Lets start at step One :)

[CanadiaGirl 10]

As I have noticed I guess there's no such word tied (simple) in with this process.

(I realize this may have been asked many times on here and some may feel like a broken record. Please feel free to direct me to any other thread that has been started that could give me the answers I am looking for. I tried to search a bit (not hard I'll admit) with no luck.)

I am looking for advice from start to finish without having to spend oddles of money on a lawyer. I have bought the book: Fiance and Marriage Visa: A couples Guide to U.S. Immigration. I'll admit I was and am very, very intimidated/overwhelmed.

I'll explain what it is I understand at this point.

My husband and I married in Canada April 18th 2009. We were in Canada till September 18th Due to the wonderful economy my husband lost his job which meant he lost his temp work visa in Canada. So onward and upward as we made the decision to reside back in the USA. Since then I've been racking my head around which way to go with this process. In short I'm not dumb but at the same time it's hard to get specific answers from a book.

I understand we have 2 options the K-3 (designed to be faster than any other way of filing which is now not the case now a days) I am also hearing the K-3 is a bit more expensive then another option the CR-1. We need to ensure we have all proper documentation together (marriage license, a Canadian Birth certificate. (that's all I know))

I also have all of my current identification matched up with my new last name and with my current Canadian address to ensure all addresses match up etc.

But before we can even begin on those steps I'm stuck at the opening gate. The I-130 form (I am choosing to file while in Canada), I am confused as to what I need to submit and I understand what I need to submit depends on which process we choose to go with (I think please clarify if that's not the case). With the I-130 form I am confused if all these other forms need to accompany it as well such as the (affidavit of support, geographical information) those are the only two I can think of right now.

What I'm looking for is an angel right now to help me get past my confusion. What I'm looking for is a simplified step 1 ,2 , 3 and perhaps even inbetweens.

Please help me:

Step one

1. File for I-130 petition (what forms will accompany this?)

Step 2

1. K-3 or CR-1 visa (which one would be best advised to go with and a possible explanation of why)

2. Filing fees associated with either process. (I know it's $335 for the I-130)

3. Does anyone know of any good checklists to get online to ensure we have all the proper forms filled out etc.

I guess right now I don't want to get too a head of ourselves and would probably be better if I just dealt with these answers first. Then proceeded to ask further questions.

Misc Questions:

When they say 'copies' do they accept actual 'photo' copies of paper work/identification? Or will I have to apply for secondary documents to send with everything. (by this I mean an actual Marriage certificate, an actual Birth certificate.

Other Info:

Husband is American

I am Canadian

We married on April 18th 2009 in Canada

We have not filed anything yet.

Edited February 21, 2010 by CanadiaGirl

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Welcome!

Firstly CR-1 is the way you're going as the K3 will be closed soon so decision made there. it's a MUCH better visa as you get the greencard immediately. The K3 you would have to have filed AOS and waited..

In regards to copies, yes they mean "photocopies". Unless specified (and it will be if they want an original) only submit photocopies.

here is the CR-1 guide: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...page=i130guide1

Hope that helps as it's all I know. Someone else can assist you further Best of luck.

Edited February 21, 2010 by Vanessa&Tony

[CanadiaGirl 10]

Every little bit helps! Thank you so very much.

Did you do the CR-1 route? And if so what information did you have to submit the originals (certificates) (if any)

[pushbrk 12,883]

I am looking for advice from start to finish without having to spend oddles of money on a lawyer. I have bought the book: Fiance and Marriage Visa: A couples Guide to U.S. Immigration. I'll admit I was and am very, very intimidated/overwhelmed.

When you click to reply to my message, look just above the window you would type in and you'll see...

Please consider reading the FAQ's and Guides before posting.

That's where you'll find what you're looking for.

Forget about the K3. It's obsolete.

Here's a quick overview of what you are facing.

The Spouse Visa Process General Outline IR1 and CR1 Visas

Immigrant Visas

The CR1 or IR1 visa enables US Citizens to bring their foreign spouse to the USA in

The CR2 or IR2 visa allows unmarried children under the age of 21 to move to the US as well, provided the marriage to the natural parent occured before the 18th birthday.

CR1 and CR2 visas are issued to applicants when the visa is obtained prior to the two-year anniversary of the qualifying marriage to the US Citizen. IR1 and IR2 visas are issued to applicants when the visa is obtained after the two-year anniversary of the qualifying marriage. IR1 and IR2 visas result in Legal Permanent Resident Status upon entry to the USA and a "Green Card" expiring in 10 years. CR1 and CR2 visas result in Conditional Permanent Resident Status upon US entry (unless entry occurs after the two-year anniversary of marriage) and a "Green Card" expiring in 2 years. Conditional Residents must apply to remove the conditions between 21 and 24 months after entering the USA.

CR1/IR1 and CR2/IR2 Immigrant Visa Process Outline:

The Immigrant visa entitles the qualifying spouse or child to enter the USA with Legal Permanent Resident Status (a green card) based on a marriage to a US Citizen. The steps involved in immigrating to the US via an Immigrant Visa can be generally described as follows:

The US Citizen files the I-130 Petition for Alien Relative with a USCIS Service Center. Where you file depends on where you live. The petition phase is very straightforward. Approval timelines vary with each Service Center, with the processing times ranging anywhere from one to five or six months.

After the I-130 Petition has been approved, the petition is sent to the Department of State's National Visa Center (NVC) where it is processed and forwarded to the correct Embassy or Consulate. The process of sending the approved I-130 from the Service Center (through the NVC) and arriving at the Embassy or Consulate usually takes from six to 12 weeks. While at the NVC, an Affidavit of Support is provided by the US Citizen Petitioner and the foreign spouse submits an actual "Visa Application" and the visa fee is paid. Once NVC has completed their work, the case file is forwarded to the Embassy or Consulate in the foreign national's country of residence. The visa interview may be scheduled during the NVC stage for some stations abroad but some Embassies and Consulates wait to schedule the interview until the case file arrives on station. The actual visa interview process is generally similar in all countries, although each Embassy or Consulate will vary a bit in their requirements.

Once you have the Immigrant Visa it is good for only one entry into the United States within 6 months of the issue date. The passport stamp given at entry is temporary evidence of Legal Permanent Resident Status and the "Green Card" and Social Security Card arrive in the mail shortly thereafter, usually in two to six weeks.

If you were given a "conditional permanent residency", 21 to 24 months from the date you were granted this status, you will have to apply to have the "Conditional" status removed; if approved you will get a full 10 year green card. If you had a full permanent residency status without conditions then this step is not required.

In three to five years, depending on circumstances, you can apply to become a US citizen (naturalization).

[estrellademiel 7]

As I have noticed I guess there's no such word tied (simple) in with this process.

(I realize this may have been asked many times on here and some may feel like a broken record. Please feel free to direct me to any other thread that has been started that could give me the answers I am looking for. I tried to search a bit (not hard I'll admit) with no luck.)

I am looking for advice from start to finish without having to spend oddles of money on a lawyer. I have bought the book: Fiance and Marriage Visa: A couples Guide to U.S. Immigration. I'll admit I was and am very, very intimidated/overwhelmed.

I'll explain what it is I understand at this point.

My husband and I married in Canada April 18th 2009. We were in Canada till September 18th Due to the wonderful economy my husband lost his job which meant he lost his temp work visa in Canada. So onward and upward as we made the decision to reside back in the USA. Since then I've been racking my head around which way to go with this process. In short I'm not dumb but at the same time it's hard to get specific answers from a book.

I understand we have 2 options the K-3 (designed to be faster than any other way of filing which is now not the case now a days) I am also hearing the K-3 is a bit more expensive then another option the CR-1. We need to ensure we have all proper documentation together (marriage license, a Canadian Birth certificate. (that's all I know))

I also have all of my current identification matched up with my new last name and with my current Canadian address to ensure all addresses match up etc.

But before we can even begin on those steps I'm stuck at the opening gate. The I-130 form (I am choosing to file while in Canada), I am confused as to what I need to submit and I understand what I need to submit depends on which process we choose to go with (I think please clarify if that's not the case). With the I-130 form I am confused if all these other forms need to accompany it as well such as the (affidavit of support, geographical information) those are the only two I can think of right now.

What I'm looking for is an angel right now to help me get past my confusion. What I'm looking for is a simplified step 1 ,2 , 3 and perhaps even inbetweens.

Please help me:

Step one

1. File for I-130 petition (what forms will accompany this?)

Step 2

1. K-3 or CR-1 visa (which one would be best advised to go with and a possible explanation of why)

2. Filing fees associated with either process. (I know it's $335 for the I-130)

3. Does anyone know of any good checklists to get online to ensure we have all the proper forms filled out etc.

I guess right now I don't want to get too a head of ourselves and would probably be better if I just dealt with these answers first. Then proceeded to ask further questions.

Misc Questions:

When they say 'copies' do they accept actual 'photo' copies of paper work/identification? Or will I have to apply for secondary documents to send with everything. (by this I mean an actual Marriage certificate, an actual Birth certificate.

Other Info:

Husband is American

I am Canadian

We married on April 18th 2009 in Canada

We have not filed anything yet.

OK I WILL TRY TO ANSWER SOME QUESTION FOR YOU

About the K3 forget about that...is obsolete

the US citizen will fill a I 130 petition for the spouse

with this petition :

Forms and Documents (follow these assembly instructions. All supporting documents must be in English or be translated as noted here.):

1. Payment as required by USCIS. Use a personal check if allowed by the Service Center (as of 4/2005 they do allow this). If not, use a money order so you can track the payment.

2. Cover Letter. Should include a description of what your are petitioning for (I-130), a table of contents (list everything in the packet). If you need additional room to explain your case, attach a separate sheet (list the attachment on the cover sheet). Make sure to sign and date the cover sheet.

3. Form I-130: Petition for Alien Relative

4. Copy of the full Birth certificate (front and back) for the US Citizen or a copy of ALL pages of the US Citizen's passport. This is used to establish citizenship.

5. A copy of petitioner's proof of naturalization. (If applicable)

6. A copy of petitioner's proof of permanent residency. (If applicable)

7. A copy of your marriage certificate (If not inEnglish then again get a translation)

8. If either you or your spouse were previously married, submit copies of documents showing that all prior marriages were legally terminated (court certified copies of the petitioner's and/or intending immigrant's divorce documents).

9. A copy of a prior spouse's death certificate. (If one or both of you were married before, and the prior spouse died)

10. G-325A filled out by the US Citizen, signed and dated.

11. One passport-type photo of the petitioner. Write the full name on the back. Place in a plastic bag and label the bag "Photo of <Insert Name>". Attach the bag to a sheet of paper and place behind the corresponding G-325a.

12. G-325A filled out by the non-US Citzen spouse signed and dated.

13. One passport-type photo of the non-US Citzen spouse. Write the full name of the beneficiary on the back. Place in a plastic bag and label the bag "Photo of (insert name) ". Attach the bag to a sheet of paper and place behind the corresponding G-325a.

15. Evidence of a bonafide marriage: photos, emails,joint bank accounts

all petitioners filing stand-alone Form I-130 are encouraged to submit their petitions to the Chicago Lockbox instead of a USCIS Service Center. I-130 petitions filed with the Chicago Lockbox will be routed to, and adjudicated at, the appropriate USCIS Service Center. This routing will be based on the petitioner’s place of residence in the United States. You will receive a notice in the mail indicating what Service Center your petition was routed to.

--o Petitioners who reside in AK, AZ, CA, CO, Guam, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MS, MT, Nebraska, NV, ND, OH, OR, SD, UT, WA, WI, or WY are encouraged to file their stand-alone Form I-130s with the Lockbox using the following address: USCIS P.O. Box 804625 Chicago, IL 60680-1029

--o Petitioners who reside in AL, AR, CT, DL, FL, GA, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OK, PA, Puerto Rico, RI, SC, TN, TX, VT, VA, U.S. Virgin Islands, WV, or District of Columbia are encouraged to file their stand-alone Form I-130 with the Lockbox using the following address: USCIS P.O. Box 804616 Chicago, IL 60680-1029

Mail the package with return receipt requested / delivery confirmation. Send via USPS.

IMPORTANT!

Make TWO copies of the entire package before you send it in. This includes the money orders too. You want to have a perfect replica of the package you are sending in. All Forms that you submit must be originals with original signatures. Supporting Evidence that you submit may be photocopies. Retain ALL original supporting Evidence since the USCIS has the right to check them by issuing an RFE (Request For Evidence). If you receive an RFE, follow the direction exactly, and make two copies of what you sent back. During any future interviews the USCIS may also want to examine the original supporting evidence.

[CanadiaGirl 10]

When you click to reply to my message, look just above the window you would type in and you'll see...

Please consider reading the FAQ's and Guides before posting.

That's where you'll find what you're looking for.

Forget about the K3. It's obsolete.

Here's a quick overview of what you are facing.

The Spouse Visa Process General Outline IR1 and CR1 Visas

Immigrant Visas

The CR1 or IR1 visa enables US Citizens to bring their foreign spouse to the USA in

The CR2 or IR2 visa allows unmarried children under the age of 21 to move to the US as well, provided the marriage to the natural parent occured before the 18th birthday.

CR1 and CR2 visas are issued to applicants when the visa is obtained prior to the two-year anniversary of the qualifying marriage to the US Citizen. IR1 and IR2 visas are issued to applicants when the visa is obtained after the two-year anniversary of the qualifying marriage. IR1 and IR2 visas result in Legal Permanent Resident Status upon entry to the USA and a "Green Card" expiring in 10 years. CR1 and CR2 visas result in Conditional Permanent Resident Status upon US entry (unless entry occurs after the two-year anniversary of marriage) and a "Green Card" expiring in 2 years. Conditional Residents must apply to remove the conditions between 21 and 24 months after entering the USA.

CR1/IR1 and CR2/IR2 Immigrant Visa Process Outline:

The Immigrant visa entitles the qualifying spouse or child to enter the USA with Legal Permanent Resident Status (a green card) based on a marriage to a US Citizen. The steps involved in immigrating to the US via an Immigrant Visa can be generally described as follows:

The US Citizen files the I-130 Petition for Alien Relative with a USCIS Service Center. Where you file depends on where you live. The petition phase is very straightforward. Approval timelines vary with each Service Center, with the processing times ranging anywhere from one to five or six months.

After the I-130 Petition has been approved, the petition is sent to the Department of State's National Visa Center (NVC) where it is processed and forwarded to the correct Embassy or Consulate. The process of sending the approved I-130 from the Service Center (through the NVC) and arriving at the Embassy or Consulate usually takes from six to 12 weeks. While at the NVC, an Affidavit of Support is provided by the US Citizen Petitioner and the foreign spouse submits an actual "Visa Application" and the visa fee is paid. Once NVC has completed their work, the case file is forwarded to the Embassy or Consulate in the foreign national's country of residence. The visa interview may be scheduled during the NVC stage for some stations abroad but some Embassies and Consulates wait to schedule the interview until the case file arrives on station. The actual visa interview process is generally similar in all countries, although each Embassy or Consulate will vary a bit in their requirements.

Once you have the Immigrant Visa it is good for only one entry into the United States within 6 months of the issue date. The passport stamp given at entry is temporary evidence of Legal Permanent Resident Status and the "Green Card" and Social Security Card arrive in the mail shortly thereafter, usually in two to six weeks.

If you were given a "conditional permanent residency", 21 to 24 months from the date you were granted this status, you will have to apply to have the "Conditional" status removed; if approved you will get a full 10 year green card. If you had a full permanent residency status without conditions then this step is not required.

In three to five years, depending on circumstances, you can apply to become a US citizen (naturalization).

Thank you for that information. Greatly appreciated. Sorry about not reading the 'guidelines'. For me I get tunnel vision when I'm overwhelmed as I'm now starting to be less and less of. Again thank you for that explanation. All the best to you.

[CanadiaGirl 10]

IMPORTANT!

Make TWO copies of the entire package before you send it in. This includes the money orders too. You want to have a perfect replica of the package you are sending in. All Forms that you submit must be originals with original signatures. Supporting Evidence that you submit may be photocopies. Retain ALL original supporting Evidence since the USCIS has the right to check them by issuing an RFE (Request For Evidence). If you receive an RFE, follow the direction exactly, and make two copies of what you sent back. During any future interviews the USCIS may also want to examine the original supporting evidence.

This is something that I am reading a lot of and am rather glad this is enforced as I probably wouldn't have thought to make copies of the files.

[CanadiaGirl 10]

is there any way to delete this topic. I don't want to be outside of the site rules and have gathered enough information on the Guidelines that I should have read prior to this (DOH!). I apologize for any inconvenience. If a moderator could lock or someone could tell me how to delete this that'd be greatly appreciated sorry once more.

Edited February 21, 2010 by CanadiaGirl

[CanadiaGirl 10]

One other question. On the G325A when it lists place of residence. I was at a US university for 4 years. Obviously every summer I went home. Does my US university count as a residence? Meaning should I be putting that down on the form?

[pushbrk 12,883]

One other question. On the G325A when it lists place of residence. I was at a US university for 4 years. Obviously every summer I went home. Does my US university count as a residence? Meaning should I be putting that down on the form?

Read carefully and interpret literally and the answer will become obvious.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I am closing the topic at the OP's request but am not deleting it. The purpose of Visa Journey is to share useful information based upon personal experience and the questions asked here, along with the answers received, may be valuable information for someone else going through the same situation, so I am leaving the information posted.