't ever believe anything they tell you, though, to some
           extent - every person we ever talked to at INS (phone or in
           person) would tell us something completely different.  Glad it's
           over.  One benefit at the time was that we could still go in in
           person (Sacramento), so my wife had work authorization from day
           one under the new status.  You can email me if you have specific
           questions - mds
        \_ thanks for all the advice, everybody.  fyi, the process seems to be
           much quicker these days.  The $1,500 lawyer got that SoCal couple I
           know the PR card for the grad student / non-citizen spouse in about
           four months from the initial time of filing I believe.
           I hope it will be just as quick w/o the lawyer. -op