choosing which visa to apply; what to do?

[codeblue20 8]

hi i'm new to this site. i am in a quandary on what action to take regarding my bf who's now my fiancé. we met in december of last year and since then he has courted me for 6 months. he was in the US on a humanitarian parole visa because he volunteered to donate one of his kidneys to his ailing aunt, who unfortunately died after he arrived here. he was here since july but in another state and we only met in december, about a month before he was to go back home. we became an official couple only this month and we have plans to get married. i do plan to go home in january spend time with him, and when i come back to the US i'lll file a k1 visa for him. but i was also thinking of marrying him back home, file for a k3 visa when i get back here and subsequently file for a CR 1 visa. he also plans to apply for a tourist visa, and if he gets approved, we plan to come back to the US together. but it's tricky to marry him here while he's on his tourist visa, since the i don't want to raise red flags with USCIS. so my options are whether to marry him back home in the Philippines and file k3 and CR 1 here upon my arrival or file for a k1 visa and get married here once he comes here. what to do? i hope you guys can give me advice on which option to choose. thanks.

[Inky 1,110]

Do not file K-3 it is no longer available and is a waste of time. If you plan to marry just file for the CR-1.

[codeblue20 8]

Do not file K-3 it is no longer available and is a waste of time. If you plan to marry just file for the CR-1.

won't it take longer though for CR 1 to be processed vs. the k1?

[Inky 1,110]

won't it take longer though for CR 1 to be processed vs. the k1?

No because if you try to file for a K-3 after filing the CR-1 they stop the entire petition to match up your new papers then cancel the K-3 at the nvc - slowing down your entire process. The K-3 is no longer processed at the NVC all it does is slow down everything while they cancel it. Waste of your time.

Edited June 27, 2012 by Inky

[Caryh 5,206]

Its not easy getting a tourist visa for someone from the Philippines. But given he has came on a visa and returned on time, his odds will probably go up. If they ask if he has a girlfriend or fiancée in the USA, his odds go way down again. He should never lie to the embassy or immigration. Doing so risks a life time ban. The CR1 visa takes a bit longer, but is cheaper in the long ran than a K-1, and they get a green card right on entry. My wife came on a K-1 has been here over 9 months now and we're still waiting on her green card and we filed for it two months after her arrival.

[abner137 48]

K1 in my opinion.... but study the pro's and con's for yourself.......VisaJourney Marriage Based Immigration Choices

Good Luck !

[John and Ann 10]

Take everyones advice here and ONLY pick one option. My wife and I, decided to marry in the Philippines, so we chose the 130 (CR-1). Read the guides on here, print out the forms and practice filling them out; make sure you have all your documents BEFORE time.

We married May 26, 2012; filed our I-130 petitions on June 1; we expect it will take a while, 5-8 months, but that was our choice. Its possible to be closer to 6-7 mark. If you decide to marry in PH, there is a link for info for what is require on the US Embassy web site page...or ask for more instructions on this site. Good luck....don't take risks you might regret later!

http://manila.usembassy.gov/marriage.html

[codeblue20 8]

Take everyones advice here and ONLY pick one option. My wife and I, decided to marry in the Philippines, so we chose the 130 (CR-1). Read the guides on here, print out the forms and practice filling them out; make sure you have all your documents BEFORE time.

We married May 26, 2012; filed our I-130 petitions on June 1; we expect it will take a while, 5-8 months, but that was our choice. Its possible to be closer to 6-7 mark. If you decide to marry in PH, there is a link for info for what is require on the US Embassy web site page...or ask for more instructions on this site. Good luck....don't take risks you might regret later!

http://manila.usembassy.gov/marriage.html

[/quote

thank you all for the advice/tips. for now i'm sold on the k1 visa. but january is still 7 months away and anything can happen in 7 months. hopefully for the best. again thanks to all for your time and all your sound advice.