CR1 vs K3

[thailen 0]

I have read that CR1 visas are cheaper than K1 visas, but that they take longer - up to 10 months. If true, what can you add to this? Do you know of agencies that help fill out the forms that charge less than $1600 and which are legitimate(e.g. actually support their 100% success guarantees)?

[mari0711 4]

Hi!! well, first, yes K1, I dont know why, take 6 to 8 months... are more expensive cus you have to pay again to get the US residence so yes it is more money. but if you are not married the k1 is the one, unless you want to get married and apply for a CR1, which takes 9 or 10 months according to the country and how fast you move,. for the agencies, well, many people here have done it for themselves saving a lot of money so I think with the guides here you can do it for yourself saving 1500 to 2000 bucks they charge.

hope it has been useful!

[mari0711 4]

http://www.visajourney.com/content/guides

I am sorry, I think you meant a K3 instead!!! read the links below, but when you go for a CR1 you get a residence immediately and yes saves more money, !!! Good luck!

[mari0711 4]

http://www.visajourney.com/content/compare

it takes almost the same amount of time!!

[pushbrk 12,879]

I have read that CR1 visas are cheaper than K1 visas, but that they take longer - up to 10 months. If true, what can you add to this? Do you know of agencies that help fill out the forms that charge less than $1600 and which are legitimate(e.g. actually support their 100% success guarantees)?

First, yes, there are costs associated with any visa process but you do not "buy" a spouse visa. Your subject line asks about CR1 vs K3 but your question says K1. I assume you DO mean K3 as that was a spouse visa. The K3 is (for all intents and purposes) no longer available but it's been about four years since it saved more than a few weeks over the CR1 anyway.

Yes, I know of legitimate professional services available who will manage the process for less than $1,600. However, I've never seen anybody actually guarantee a visa. I've seen some guarantee petition approval but that's the easy part. Nobody can legitimately guarantee you'll end up with a visa because they can't control the interview and can't be sure the couple won't screw things up for themselves. If somebody is foolish enough to guarantee to give your money back if the visa isn't issued, they're too foolish to be of any real help, IMO.

[Anh map 2,098]

Petition approval and interview success are two different things. You don't get an interview without an approved petition. Everyone that has failed at the interview had an approved petition.

If someone is guaranteeing that they can fill out forms correctly that's pretty easy. Most people here on VJ have done that. I would bet that this assurance is for the petition approval which newcomers may interpret as visa issuance. Be wary of anyone offering this type of guarantee.

[Wayne and Claudia 40]

Unless you feel that you may have something very unusual or difficult to overcome in your CR1 process or are just not able to manage the case yourself because of other factors, then you can do the work yourself. I, personally, hired an immigration attorney but only because I travel extensively and was not able to manage the case. I firmly feel that I am the rare exception in this regard. Study up and I think you will find the process isn't as daunting as you might feel.

[thailen 0]

Sorry, of course I meant a K-3, but it's looking more and more like we'll get married first, here in Thailand, and then go thru the steps you listed. Here are my questions:

According to DCF, I must be a Legal Resident(six months)in the country(in our case, Thailand). How do I show proof, since altho I own a condo and have had a Thai bank account here since 2008, whast other proof do I need? Is this a better and easier, even tho faster, way of getting the CR-1 visa?

Since I live in a city 1 and 1/2 hours from Bangkok, where the consulate is, how many visits will I have to make (excluding the interview) there during the three stages?

In filling out the forms, will they be as simple as filling out the tourist visa application forms or will they involve phrasing answers which experience has shown to be visa killers, as opposed to paying a legal agency anwhere from $700 to $2,000 to massage our answers?

Assuming we pass the three stages and are approved, what are the pitfalls in the interview that we can and should avoid(NOT to say we would lie; we wouldn't, but aside from admitting she is a convicted drug dealer, criminal or terrorist, what are the Do's and Don'ts for the interview?

http://www.visajourney.com/content/guides

I am sorry, I think you meant a K3 instead!!! read the links below, but when you go for a CR1 you get a residence immediately and yes saves more money, !!! Good luck!

[rsn 135]

Sorry, of course I meant a K-3, but it's looking more and more like we'll get married first, here in Thailand, and then go thru the steps you listed. Here are my questions:

According to DCF, I must be a Legal Resident(six months)in the country(in our case, Thailand). How do I show proof, since altho I own a condo and have had a Thai bank account here since 2008, whast other proof do I need? Is this a better and easier, even tho faster, way of getting the CR-1 visa?

Since I live in a city 1 and 1/2 hours from Bangkok, where the consulate is, how many visits will I have to make (excluding the interview) there during the three stages?

In filling out the forms, will they be as simple as filling out the tourist visa application forms or will they involve phrasing answers which experience has shown to be visa killers, as opposed to paying a legal agency anwhere from $700 to $2,000 to massage our answers?

Assuming we pass the three stages and are approved, what are the pitfalls in the interview that we can and should avoid(NOT to say we would lie; we wouldn't, but aside from admitting she is a convicted drug dealer, criminal or terrorist, what are the Do's and Don'ts for the interview?

You're asking a LOT of questions here. You might want to step back and take some time to educate yourself on the process. Once you understand things a bit better, it will be easier for you to ask important questions and all of the questions you've asked here will be answered. Read the guides on here, do some searching and read archived posts, etc.

You can hire a visa service if you want, but those are generally a waste of money. If you are able to follow directions and read, you should be able to do this yourself.

[Nataliya-Ron 7]

Sorry, of course I meant a K-3, but it's looking more and more like we'll get married first, here in Thailand, and then go thru the steps you listed. Here are my questions:

According to DCF, I must be a Legal Resident(six months)in the country(in our case, Thailand). How do I show proof, since altho I own a condo and have had a Thai bank account here since 2008, whast other proof do I need? Is this a better and easier, even tho faster, way of getting the CR-1 visa?

Since I live in a city 1 and 1/2 hours from Bangkok, where the consulate is, how many visits will I have to make (excluding the interview) there during the three stages?

In filling out the forms, will they be as simple as filling out the tourist visa application forms or will they involve phrasing answers which experience has shown to be visa killers, as opposed to paying a legal agency anwhere from $700 to $2,000 to massage our answers?

Assuming we pass the three stages and are approved, what are the pitfalls in the interview that we can and should avoid(NOT to say we would lie; we wouldn't, but aside from admitting she is a convicted drug dealer, criminal or terrorist, what are the Do's and Don'ts for the interview?

Hello

First things first!

You better see iof the US Embassy does a DCF, not all Embassy do them,and he correct you need to go find out all the process before rushing right in to this. DO you want to trust and agency REALLY. give them money and be sure its done right the first time.

Yes the others are right go check out the total CR-1 visa process than educate yourself so your better prepared what happening about it all.

Good Luck