Which would be best in your opinion?

[Mameticate 0]

Hi there, somewhat long time listener, first time caller. My fiancee is from Australia and I'm a US citizen and we've known each other for six years although we haven't met yet but we will in a week and a half for the first time and she will be staying with me for two months. Our relationship has survived quite a few really serious blows and we know each other inside and out so we are so confident it will stand the test of time that we both have bought each other 50 year anniversary gifts this far in advance. lol I have studied the visas extensively because we're obviously hellbent in living together and we have decided on her moving here to the USA. I am fairly certain we will be taking the CR1/IR1 route (unless there is compelling evidence the K1 route would be countless times better) due to personal reasons such as we're stingy bastards and want to save as much money as possible... although us being separated is going to kill both of us when she leaves with how attached we've become to each other, but I was wondering what you guys personally would recommend and/or what route you have taken in your visa journeys yourselves just so I have the advice of others. I know there are only two practical routes, either she comes and visits so we will have met once and then can use that for the K1 visa and then she leaves before her visa waiver program runs out and then returns on the K1 visa and marries me or the other option of getting married while she's here the first time and then petitioning for a CR1/IR1 visa... so which did you guys do and/or which do you recommend personally? I've read the guide on this site and have studied visas extensively like I said, I just want personal opinions and experiences. Thanks in advance.

[Max1gk 68]

Hi there, somewhat long time listener, first time caller. My fiancee is from Australia and I'm a US citizen and we've known each other for six years although we haven't met yet but we will in a week and a half for the first time and she will be staying with me for two months. Our relationship has survived quite a few really serious blows and we know each other inside and out so we are so confident it will stand the test of time that we both have bought each other 50 year anniversary gifts this far in advance. lol I have studied the visas extensively because we're obviously hellbent in living together and we have decided on her moving here to the USA. I am fairly certain we will be taking the CR1/IR1 route (unless there is compelling evidence the K1 route would be countless times better) due to personal reasons such as we're stingy bastards and want to save as much money as possible... although us being separated is going to kill both of us when she leaves with how attached we've become to each other, but I was wondering what you guys personally would recommend and/or what route you have taken in your visa journeys yourselves just so I have the advice of others. I know there are only two practical routes, either she comes and visits so we will have met once and then can use that for the K1 visa and then she leaves before her visa waiver program runs out and then returns on the K1 visa and marries me or the other option of getting married while she's here the first time and then petitioning for a CR1/IR1 visa... so which did you guys do and/or which do you recommend personally? I've read the guide on this site and have studied visas extensively like I said, I just want personal opinions and experiences. Thanks in advance.

Hi Mameticate,

I came here in the US on sunday with a K-1 visa. Being a K-1 applicant I can tell you to avoid it totally...the only reason why we went through K-1 is because we thought It was a little too early to get married and we wanted to wait another 9 months,otherwise we would have never taken that route. With the CR-1 as soon as you get admitted at POE,you're already a permanent resident (2 yrs conditional resident)..no waste of time,money and energy with the adjustment of status.

However ,even if It's none of my business, I would suggest you guys spend more time together to see what will be your future course of action since you haven't even met already.. good luck

Edited September 21, 2011 by Max1gk

[Mameticate 0]

Hi Mameticate,

I came here in the US on sunday with a K-1 visa. Being a K-1 applicant I can tell you to avoid it totally...the only reason why we went through K-1 is because we thought It was a little too early to get married and we wanted to wait another 9 months,otherwise we would have never taken that route. With the CR-1 as soon as you get admitted at POE,you're already a permanent resident (2 yrs conditional resident)..no waste of time,money and energy with the adjustment of status. I would say go for it,without a doubt. Good luck!

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I was thinking the same exact things are pros of the path we're taking as well as some other things after studying it over the past couple of months almost every day. I am still learning new things each day! lol Glad to know someone who went through the process supports our choice.

[Helen Louise Pile 80]

Hi there, somewhat long time listener, first time caller. My fiancee is from Australia and I'm a US citizen and we've known each other for six years although we haven't met yet but we will in a week and a half for the first time and she will be staying with me for two months. Our relationship has survived quite a few really serious blows and we know each other inside and out so we are so confident it will stand the test of time that we both have bought each other 50 year anniversary gifts this far in advance. lol I have studied the visas extensively because we're obviously hellbent in living together and we have decided on her moving here to the USA. I am fairly certain we will be taking the CR1/IR1 route (unless there is compelling evidence the K1 route would be countless times better) due to personal reasons such as we're stingy bastards and want to save as much money as possible... although us being separated is going to kill both of us when she leaves with how attached we've become to each other, but I was wondering what you guys personally would recommend and/or what route you have taken in your visa journeys yourselves just so I have the advice of others. I know there are only two practical routes, either she comes and visits so we will have met once and then can use that for the K1 visa and then she leaves before her visa waiver program runs out and then returns on the K1 visa and marries me or the other option of getting married while she's here the first time and then petitioning for a CR1/IR1 visa... so which did you guys do and/or which do you recommend personally? I've read the guide on this site and have studied visas extensively like I said, I just want personal opinions and experiences. Thanks in advance.

If you are trying to save money then a spousal visa is the way to go. K1 is more expensive.

We did a K1 for 2 reasons. Firstly because it fit our plans. And secondly because we did not want to spend the first 6 months of our marriage apart. We'd decided we'd rather be apart during our engagement. The K1 also has a shorter estimated processing time. Which was a factor for us since we were both moving from the UK together. (though processing cannot be guaranteed) The K1 was right for us and it's all gone well so far.

The only down side to it in my opinion is that your fiancee couldn't work,study or leave the country until you applied for your AOS (or/and supplemental documents), which is something to consider.

Really it's down to personal preference.

You guys should meet first and hold off making any decisions until you can discuss it in person

Good luck!

[milimelo 4,413]

CR-1 through DCF as my husband was deployed in my home country at the time. Best decision ever, was able to work immediately.

[Oksana & Max 94]

While K-1 is more expensive. I chose it since it fit my plans better. As some people mentioned it is less waiting time, however it adds additional stipulations. I also did a research on both and consalted several lawyers and they all recommended K-1 route.

I didn't hire a lawyer to do a K-1, as I felt comfortable to do it myself.

On another hand being married and being apart was not really a route I would go. While she wan't be able to work and travel, it usually takes only 2 month to get EAD and AP approved, so I am totally fine with that. This would give my fiancee time to adjust to the new country and everything.

The choice is personal, so it is really up to you. Good luck on your journey.

[Mameticate 0]

Looks like it's split right down the middle so far, further testifying to it being down to personal preference.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I chose the K1 for three reasons:

1. Getting married in Vietnam is a bureaucratic nightmare (when a foreigner marries a VN national), and requires more time than I could afford to spare on any one trip there.

2. There was zero chance my wife was going to get a B2 visa to come to the US and marry me here.

3. One of my wife's kids was 19 and the other turned 18 two weeks after the interview. If we'd gotten married first then the older kid wouldn't be in the US now. Derivative kids are eligible for K2's until they're 21. CR2's have to be petitioned separately, and the qualifying marriage has to take place before they're 18.

[Mameticate 0]

2. There was zero chance my wife was going to get a B2 visa to come to the US and marry me here.

Might I inquire why she had zero chance of obtaining a B2?

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Might I inquire why she had zero chance of obtaining a B2?

Getting a B2 visa in a third world country is exceedingly difficult. Consulates consider the risk of the alien overstaying their visa and remaining in the US to be far too high. The US consulate in Vietnam denies more than 95% of B2 applications. A good paying job in Vietnam pays about $4 a day. An illegal alien in the US can make 10X that much.

[Mameticate 0]

Getting a B2 visa in a third world country is exceedingly difficult. Consulates consider the risk of the alien overstaying their visa and remaining in the US to be far too high. The US consulate in Vietnam denies more than 95% of B2 applications. A good paying job in Vietnam pays about $4 a day. An illegal alien in the US can make 10X that much.

That makes sense, sorry to hear you had problems like that. That also has to hurt financially that a good paying job only nets you the equivalent of $4. I should've figured something like all of this (if Top Gear can be trusted) after watching the episode of Top Gear where the presenters went to Vietnam and they soon found out 15,000,000 đồngs is nowhere near enough to buy a car, let alone three.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

That makes sense, sorry to hear you had problems like that. That also has to hurt financially that a good paying job only nets you the equivalent of $4. I should've figured something like all of this (if Top Gear can be trusted) after watching the episode of Top Gear where the presenters went to Vietnam and they soon found out 15,000,000 đồngs is nowhere near enough to buy a car, let alone three.

The cost of living is also a helluva lot lower. With the exception of some imported items, almost everything costs a lot less there. A decent room in a 3 star hotel costs about $25 a night. Dinner for two at a good restaurant is under $10. You can buy a decent middle class home (by Vietnamese standards) for under $20K. $4 a day doesn't seem like much, but it's enough to keep a roof over your head, pay the bills, and keep food on the table. Many Vietnamese also have family members living abroad who send remittances. A couple hundred dollars a month can be a big boost to a family's standard of living.

15M dong is only about $700.

[Mameticate 0]

The cost of living is also a helluva lot lower. With the exception of some imported items, almost everything costs a lot less there. A decent room in a 3 star hotel costs about $25 a night. Dinner for two at a good restaurant is under $10. You can buy a decent middle class home (by Vietnamese standards) for under $20K. $4 a day doesn't seem like much, but it's enough to keep a roof over your head, pay the bills, and keep food on the table. Many Vietnamese also have family members living abroad who send remittances. A couple hundred dollars a month can be a big boost to a family's standard of living.

15M dong is only about $700.

Dang $25 for a hotel room. That's like hotel prices on Earthbound if you ever played that. Yeah I saw the 15 million was somewhere around $700 when I looked it up.