K3 or CR1/IR1: which takes longer?

[Marielle L 0]

Hello everyone,

I am a new member at Visa Journey. My husband and I have been reading the forums and timelines, but we are still unsure of whether to request the K3 or CR1/IR1 visa. I understand that the K3 was created to make the process faster than the CR1/IR1. Yet I was recently advised by a lawyer, and I see from the current approvals, that the CR1/IR1 is a little bit faster right now. We are about to request a visa, and our main concern is not the cost, but that my husband can come to the U.S. as soon as possible (as I know it is for so many people here). It seems like there's no way to know whether wait times will become longer or shorter, since there has been a lot of fluctuation for both visas over the last year. So how can we decide?

Any guidance you can give us in making this decision will be very helpful. Thank you!!

[trinket 30]

There are 2 level a petition has to go through before reaching its respetive consulate.

First level is USCIS, here no one can predict when the petition will be completed, so even if you are k-3 or cr-1 visa, it can take even 16 days(yes there are some lucky ones) and can even take more than a year, but more or less count it as 6 months, depends upon your service center also, trend changes every year, right now California service center is faster.

Now the second level, once completion petition goes to NVC, and out here for k-3 petition flies directly to the consulate and beneficiary gets an interview date within 1 months time, but for CR-1, you have to count a wait of around 2 months (23 days is the current record) or plus 1 month or so waiting for the interview date (interview slotting depends upon consulate as so how busy they are), but once your visa is approved, your husband will be able to work in USA asap and other benifits.

So do read those short cut guides for NVC to get an estimate how much time will it take for you to fly through.

[Gumbolette 58]

CR1 and K3 are being process in the same duration of time now adays . Sometimes CR1 is processed quick.

But i believe all of us here will advise to just take CR1 since it has more benefits that K3. K3 is just like K1 the difference is, K3 is for married couples.

[Dakine 26]

The way things are now the CR-1 is the better choice. Just check on the procedures to shorten the NVC process.