Two questions about the K-1 Visa

[MonicaMexico 0]

My fiance is in Mexico, I am in the USA. Is it better for us to legally get married in Mexico and then try to get a visa to bring him into the US, or better to apply for the K-1 Visa and later get married in the US?

Also, he lives in Cancun, which is about as far away from Juarez as you can get in Mexico. Is there another city where he can go for the interview? Like Mexico City or better yet Merida or Cancun?

Any and all input is appreciated.

Edited September 11, 2006 by MonicaMexico

[Ana and Dan 0]

It's my understanding that the K-1 visa takes less time to obtain than the K-3. Therefore, if time were of importance you would want to go the K-1 route and get married up here. I could be wrong though.

No idea on the Mexico consulate question.

[aussiewench 9]

K-1 is easier in Ciudad Juarez as there is no appointment necessary for an interview. The K-3's have to wait to be scheduled for an interview and CR-1's are waiting approx a year for interview dates.

[kitkat1 5]

My fiance is in Mexico, I am in the USA. Is it better for us to legally get married in Mexico and then try to get a visa to bring him into the US, or better to apply for the K-1 Visa and later get married in the US?

Also, he lives in Cancun, which is about as far away from Juarez as you can get in Mexico. Is there another city where he can go for the interview? Like Mexico City or better yet Merida or Cancun?

Any and all input is appreciated.

Monica, CDJ is the only consulate that interviews for fiances and spouses unfortunately. He won't have any other option.

For Mexico, filing the I-129F for a fiance visa is by far the fastest and easiest way to get him here, especially because you don't have to wait for an appointment date to be assigned.

On the other hand, if you get married there, you will need to file the I-130 and once it's approved, wait for an appointment date. Current wait times in Mexico for an appointment are ONE YEAR.

Take a look through the guides to see the differences involved, but I would definitely stick with a Fiance Visa.

Good Luck!

[ucla_cutie26 0]

Hola Monica,

I am currently going through the process of bringing my fiance from Mexico. He is from the state of Jalisco, which is much closer than Cancun. After consulting with my fellow VJ members and doing endless searching on the internet, we have decided to go the k1 route. It seems that it's taking a bit less time for you to petition for your novio to get here to the U.S. as a fiance and then get married than it would be for you to marry in Mexico and then go through the k3 visa route. Just know that if you use the k1 visa, once he arrives to the U.S., you guys have 90 days to get married or then he has to go back to Cancun. Also, I believe if you guys marry in Mexico and then get a visa for him to come, the only one you guys can get would be the k3 visa, NOT A TOURIST VISA. If you guys try to trick the government and attempt to get a tourist visa for him to enter (and you are already married), this is considered immigration fraud, and you could both get into much trouble.

As for the consulate where he will attend for his interview. THe only consulate in Mexico that handles k1 visas is in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. So, your boyfriend/fiance will have to make the trip up there. I know it's soo far away, but that's how it is My fiance will have to make the trip to Juarez also, once it's time for him to attend the interview.

Look up the Ciudad Juarez consulate reviews on this website, Junari (as well as other members) have excellent and very helpful posts. This site is so addicting.

Feel free to send me a private message if you need further help or have any other questions.

Good luck on the route you decide to take.

[1HappyGuy 45]

Definitely the K-1 visa over the K-3. The timing is much quicker and since you are in the Vermont Service Center you can expect quicker response than most of the people on this site. You should check out the information about the embassy for Mexico on this site for times in processing. Use the guides to insure you have all information properly collected and prepared. The fiancee visa is really a much quicker version, the only drawback is the 90 days in which to get married and file for adjustment of status.

Good luck, be patient and thorough.

[MonicaMexico 0]

Thanks for everyone's quick and supportive replies. It is much appreciated. As you know, the paperwork is *such* a pain in the ###. Then the waiting ... we've been together three years now, and it's gonna be so hard to wait six months more! Then the traveling from Cancun to Juarez is gonna be a major hurdle, but its all worth it in the end...

PS Yeah, UCLA_cutie26, no plans to trick the government, this is a legit relationship here...

[meauxna 15]

My fiance is in Mexico, I am in the USA. Is it better for us to legally get married in Mexico and then try to get a visa to bring him into the US, or better to apply for the K-1 Visa and later get married in the US?

Also, he lives in Cancun, which is about as far away from Juarez as you can get in Mexico. Is there another city where he can go for the interview? Like Mexico City or better yet Merida or Cancun?

Any and all input is appreciated.

Monica,

First there is the petition (I-129f for a fiance) and then the visa application, and then the visa interview.

There is no waiting list for a fiance visa interview. There is an approximate one year wait for a spouse immigrant visa. Plus the time to get married legally in Mexico (time consuming for a USC). 'Better' is relative to each family, so you just have to weigh up the plusses and minuses that each visa offers and see for your own family.

Juarez is the only Consulate conducting visa interviews. I realize that it's a long trip, but perhaps he can gamble ahead and make that a part of his permanent move.

[kitkat1 5]

Thanks for everyone's quick and supportive replies. It is much appreciated. As you know, the paperwork is *such* a pain in the ###. Then the waiting ... we've been together three years now, and it's gonna be so hard to wait six months more! Then the traveling from Cancun to Juarez is gonna be a major hurdle, but its all worth it in the end...

PS Yeah, UCLA_cutie26, no plans to trick the government, this is a legit relationship here...

Since you'll be filing through Vermont, he'll most likely be in the US before year end . . .