130 or 129f (spousal)

[mrconover 0]

We just recieved notice that both our i129f (spousal) and i130 were approved on the same day. I have read the guides for both 129f and 130. The 130 looks to have some benefits being an immigrant visa and permanent resident status as soon as my wife enters. Sounds great but is this going to be more of a headache at the interview in juarez? Is there any negatives to the i130 route that I am not seeing? Is it any more difficult to obtain, slower, etc? Remember we have already recieved the NOA2 for both i129f and i130.

Thanks

RC

[YuAndDan 153]

If you follow the shortcuts you can get the CR-1 case to the consulate befor K-3 interview.

They interview both K-3 and CR-1 the same, the same part of the consulate handles both types.

I would recommend using the NVC shortcuts and keep the CR-1 (I-130) moving through NVC. Many get the CR-1 to the consulate just before K-3 interview this results in the lower cost CR-1 IMMIGRANT visa.

If considering K-3 think carefully about it. CR-1 and K-3 tend to take about the same time, K-3 may save you about a month, however the K-3 has the added pain of adjustment of status, and it NOT a work authorized visa, so also has the added period of limbo waiting for EAD to be able to do things like take a job, get SSN, etc...

For the most part CR-1 tends to take a bit longer than K-3 to get if you prepare for NVC when they request I-864 fee, and Visa fee, as well as documents requested by NVC. In many cases the CR-1 petition reaches the consulate just before K-3 interview, which causes K-3 to get dropped and the interview becomes a CR-1 visa interview.

K-3:

I-130: $355

I-129F: NONE

Consulate: $131

AOS: $1010

($1496)

CR-1

I-130: $355

NVC I-864: $70

NVC Visa fee: $400 ($355+$45)

($825)

I see many posts from K-3 holders stating, "Wow this sucks, I am stuck at home because I don't have EAD, DL, etc, or I am having hard time getting added to bank accounts because of NO SSN." K-3 has a 90 day or longer period of limbo while waiting for EAD or Green-card.

K-3 was developed at a time when CR-1 was taking much longer that today, NVC has greatly streamlined the CR-1 process to the point where K-3 becomes irrelevant.

If you consider CR-1, all you need to do is keep the NVC processing going for CR-1, and delay responding to the K-3 Packets from consulate, or reschedule K-3 interview to allow the CR-1 to complete at NVC and get sent to the consulate.

[EricN 0]

RC please include your timeline (add it under My Assistant above) so that we can all have a feel how long it took you to get through the process.

The I-130 is the way to go, plus it saves you a grand! The I-129f was just designed as a stop gap to get couples together when before it was taking forever to get the I-130s to process. I filed both also, and now I wish I would have only filed the I-130 because you have to wait a couple of weeks to file the I-129f and in the end you end up losing those 2 weeks because they both get processed together (like yours).

How long did it take you from NOA-1 to NOA-2?

- Eric

We just recieved notice that both our i129f (spousal) and i130 were approved on the same day. I have read the guides for both 129f and 130. The 130 looks to have some benefits being an immigrant visa and permanent resident status as soon as my wife enters. Sounds great but is this going to be more of a headache at the interview in juarez? Is there any negatives to the i130 route that I am not seeing? Is it any more difficult to obtain, slower, etc? Remember we have already recieved the NOA2 for both i129f and i130.

Thanks

RC

[queuedup 1]

Congratulations !! If you intend to immigrate to the US then go for the I-130. If you do the I-129F then you will have to Adjust status once you get to the US.

[mrconover 0]

RC please include your timeline (add it under My Assistant above) so that we can all have a feel how long it took you to get through the process.

The I-130 is the way to go, plus it saves you a grand! The I-129f was just designed as a stop gap to get couples together when before it was taking forever to get the I-130s to process. I filed both also, and now I wish I would have only filed the I-130 because you have to wait a couple of weeks to file the I-129f and in the end you end up losing those 2 weeks because they both get processed together (like yours).

How long did it take you from NOA-1 to NOA-2?

- Eric

We just recieved notice that both our i129f (spousal) and i130 were approved on the same day. I have read the guides for both 129f and 130. The 130 looks to have some benefits being an immigrant visa and permanent resident status as soon as my wife enters. Sounds great but is this going to be more of a headache at the interview in juarez? Is there any negatives to the i130 route that I am not seeing? Is it any more difficult to obtain, slower, etc? Remember we have already recieved the NOA2 for both i129f and i130.

Thanks

RC

July 31st NOA1

jan 30th NOA2

[mrconover 0]

Sounds like this is settled. I just found out that wait times for the CR1 visa in Juarez is a minimum of 1 year and about a month for a k3. Looks like the K3 is the way to go. I know it cost a little more but getting my wife in the country and being together is my number 1 priority.

RC