Forgot about 129F...

[TenzP 0]

Hello Everyone!

I am glad I found this site although I wish I had found this sooner. Looking at the "Step-by-Step Guide on How to file for a K-3 visa for your foreign spouse", I wasn't aware that I needed to file I-129F after I have received the NOA1 from I-130. The NOA1 was received about 3 months ago and this whole time I was just waiting on approval letter. I have begun filing the I-129F today but should I write a letter explaining why I took so long to file the 129F Package?

Thanks again for all help.

[Darnell 8,478]

A K-3 is so 'last decade' and mostly un-attainable.

see

Comparison on K-3 vs CR-1 - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/204324-wondering-if-i-made-a-mistake-marrying-in-us/page__view__findpost__p__3060767

K-3 administratively closed - http://www.visajourney.com/news/2010/02/07/department-of-state-to-close-k-3-visas-if-i-129f-and-i-130-petitions-approved-and-received-together/

[canadian_wife 1,822]

Don't even bother yourself with the K-3, the Cr-1 is superior, quicker and cheaper than the K3. If you were to file the I129F right now, your I130 gets taken out of its place in lined, married up with the I129F and placed at the back of the line, thus losing the 3 months you've been waiting and your 'clock' starts over again at zero

Sit tight, you are doing the right thing by NOT sending in the I129F

Good luck

[TenzP 0]

Alright! Thanks to you both for helping me not make a mistake. I will sit tight and wait for approval letter.

[Deep2009 18]

Hello Everyone!

I am glad I found this site although I wish I had found this sooner. Looking at the "Step-by-Step Guide on How to file for a K-3 visa for your foreign spouse", I wasn't aware that I needed to file I-129F after I have received the NOA1 from I-130. The NOA1 was received about 3 months ago and this whole time I was just waiting on approval letter. I have begun filing the I-129F today but should I write a letter explaining why I took so long to file the 129F Package?

Thanks again for all help.

Please don't file any thing and wait for I130 approval...

[jaycali 415]

Yep, good thing you didn't send it!

The K-3 used to be a great option for married couples. Back then, CR-1 visas often took years to obtain, so the K-3 allowed the spouse to come live in the US while the I-130 was pending.

However, recent processing times have cut the processing for spousal I-130s down to roughly the same as the I-129f, sometimes quicker.

When both are sent now, they are approved at the same time. Since the CR-1 is superior to the K-3, when they both reach the NVC they just junk your K-3 and go ahead with your CR-1.

This happens in pretty much every K-3 case now, so be glad you saved the time and money and filed the I-130 alone!

[sjmg 0]

Well what I find to be interesting is that the California Service Center released their latest processing times and the I-130's(processing Aug 2) are now taking longer than the I-129F's(processing October). And with less and less K-3 applications, I am glad that I sent all mine in within a few days of eachother.

And I keep seeing the post about the K-3 being "administratively closed" that is being taken out of context, the page actually says that it will be closed only if the I-130 and the I-129F get to the NVC together. If the I-129F gets there first, the K-3 WILL still get processed.

I think it is important to read the whole document, not just the words or phrases that suit your case.

[pushbrk 12,883]

Well what I find to be interesting is that the California Service Center released their latest processing times and the I-130's(processing Aug 2) are now taking longer than the I-129F's(processing October). And with less and less K-3 applications, I am glad that I sent all mine in within a few days of eachother.

And I keep seeing the post about the K-3 being "administratively closed" that is being taken out of context, the page actually says that it will be closed only if the I-130 and the I-129F get to the NVC together. If the I-129F gets there first, the K-3 WILL still get processed.

I think it is important to read the whole document, not just the words or phrases that suit your case.

Actually, it's important to read far more than just that document. When you do, you'll understand that with extremely rare exception the I-129F and I-130 have been arriving together at NVC for about five years straight. Unless you manage to be one in a million, filing the I-129F just slowed down your I-130 timeline. This is WHY the I-130 takes longer than the I-129F to process, according to their data. They take the already filed I-130 OUT of its place in line and put it back in line where the I-129F came in.

After NVC dealt with two visa petitions arriving together for three years straight, they changed their policy two years ago, making the K3 virtually obsolete.

This ain't our first rodeo here. Been there, done that, over and over again.

PS: My wife and daughter DID come here with K3 and K4 visas, back in 2006 when they still saved time. The time savings ended in November, 2006. Check it out.