K3 versus CR/IR

[Dakine 26]

Then they came for the double-dippers, and I felt deep concern for those who would come after us and attempt to double dip. “Double-dipping†(my term for it) is where you file the I-130 (Petition for an alien relative to immigrate), pay the $90 fee involved with that, and then also file an I-129f (petition for a fiancé) and then wait and see which petition gets approved first before deciding which visa you go for. If the I-130 is approved first, you go for the CR-1/IR-1. If the I-129f is approved first, you go for the K-3. The K-3 is a quicker visa to get, but it’s (or it was) more expensive and isn’t an immigrant visa so you have to adjust status, which is a bit like having a plunger shoved up your @ss. Starting with the end with the rubber thing on it. My husband and I were going to double dip but at the last minute we decided that there was no way in hell we wanted to risk having a K-3 and have to adjust status l.

Then starting July 30, they changed things: The I-130 now costs $355 to file, but the I-129f is free (when filed with an I-130). I know, I know, you would say: but doesn’t this look like it encourages people to double dip, to go for both visas since the other one is “freeâ€? Yes, it does, but if you look at it more closely, it looks like the government has realized that make the crappy K-3 “free†would be just enough to get more people to go for it because it will “get their spouses over here quicker.†Meanwhile, the government gets to rake in tons of money:

Costs of K-3:

I-130: $355 I-129f: Free Adjust Status: $1,010 EAD(work permit):$340

Total: $1,705

Costs of CR-1:

I-130: $355 Affidavit of Support fee: $70 IV Fee: $380 Removing Conditions: $625

Total: $1,430

See, it’s cheaper. Not much cheaper, but it’s cheaper. Even cheaper is the IR-1 visa, but you have to be married for 2 years before you can get it. It would only cost $805.

Obviously, the government is out to make a killing, without any of the obligations to provide service to their customers that the private sector has. If they reject your petition and you want to contest that, congrats. It will cost you.

Edited July 21, 2008 by Haole

[pushbrk 12,898]

Then they came for the double-dippers, and I felt deep concern for those who would come after us and attempt to double dip. “Double-dipping†(my term for it) is where you file the I-130 (Petition for an alien relative to immigrate), pay the $90 fee involved with that, and then also file an I-129f (petition for a fiancé) and then wait and see which petition gets approved first before deciding which visa you go for. If the I-130 is approved first, you go for the CR-1/IR-1. If the I-129f is approved first, you go for the K-3. The K-3 is a quicker visa to get, but it’s (or it was) more expensive and isn’t an immigrant visa so you have to adjust status, which is a bit like having a plunger shoved up your @ss. Starting with the end with the rubber thing on it. My husband and I were going to double dip but at the last minute we decided that there was no way in hell we wanted to risk having a K-3 and have to adjust status l.

Then starting July 30, they changed things: The I-130 now costs $355 to file, but the I-129f is free (when filed with an I-130). I know, I know, you would say: but doesn’t this look like it encourages people to double dip, to go for both visas since the other one is “freeâ€? Yes, it does, but if you look at it more closely, it looks like the government has realized that make the crappy K-3 “free†would be just enough to get more people to go for it because it will “get their spouses over here quicker.†Meanwhile, the government gets to rake in tons of money:

Costs of K-3:

I-130: $355 I-129f: Free Adjust Status: $1,010 EAD(work permit):$340

Total: $1,705

Costs of CR-1:

I-130: $355 Affidavit of Support fee: $70 IV Fee: $380 Removing Conditions: $625

Total: $1,430

See, it’s cheaper. Not much cheaper, but it’s cheaper. Even cheaper is the IR-1 visa, but you have to be married for 2 years before you can get it. It would only cost $805.

Obviously, the government is out to make a killing, without any of the obligations to provide service to their customers that the private sector has. If they reject your petition and you want to contest that, congrats. It will cost you.

There is no "which petition gets approved first?" anymore. They get married up, processed and approved together.

There is no fee for the I-129F when filed for a spouse, whether filed with, shortly after or long after the I-130.

[Dakine 26]

Then they came for the double-dippers, and I felt deep concern for those who would come after us and attempt to double dip. “Double-dipping†(my term for it) is where you file the I-130 (Petition for an alien relative to immigrate), pay the $90 fee involved with that, and then also file an I-129f (petition for a fiancé) and then wait and see which petition gets approved first before deciding which visa you go for. If the I-130 is approved first, you go for the CR-1/IR-1. If the I-129f is approved first, you go for the K-3. The K-3 is a quicker visa to get, but it’s (or it was) more expensive and isn’t an immigrant visa so you have to adjust status, which is a bit like having a plunger shoved up your @ss. Starting with the end with the rubber thing on it. My husband and I were going to double dip but at the last minute we decided that there was no way in hell we wanted to risk having a K-3 and have to adjust status l.

Then starting July 30, they changed things: The I-130 now costs $355 to file, but the I-129f is free (when filed with an I-130). I know, I know, you would say: but doesn’t this look like it encourages people to double dip, to go for both visas since the other one is “freeâ€? Yes, it does, but if you look at it more closely, it looks like the government has realized that make the crappy K-3 “free†would be just enough to get more people to go for it because it will “get their spouses over here quicker.†Meanwhile, the government gets to rake in tons of money:

Costs of K-3:

I-130: $355 I-129f: Free Adjust Status: $1,010 EAD(work permit):$340

Total: $1,705

Costs of CR-1:

I-130: $355 Affidavit of Support fee: $70 IV Fee: $380 Removing Conditions: $625

Total: $1,430

See, it’s cheaper. Not much cheaper, but it’s cheaper. Even cheaper is the IR-1 visa, but you have to be married for 2 years before you can get it. It would only cost $805.

Obviously, the government is out to make a killing, without any of the obligations to provide service to their customers that the private sector has. If they reject your petition and you want to contest that, congrats. It will cost you.

There is no "which petition gets approved first?" anymore. They get married up, processed and approved together.

There is no fee for the I-129F when filed for a spouse, whether filed with, shortly after or long after the I-130.

Yeah pushbrk. Not that accurate but interesting.

[pushbrk 12,898]

Then they came for the double-dippers, and I felt deep concern for those who would come after us and attempt to double dip. “Double-dipping†(my term for it) is where you file the I-130 (Petition for an alien relative to immigrate), pay the $90 fee involved with that, and then also file an I-129f (petition for a fiancé) and then wait and see which petition gets approved first before deciding which visa you go for. If the I-130 is approved first, you go for the CR-1/IR-1. If the I-129f is approved first, you go for the K-3. The K-3 is a quicker visa to get, but it’s (or it was) more expensive and isn’t an immigrant visa so you have to adjust status, which is a bit like having a plunger shoved up your @ss. Starting with the end with the rubber thing on it. My husband and I were going to double dip but at the last minute we decided that there was no way in hell we wanted to risk having a K-3 and have to adjust status l.

Then starting July 30, they changed things: The I-130 now costs $355 to file, but the I-129f is free (when filed with an I-130). I know, I know, you would say: but doesn’t this look like it encourages people to double dip, to go for both visas since the other one is “freeâ€? Yes, it does, but if you look at it more closely, it looks like the government has realized that make the crappy K-3 “free†would be just enough to get more people to go for it because it will “get their spouses over here quicker.†Meanwhile, the government gets to rake in tons of money:

Costs of K-3:

I-130: $355 I-129f: Free Adjust Status: $1,010 EAD(work permit):$340

Total: $1,705

Costs of CR-1:

I-130: $355 Affidavit of Support fee: $70 IV Fee: $380 Removing Conditions: $625

Total: $1,430

See, it’s cheaper. Not much cheaper, but it’s cheaper. Even cheaper is the IR-1 visa, but you have to be married for 2 years before you can get it. It would only cost $805.

Obviously, the government is out to make a killing, without any of the obligations to provide service to their customers that the private sector has. If they reject your petition and you want to contest that, congrats. It will cost you.

There is no "which petition gets approved first?" anymore. They get married up, processed and approved together.

There is no fee for the I-129F when filed for a spouse, whether filed with, shortly after or long after the I-130.

Yeah pushbrk. Not that accurate but interesting.

In inaccurate, what's the interest?

[Dakine 26]

Then they came for the double-dippers, and I felt deep concern for those who would come after us and attempt to double dip. “Double-dipping†(my term for it) is where you file the I-130 (Petition for an alien relative to immigrate), pay the $90 fee involved with that, and then also file an I-129f (petition for a fiancé) and then wait and see which petition gets approved first before deciding which visa you go for. If the I-130 is approved first, you go for the CR-1/IR-1. If the I-129f is approved first, you go for the K-3. The K-3 is a quicker visa to get, but it’s (or it was) more expensive and isn’t an immigrant visa so you have to adjust status, which is a bit like having a plunger shoved up your @ss. Starting with the end with the rubber thing on it. My husband and I were going to double dip but at the last minute we decided that there was no way in hell we wanted to risk having a K-3 and have to adjust status l.

Then starting July 30, they changed things: The I-130 now costs $355 to file, but the I-129f is free (when filed with an I-130). I know, I know, you would say: but doesn’t this look like it encourages people to double dip, to go for both visas since the other one is “freeâ€? Yes, it does, but if you look at it more closely, it looks like the government has realized that make the crappy K-3 “free†would be just enough to get more people to go for it because it will “get their spouses over here quicker.†Meanwhile, the government gets to rake in tons of money:

Costs of K-3:

I-130: $355 I-129f: Free Adjust Status: $1,010 EAD(work permit):$340

Total: $1,705

Costs of CR-1:

I-130: $355 Affidavit of Support fee: $70 IV Fee: $380 Removing Conditions: $625

Total: $1,430

See, it’s cheaper. Not much cheaper, but it’s cheaper. Even cheaper is the IR-1 visa, but you have to be married for 2 years before you can get it. It would only cost $805.

Obviously, the government is out to make a killing, without any of the obligations to provide service to their customers that the private sector has. If they reject your petition and you want to contest that, congrats. It will cost you.

There is no "which petition gets approved first?" anymore. They get married up, processed and approved together.

There is no fee for the I-129F when filed for a spouse, whether filed with, shortly after or long after the I-130.

Yeah pushbrk. Not that accurate but interesting.

In inaccurate, what's the interest?

Just someone elses "interesting" opinion and experience.

[MaxOnline 0]

275$ is the difference.... but people prefer Green Card and not having to wait for 3 months till they can be allowed to work so they go for CR1 thinking that it's making them more attached to the country as immigrants by giving them the right of permanence residency! ... K3 is more expensive and gives you less privileges... but IMHO I feel like K3 is less hassle and complication than CR1, many people take that route then they adjust status and they live their life happily ever after.. No Big Deal! and the life goes on... the most important part is to enter the US. Borders and then any further procedures will be much easier... you don't have to deal with Embassies and their officers attitudes, complications within your own country, lengthy waiting times and additional administrative processing! for me ... Doesn't really matter to me which Visa, CR1 or K3.

[Urge To Race 2]

A little adjustment to your calculations:

1)EAD is included in the AOS fee of $1010, so you don't necesarily need the $340 unless you get EAD right away while delaying AOS.

2)Many K3 holders will have to remove conditions too, so that fee needs to be considered on both for many. So, the K3 is still more expensive . The Remove conditions fee is now $465+$80 biometrics fee.

Then they came for the double-dippers, and I felt deep concern for those who would come after us and attempt to double dip. “Double-dippingâ€� (my term for it) is where you file the I-130 (Petition for an alien relative to immigrate), pay the $90 fee involved with that, and then also file an I-129f (petition for a fiancé) and then wait and see which petition gets approved first before deciding which visa you go for. If the I-130 is approved first, you go for the CR-1/IR-1. If the I-129f is approved first, you go for the K-3. The K-3 is a quicker visa to get, but it’s (or it was) more expensive and isn’t an immigrant visa so you have to adjust status, which is a bit like having a plunger shoved up your @ss. Starting with the end with the rubber thing on it. My husband and I were going to double dip but at the last minute we decided that there was no way in hell we wanted to risk having a K-3 and have to adjust status l.

Then starting July 30, they changed things: The I-130 now costs $355 to file, but the I-129f is free (when filed with an I-130). I know, I know, you would say: but doesn’t this look like it encourages people to double dip, to go for both visas since the other one is “freeâ€�? Yes, it does, but if you look at it more closely, it looks like the government has realized that make the crappy K-3 “freeâ€� would be just enough to get more people to go for it because it will “get their spouses over here quicker.â€� Meanwhile, the government gets to rake in tons of money:

Costs of K-3:

I-130: $355 I-129f: Free Adjust Status: $1,010 EAD(work permit):$340

Total: $1,705

Costs of CR-1:

I-130: $355 Affidavit of Support fee: $70 IV Fee: $380 Removing Conditions: $625

Total: $1,430

See, it’s cheaper. Not much cheaper, but it’s cheaper. Even cheaper is the IR-1 visa, but you have to be married for 2 years before you can get it. It would only cost $805.

Obviously, the government is out to make a killing, without any of the obligations to provide service to their customers that the private sector has. If they reject your petition and you want to contest that, congrats. It will cost you.

Edited July 21, 2008 by Urge To Race

[pushbrk 12,898]

Just someone elses "interesting" opinion and experience.

Except it isn't an actual experience because it isn't accurate. Fiction can be interesting but why post fiction here?

[ninjarocket 1]

There's one other factor regarding naturalization that could make a difference between selecting K3 or CR.

A CR applicant on receipt of their CR can immediately start counting down the 3 years minus 3 months for eligibility for US citizenship.

A K3 applicant has to wait the extra time associated with AOS processing before they can start that count down. On the other hand, a K3 applicant has the option to wait out the 2nd anniversary of their marriage so that they immediately become eligible for a IR instead of CR (thereby saving the cost of the removal of conditional residence fee). However, in doing so they will have to wait longer before becoming eligible for citizenship.

If one does not indicate that they will be applying for a K3 on their I-130, then both might be sent to the NVC, giving more options on the approach to the interview(s). i.e. one can pursue both. The K3 gets an interview quicker, but a quick processing of the I-130 at the NVC (i.e. using James' shortcuts) can cause the I-130 to arrive at the embassy before the K3 interview. At least that's what I'm trying to do.