In a nut shell, what are the pros & cons between K-1 & CR-1?

[Liz&Nate 23]

I think for a lot of couples it depends on the circumstances, all things considered. The waiting times differ but not as much to make it the key factor and with K1 you will have to take additional steps after entering the US. In our case we decided to go K1 for both practical as well as sentimental reasons. Absolutely we wanted to have CR-1 as a backup plan but also the thought of not being able to start our lives together after marriage seemed sad.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

This may be somewhat of a moot point as the OP has had two previous K-1s so this would be number three.. The CR-1 may be the only option open without getting a waiver. I'm not sure what the exact rules are but it probably is a good idea ro do some research.

[SMR 368]

At the end of the day for my Fiance and I it came down to the fact that I wanted my family to be there with me for the wedding ceremony. I was married before and it was a shot-gun thing behind my parents back (I was 19 and I really regret it now) and I really wanted my parents to be there this time because this is true love and the last wedding I will ever have, plus my grandfather is too sick to travel and I love him to death. So my fiance made the sacrifice to allow me to have the first ceremony in the US, and we plan on having a re-commitment/2nd ceremony in Costa Rica for his family. At the end of the day you have to weigh what is important to you and your fiance. A bit cheaper somewhat easier road of the CR-1 with a longer waiting period and getting married in Colombia and spending the first months of your marriage apart, or a more expensive more paperwork wedding in the US where you have only 90 days to put something together sacrificing time away during your engagement but once you say "I Do" you are together road of the K-1... really and physically together. Good luck and as long as you love and support each other then it doesn't really matter what you choose because it will be the right choice for you.

You don't seem to understand what a "shotgun" wedding is.

[Nik+Heather 121]

We chose the K-1 for these reasons:

1. We could plan a whole, traditional wedding (important to us) and run the visa process in parallel, instead of in serial. This timing is important to consider and not immediately obvious when just looking at processing times. With the K-1, you can start the paperwork as soon as you decide to get married instead of deciding to get married, planning for and completing the marriage, and THEN starting paperwork.

2. We could be together after being married instead of spending our first year apart

3. We could live comfortably on the US-citizen's salary, so the K-1 holder would not need to work right away

The links for comparison are pretty good. The K-1 is more expensive and has more steps in the process, and several limitations regarding travel and work before the green card arrives. The CR-1 has fewer steps, and is a straight up immigrant visa, so you don't run into as many issues as you might with the K-1.

[Casprd 167]

The key differences are cost. Start to finish is more expensive for K-1. Dependant children. K-1 gives some flexibility on bringing older children to the US. And family obligations/expectations i.e. does the family want you to get married in their home country. Other than that the benefits/risks depend on the country. Some are more difficult for a K-1 and others it doesn't matter.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Your decision is based on a few main factors:

1. Are you currently together? If you're not together then the costs for the K1 are the same as the CR-1 because you need to fly together first to get married. Wait time would also be longer for the CR-1 as you first need to get together and marry and THEN file. K-1 you could file tomorrow as long as you've been together, in PERSON sometime in the last 2 years (and have proof of such).

2. Would being unable to work or leave the country for around 6 months be really bad for the immigrant? It depends on when you get married, and when you file for AOS but there can be a LONG period of being "trapped" when you're a K1. To get the EAD or AP it's 2 months after filing, roughly, so if you got married and filed ASAP it wouldn't be that bad.

3. Are you okay with possibly living apart for the first year of marriage? With the CR-1 as you know you need to be married, and while it's possible to visit, you'll still most likely spend the majority of your first married year apart.

For me we weren't together, not working while boring as HELL wasn't a factor as my husband could support us both, and I wasn't okay with living apart for the first year of marriage. So the K1 for me it was.

The CR-1 is a superior visa in that you get the GC on entry, you can leave/work immediately and once you're there you only have ROC to worry about in 2 years.

K1 means an interview to get that visa, AOS after marriage and ROC 2 years after that. Still.. I prefer K1, if only for the #3 issue above.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

At the end of the day for my Fiance and I it came down to the fact that I wanted my family to be there with me for the wedding ceremony. I was married before and it was a shot-gun thing behind my parents back (I was 19 and I really regret it now) and I really wanted my parents to be there this time because this is true love and the last wedding I will ever have, plus my grandfather is too sick to travel and I love him to death. So my fiance made the sacrifice to allow me to have the first ceremony in the US, and we plan on having a re-commitment/2nd ceremony in Costa Rica for his family. At the end of the day you have to weigh what is important to you and your fiance. A bit cheaper somewhat easier road of the CR-1 with a longer waiting period and getting married in Colombia and spending the first months of your marriage apart, or a more expensive more paperwork wedding in the US where you have only 90 days to put something together sacrificing time away during your engagement but once you say "I Do" you are together road of the K-1... really and physically together. Good luck and as long as you love and support each other then it doesn't really matter what you choose because it will be the right choice for you.

Agree with SMR in that I don't think you know what a "shot gun" wedding is. It's when the parents of a girl force a guy to marry their daughter because they've already done "naughty stuff". Back in the day that could be as little as a kiss but also meant sex/pregnancy of course.

What you MEAN is you eloped behind your parents back.