Processing Time - waiting game..

[Madhavi 1]

Hi,

I am a Canadian citizen and my husband is American. We got married in Toronto in May 2011. We applied for the I-130 in June and thn for I-129F in July. I know that it is still early (not even been 4 months) but was wondering how the processing times are?

I am hoping to move to US by February 2012. Is there any way to expediate the process?

Any advice is appreciated as I am already getting tired of the waiting game.

Thanks!

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Why did you apply for a I-129F?

Your married all ready.

[Madhavi 1]

On our research, it said that we have to apply for 130 and than 129F for a K3 visa

From the US immigration site:

You, the U.S. citizen sponsor, must first file Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office that serves the area where you live. The USCIS will send a Notice of Action (Form I-797) receipt notice to inform you that it has received the petition. See the USCIS website under K-3/K-4 Nonimmigrant Visas for more information.

You must then file Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e), for your foreign-citizen spouse and stepchildren. See Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e) for information on where to file the petition for a K-3 visa.

After USCIS approves the petitions, they will be sent to the National Visa Center (NVC) for processing.

[Bobby+Umit 161]

On our research, it said that we have to apply for 130 and than 129F for a K3 visa

From the US immigration site:

You, the U.S. citizen sponsor, must first file Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office that serves the area where you live. The USCIS will send a Notice of Action (Form I-797) receipt notice to inform you that it has received the petition. See the USCIS website under K-3/K-4 Nonimmigrant Visas for more information.

You must then file Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e), for your foreign-citizen spouse and stepchildren. See Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e) for information on where to file the petition for a K-3 visa.

After USCIS approves the petitions, they will be sent to the National Visa Center (NVC) for processing.

Ah - you went the K-3 route. gotcha.

For some reason i thought this was in the K-1 forum...

i need more coffee.....

Edited October 20, 2011 by Bobby+Umit

[Oksana & Max 94]

Hi,

I am a Canadian citizen and my husband is American. We got married in Toronto in May 2011. We applied for the I-130 in June and thn for I-129F in July. I know that it is still early (not even been 4 months) but was wondering how the processing times are?

I am hoping to move to US by February 2012. Is there any way to expediate the process?

Any advice is appreciated as I am already getting tired of the waiting game.

Thanks!

Your K-3 will most likely be closed by NVC and you will get transferred to the CR-1 category. Unfortunately there is no way to speed up the process. The CR-1 wisa, usually takes about 9-12 month. So I doubt you can make it by February.

Good luck on your journey.

[pushbrk 12,898]

Your K-3 will most likely be closed by NVC and you will get transferred to the CR-1 category. Unfortunately there is no way to speed up the process. The CR-1 wisa, usually takes about 9-12 month. So I doubt you can make it by February.

Good luck on your journey.

There is no "transfer" or "conversion" to CR1. If the I-129F is administratively closed by NVC, the K3 path simply dies and the CR1 path continues. Filing the I-130 for the spouse of a US Citizen begins a CR1 visa path regardless of whether an I-129F gets filed and once the I-130 is approved that path remains active and available no matter what happens to the I-129F.

We've seen several cases lately that indicate USCIS is holding the approved I-130 petitions a few days so the too don't arrive at NVC together. If this happens, the couple may choose to follow the K3 path. For Montreal, that might save as much as three months and if the beneficiary lives West of Manitoba where the interview can be in Vancouver, they'll save even more time.

Please keep us informed as to what happens to your approved I-129F petition when that time comes.

[Madhavi 1]

Is there any chance the processing time depends on the citizenship of the spouse? Like does me being a Canadian help to speeden up the process?

[pushbrk 12,898]

Is there any chance the processing time depends on the citizenship of the spouse? Like does me being a Canadian help to speeden up the process?

No but when the beneficiary is from some high fraud or terrorist risk countries, that COULD slow the processing. Usually not though. That just addresses petition processing though. Unfortunately, if you'll be dealing with Montreal, they have an interview scheduling delay on the back end of the process.

Edited October 20, 2011 by pushbrk