K1 - K3 Visa which is best route to go?

[Unggoy 0]

Members

I have been down his road b4 with the K1 Visa process and it took roughly 5 months to get my filipina here in USA threw the Vermont Service Center. The whole process was alot cheaper then and I see TODAY! its costing upwards of $1800 dollars now. WOW! THE FEES WENT UP!

So I am hoping someone can graciously point me in the right direction of the path I should take this time around.

(yes this my 2nd marriage to a filipina after many wonderful years with the first one but hey people change)

I am planning to marry in the Philippines and i am fully aware I will need to go the K3 Visa route!

but here is my scenario!

My to be asawa has an 18 month old child (last name on birth certificate is the mothers)

From what i gather I just apply for the K3 Visa and the child is amended to the application.

IS THERE AND ADDITIONAL FEES! FOR THE CHILD?

Maybe someone can help me see clearer the process I should follow?

and lastly!

Can you marry in Philippines and still file for K1 Fiancee Visa?

Which way do you the members suggest?

Looks like K1 is 5months on average and the K3 is taking a few months longer 8 months.

I was thinking if you file K3 your asawa could go to the USA and wait the APPROVAL...

Maybe I am incorrect on this.

Hey thanx for the time.

Unggoy Marty

[Inky 1,110]

K-3 is no longer processed at the NVC, you will not be following the K-3 rout. You will be following the CR-1 if you are to get married. You will want to read up on the CR-1.

[YuAndDan 153]

Make it K-1 or CR-1, the K-3 gets administratively closed once it reaches NVC and you would be doing CR-1 anyway

Forget the K-3.. NVC has had a policy in place since Feb last year to close I-129F petitions when they receive I-129F+I-130 together from USCIS, and USCIS has been tying I-129F to I-130 and approving then together and sending together to NVC for more than a year now.

How will the Department of State process my K-3 visa petition?

Important Notice: Effective February 1st, 2010, when both the I-129F petition for a nonimmigrant K visa and the I-130 petition for an IR-1 (or CR-1) spouse of a U.S. citizen visa have been approved by USCIS and sent to the National Visa Center (NVC), the availability as well as the need for a nonimmigrant K-3 visa ends. If the NVC receives both petitions:

• The nonimmigrant K visa will be administratively closed.
  
• The application process explained below will not be applicable and cannot be used.
  
• The NVC will contact the petitioner and you with instructions for processing your IR-1 (or CR-1) immigrant visa. For more information on the immigrant visa process review the Immigrant Visa for a Spouse webpage.

If the NVC does not receive your I-130 petition and I-129F at the same time, the NVC will process your I-129F petition. Then NVC will send the petition to the embassy or consulate in the country where the marriage took place. If your marriage took place in the U.S., the NVC will send the petition to the embassy or consulate that issues visas in your country of nationality.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_2993.html#4

Over the past year or so USCIS has been tying the two petitions together and approving them at the same time, and sending both to NVC at the same time.

Note the fees for a CR-1 is the lowest Around $800 or so from visa petition filing to green-card, K-1 is upwards of $1800 visa petition to green-card.

And yes additional Fees for accompanying children.

Edited January 10, 2011 by YuAndDan

[YuAndDan 153]

Moving this to general visa discussion because we are comparing various visa options, not specifically discussing the K-3 which since Feb last year has been a NON-Visa.

[Unggoy 0]

Thank You for the responses to my posts so the CR-1 is the way to go then.

How long does it normally take before the visa is approved so the wife and child can travel to USA?

And does anyone know how much the extra fees are for the child?

Thanx

unggoy