K1...pros and cons ?

[trulove 1]

hello everyone

My boyfriend is American and I'm Canadian.......

I'm a little confused about this whole process but this website has been VERY helpful. So thanks to everyone that has helped me so far!!

I just found out that I would have to go to Montreal for my CR1 interview.

Now if I apply for the K1 visa, once I get my K1 interview and get my visa...and after we get married. We send the forms etc within the ninety days..... do I go back to Canada and wait for AOS or can I stay in the US and wait for the rest of the process to go through? and is the K3 visa the same process???

I was reading forums about the Montreal wait times for processing for CR1 visa and its close to 6months.

Please help...thanks everyone!!!!!

[payxibka 10,045]

hello everyone

My boyfriend is American and I'm Canadian.......

I'm a little confused about this whole process but this website has been VERY helpful. So thanks to everyone that has helped me so far!!

I just found out that I would have to go to Montreal for my CR1 interview.

Now if I apply for the K1 visa, once I get my K1 interview and get my visa...and after we get married. We send the forms etc within the ninety days..... do I go back to Canada and wait for AOS or can I stay in the US and wait for the rest of the process to go through? and is the K3 visa the same process???

I was reading forums about the Montreal wait times for processing for CR1 visa and its close to 6months.

Please help...thanks everyone!!!!!

theoretically, you need one visa to immigrate to the USA.... as a CR-1 you enter as a resident, for a K-1 or K-3 you enter as a non-immigrant but can change your status to resident from inside the USA

Edited January 11, 2010 by payxibka

[canadian_wife 1,818]

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;page=compare

Take a look at the link I provided, it lists the pros and cons for each type of visa

Yes, the Cr1 will interview in Montreal, however your adjustment of status will cose $1000+. Although Montreal is far, it may be cheaper, even with travel costs, to go for the Cr1.

When you enter the US, on K visa or Cr1, you won't need to leave Canada to adjust status. However, you cannot leave Canada when entering on a K-1 without travel authorization and you cannot work without work authorization.

Good luck.

[pushbrk 12,824]

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;page=compare

Take a look at the link I provided, it lists the pros and cons for each type of visa

Yes, the Cr1 will interview in Montreal, however your adjustment of status will cose $1000+. Although Montreal is far, it may be cheaper, even with travel costs, to go for the Cr1.

When you enter the US, on K visa or Cr1, you won't need to leave Canada to adjust status. However, you cannot leave Canada when entering on a K-1 without travel authorization and you cannot work without work authorization.

Good luck.

Perhaps it was a bit too early in the morning. Let me clarify.

If you enter the USA on a K1 or K3 visa, you will eventually adjust status from inside the USA. It's the USA you won't need to leave. You WILL need to leave Canada.

CR1 visa holders do not adjust status. What Canadian Wife was attempting to do is have you weigh the additional cost of adjusting status from a K1 visa against the cost of travel to Montreal for the CR1. I would suggest you also consider the intangible but very real cost of several months in the USA without work authorization that comes with the K1. CR1 enters fully work authorized on day one, though you do wait a couple weeks for the Social Security card to arrive in the mail.

[canadian_wife 1,818]

GAH! Thanks Push, too early and not enough coffee

[CDAgirlMI 51]

I went the K1 route & if I had to do it all over again, I'd still go that way, in my opinion.

From the time we filed, to the day of our interview that was approved, it took a little over 6 months.

Yes, the downside is that I won't be able to work for a while & can't visit Canada for a while either. It was a choice I was willing to take, but it was the better one for us.