Should i apply in the US or Egypt???

[Ramsis 1]

Hey everyone, i am a US citizen (naturalized) and i am going to marry from my home country Egypt. my question is should i apply for the K3 visa and CR1 at the US embassy in Egypt or should i apply here in there US?

My main goal is to bring her to the US as fast as possible, we are tired of waiting.

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

If you are eligible (ie have lived legally in Egypt for the last 6 months), then applying DCF (ie via the embassy) willbe much faster.

BTW: K3 is gone, you'll apply for the CR-1.

[pushbrk 12,890]

If you are eligible (ie have lived legally in Egypt for the last 6 months), then applying DCF (ie via the embassy) willbe much faster.

BTW: K3 is gone, you'll apply for the CR-1.

A US Citizen applies for nothing. They file a petition. Later, after the petition is approved, the foreign spouse applies for a visa. Interchanging these terms causes a lot of confusion. Please refrain from doing so.

[Ramsis 1]

If you are eligible (ie have lived legally in Egypt for the last 6 months), then applying DCF (ie via the embassy) willbe much faster.

BTW: K3 is gone, you'll apply for the CR-1.

K3 is gone?

Can you explain what difference would it make where i have been living recently, if i have dual both citizenship?

[HandA 2]

In my own opinion, if you are already married to her, you can get engaged in Egypt and file for K-1 fiance visa and bring here here as your fiancee. If everything goes well, you may be able to get her here is the US within 6 to 8 months, then you have to marry here here within 90 days. If you decide to marry her in Egypt, then you can file go for CR1 and bring her here as your wife. I think the duration is about the same for K-1 and CR-1 but the K-1 may be less hastle initially...

HandA

[HandA 2]

In my own opinion, if you are already married to her, you can get engaged in Egypt and file for K-1 fiance visa and bring here here as your fiancee. If everything goes well, you may be able to get her here is the US within 6 to 8 months, then you have to marry here here within 90 days. If you decide to marry her in Egypt, then you can file go for CR1 and bring her here as your wife. I think the duration is about the same for K-1 and CR-1 but the K-1 may be less hastle initially...

HandA

Sorry, I meant to say "if you are NOT already married to her...."

HandA

[Ramsis 1]

Sorry, I meant to say "if you are NOT already married to her...."

HandA

I have to marry her over there because of certain traditions.

I was going to follow the procedure to apply for K3 visa which is get married over there then come back to the US with the marriage certificate and apply for her. then once i get the NOA for the I130 i was going to send in the I129F so when she get the visa i can go back to Egypt do the ceremony and fly back with her.

So now since people are saying K3 visa is no longer, and i have to do the CR1.....so my questions are:

1- does the CR1 take a long time?

2- is it better if i petition for CR1 in Egypt or do it from the US? which is faster?

thank you

[Donna A 4]

if you get married there dont forget to take the petitions with you for her to sign. that will help in delaying things.

i dont believe it takes any more time then the k-3. i think thats why they got rid of the k-3.

[Darnell 8,478]

K3 is gone?

Can you explain what difference would it make where i have been living recently, if i have dual both citizenship?

Ya - 'citizenship' and 'residency' are two different things.

If you live in Egypt, continuously, for 6 months, and marry during that 6 month period, then you qualify to file an I-130 petition via Direct Consular Filing (file at Embassy) AFTER the 6 months has transpired.

If you marry in Egypt, then do not actually reside there, then you can file the I-130 petition in the USA, via the Chicago Lockbox address.

We've some excellent guides here - take a look around, read more about the I-130 and the two ways it can be filed.

re: K-3 visa - since 1 FEB 2010, any approved K-3 visa that arrives at NVC with an approved I-130 will be administratively CLOSED at NVC. Sure, you can file for it, but it is a waste of time, and actually prolongs the I-130 approval process.

Good Luck, and Welcome Aboard !

[pushbrk 12,890]

I have to marry her over there because of certain traditions.

I was going to follow the procedure to apply for K3 visa which is get married over there then come back to the US with the marriage certificate and apply for her. then once i get the NOA for the I130 i was going to send in the I129F so when she get the visa i can go back to Egypt do the ceremony and fly back with her.

So now since people are saying K3 visa is no longer, and i have to do the CR1.....so my questions are:

1- does the CR1 take a long time?

2- is it better if i petition for CR1 in Egypt or do it from the US? which is faster?

thank you

Again, you won't apply for anything. You'll file a petition. Unless you've been actually residing in Egypt the whole six months prior to filing, you don't qualify to file in Egypt. You can mail the petition to the US from there but it will be processed in the normal manner, through California or Vermont, then on to NVC before forwarding to Cairo.

Study the CR1 guide. Six to nine months is a good timeline expectation from filing to visa interview but be prepared for additional administrative processing after the interview. It's quite common for Egyptian beneficiaries.