K3 or IR-1 / CR-1??

[David & Diana R 1,005]

So I married my new wife in Philippines on September 22, 2012. We are waiting for our final marriage license to come thru to NSO. Can we begin process before she receives her Philippines Passport? And which visa do we want to file for? I am confused. Want to expedite matters but at same time want to make best decision. I have read about the K# and the IR-1 / CR1 and get more and more confused each time I read about them. Can anyone help out there?

[Darnell 8,478]

Unca Darnell Say - chase after a CR-1 visa.

Comparison on K-3 vs CR-1 - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/204324-wondering-if-i-made-a-mistake-marrying-in-us/page__view__findpost__p__3060767

K-3 administratively closed - http://www.visajourney.com/news/2010/02/07/department-of-state-to-close-k-3-visas-if-i-129f-and-i-130-petitions-approved-and-received-together/

[sjr09 155]

CR-1 is what you'll need read the guides: http://www.visajourn...tent/i130guide1

Step-by-Step Guide on How to File for a IR-1 / CR-1 Visa for a Foreign Spouse

These are the basic steps required by the US Citizen. These steps should be followed as a guideline and not as specific requirements for any given case. Every case is unique and this does not address that uniqueness.

U.S. citizens legally married to a foreign national may petition for a IR-1 / CR-1 visa. If the marriage is less than two years old, the consulate will issue a CR-1 Visa (and if longer than two years it will issue a IR-1 Visa). The primary difference between these two visas is that a CR-1 Visa will result in Conditional Permanent Residency (requiring a petition to be filed later to lift this conditional status) versus a IR-1 Visa resulting in full Permanent Residency upon arrival in the US by the foreign spouse.

The K-3 is a nonimmigrant visa and has limitations. Immigration law allows the alien spouse of a U.S. citizen and his or her minor children to be admitted to the United States as nonimmigrants while they are awaiting the adjudication of a Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative.

Important Notice: When both petitions have been approved by USCIS and sent to the NVC or when USCIS approves the I-130 before the I-129F, the availability of, as well as the need for, a nonimmigrant K-3 visa ends. If the NVC receives both an approved I-130 petition and an approved I-129F petition:

The nonimmigrant K-3 visa case will be administratively closed.

The application process explained below will not be available to the foreign-citizen spouse and cannot be used.

The NVC will contact the U.S. citizen sponsor and foreign-citizen spouse, with instructions for processing the IR-1 (or CR-1) immigrant visa. For more information on the immigrant visa process, review the Immigrant Visa for a Spouse webpage.

　

you can read more: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=254a3e4d77d73210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=254a3e4d77d73210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD