Conflicting info about K-3 app process

[amysaid 9]

Hopefully someone can explain this for me... On the guides here, it says that you file your I-130 when you are back in the US. When I was in Egypt and I asked the Embassy if I was supposed to file the I-130 they said that I have to file it in the US unless I had been living in Egypt for 6 consecutive months prior to our marriage. However, on the travel.state.gov website it says this:

"Nonimmigrant visa for spouse (K-3) - It is important to note that application for the nonimmigrant visa for spouse (K-3) who married a U.S. citizen must be filed and the visa must be issued in the country where the marriage took place. After the visa process has been completed, and the visa is issued, the spouse can travel to the United States to wait for the processing of the immigrant visa case."

So what's the deal? Did I file it wrong, because I didn't file it in Egypt when I was there? Or is this information wrong?

Thanks,

Amy

[Y's_habibitk 2]

Hopefully someone can explain this for me... On the guides here, it says that you file your I-130 when you are back in the US. When I was in Egypt and I asked the Embassy if I was supposed to file the I-130 they said that I have to file it in the US unless I had been living in Egypt for 6 consecutive months prior to our marriage. However, on the travel.state.gov website it says this:

"Nonimmigrant visa for spouse (K-3) - It is important to note that application for the nonimmigrant visa for spouse (K-3) who married a U.S. citizen must be filed and the visa must be issued in the country where the marriage took place. After the visa process has been completed, and the visa is issued, the spouse can travel to the United States to wait for the processing of the immigrant visa case."

So what's the deal? Did I file it wrong, because I didn't file it in Egypt when I was there? Or is this information wrong?

Thanks,

Amy

you PETITION for a visa for you spouse at the USCIS service center. After its approved, your spouse then APPLIES for the visa.

In other words...you file here..they approve the petition, your spouse interviews in the country that the marriage took place, they issue the visa there.

This just means that the assigned embassy/consulate will be the one where the marriage took place

make sense?

dont freak, you didnt do anything wrong

Lisa

editted to say if it read: it must be filed:comma: and the visa must be issued.....

there wouldnt be any confusion

Edited February 13, 2009 by Lisa wa Yazied

[YuAndDan 153]

The embassy is telling you the process if you were filing for a CR-1 IMMIGRANT visa in the case of you living in Egypt for 6 months or longer, this is DCF filing, it is the least expensive and quickest way to get a visa.

Filing for a K-3 requires filing an I-130 to USCIS in the USA, and then following it with an I-129F, this is $800+ more expensive and in most cases does not save you much time in processing.

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.

[amysaid 9]

The embassy is telling you the process if you were filing for a CR-1 IMMIGRANT visa in the case of you living in Egypt for 6 months or longer, this is DCF filing, it is the least expensive and quickest way to get a visa.

Filing for a K-3 requires filing an I-130 to USCIS in the USA, and then following it with an I-129F, this is $800+ more expensive and in most cases does not save you much time in processing.

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.

Hmm. So if I already filed the I-130 with the intent to file for a K-3, can I change my mind and go with the CR-1? It looks like it's the same I-130 that's filed for both, and I already paid the $355.

[pushbrk 12,876]

The embassy is telling you the process if you were filing for a CR-1 IMMIGRANT visa in the case of you living in Egypt for 6 months or longer, this is DCF filing, it is the least expensive and quickest way to get a visa.

Filing for a K-3 requires filing an I-130 to USCIS in the USA, and then following it with an I-129F, this is $800+ more expensive and in most cases does not save you much time in processing.

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.

Hmm. So if I already filed the I-130 with the intent to file for a K-3, can I change my mind and go with the CR-1? It looks like it's the same I-130 that's filed for both, and I already paid the $355.

Yes, you need only one I-130 per person but if you file the I-129F, it takes that I-130 out of it's place in line and puts it back with the I-129F. If you want an immigrant visa, don't file an I-129F for spouse.