We are at the consulate stage. What happens if we marry?

[ClaireGio 35]

If we married now and filed CR1 seperately would this complicate anything?

Our NOA2 came too soon and we are not ready to do this so fast. I love my fiancé with all my heart but this is too fast. (I've already mailed packet3).

What options do we have?

Claire

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

You can delay the interview, or get the visa and wait to use it for six months (it's good for six months-ish). If you want to marry, you can, but you will start all over with a spousal visa, 9-12 months overall processing.

[Anh map 2,098]

If we married now and filed CR1 seperately would this complicate anything?

Our NOA2 came too soon and we are not ready to do this so fast. I love my fiancé with all my heart but this is too fast. (I've already mailed packet3).

What options do we have?

Claire

You go to the end of the spouse visa line if you choose to marry and file a different petition.

Be sure to withdraw the the K1 petition if you choose to marry and file the spouse visa petition.

[Moomin 292]

What is too soon?

The K1 visa is flexible. You can ask for an extension of the approved NOA2. If I remember correctly, its validity is 4 months if the embassy doesn't automatically extend it. You can delay interview date. Just remember to have up to date documents and medical at time of iterview. After visa is issued, you have up to 6 months to enter the US. After you enter, you have up to 3 months to get married.

Otherwise you withdraw the petition(now an application) by sending a letter to the embassy. You can just say you've chosen to get married to each other instead of pursuing the K1 visa, then go get married and file the CR1 whenever ready.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

From the London website:

How long will I have to travel to the U.S. once the immigrant visa is issued?

Immigrant and fiancé visas are normally issued for the validity period of the medical examination, the maximum validity of which, is six mnths.  K3 & K4 visa holders are issued a visa valid for travel for two years. Please refer to the individual sections for further information.

What if I cannot travel during the validity period of the immigrant visa?

You should return the unused visa to the Immigrant Visa Branch with a letter explaining why you were unable to travel. Depending on the reasons for you not using the visa, it may be possible to re-issue you with a new visa on payment of new visa processing fees.

[L+T 71]

If we married now and filed CR1 seperately would this complicate anything?

Our NOA2 came too soon and we are not ready to do this so fast. I love my fiancé with all my heart but this is too fast. (I've already mailed packet3).

What options do we have?

Claire

I don't get it, this K-1 is too fast and you are not ready to do what?, so instead you want to marry now? What you want be married asap, but your not ready to move to usa?

[ClaireGio 35]

Not ready to move. We should have filed CR1 from beginning and then I wouldn't have the period of waiting for the green card when I get to the US. I don't want to do anything ASAP. I think it's best if we stick to this way now. I just feel miffed that we chose this route expecting it to take months and months and it isn't. There's so many things we wanted to do before moving to the US and its kind of pushed us into a corner.

[bigdog 376]

If the current process does not fit your joint schedules, withdraw and refile CR1. Both of us would have liked to do it that way looking back. It is or would have been cheaper and you enter with a green card. Good Luck what ever you do.

[lynndy38 64]

Not ready to move. We should have filed CR1 from beginning and then I wouldn't have the period of waiting for the green card when I get to the US. I don't want to do anything ASAP. I think it's best if we stick to this way now. I just feel miffed that we chose this route expecting it to take months and months and it isn't. There's so many things we wanted to do before moving to the US and its kind of pushed us into a corner.

I have to say your're the first person Ive seen on here miffed at the fact your visa process has ran smoothly and fast!!!! I bet many of us would be over the moon to be in your position,anyway.....the CR1 does take longer and you dont have as many restrictions when you arrive in the US,that being said its only a few months difference,this process is so messed up you could file the CR1 and wait a year or you could be mega lucky again and only have to wait 5 months!!!

Its going to cost you alot of $ and Im not sure if reapplying would cause you issues in the future should the CR1 go to fast for you too and you decide to postpone. Are you both out of the US at the moment? Was you hoping to travel then move over together?

[Mogambi 96]

You can delay your interview for quite a while, if your pediod of the NOA2 is near expiriing, you can get an extension for four more months. Then do the interview. The main problem is that the K1 is NOT valid for 6 months from the date of the interview, but from the medical. So make note of THAT date, because when your K1 is issued, you'll have six months from then. So if you can stall the medical too, then finally do the medical, take the interview, and you'll still have months to enter the US. Then you'll have 3 months to get married.

SO you still have time.

But this is probably the first case EVER here of someone complaining that the process moved too quickly!

[Ashley_and_Zhenya 1]

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS! Most of us are waiting and waiting and waiting. Vermont is not so eager to push these through. But, I agree with the advice about delaying your K1. You DO have time. After approval you can wait up to 4 months to enter the US. OR you can apply for an extension.

But seriously, wanna trade? I was ready to be married long before you applied!

Edited September 24, 2012 by Ashley_and_Zhenya

[lillakatoussa 12]

I have to say your're the first person Ive seen on here miffed at the fact your visa process has ran smoothly and fast!!!! I bet many of us would be over the moon to be in your position,anyway.....the CR1 does take longer and you dont have as many restrictions when you arrive in the US,that being said its only a few months difference,this process is so messed up you could file the CR1 and wait a year or you could be mega lucky again and only have to wait 5 months!!!

Its going to cost you alot of $ and Im not sure if reapplying would cause you issues in the future should the CR1 go to fast for you too and you decide to postpone. Are you both out of the US at the moment? Was you hoping to travel then move over together?

[ClaireGio 35]

We are both miffed its come this fast! I think postponing is best option though. We expected noa2 in November or December and it came in August. Just felt a little rushed. But I've had the chat with SO and if we can postpone will be fine. His dads not too well undergoing chemo at the moment so we are both a little distracted.

[Moomin 292]

We are both miffed its come this fast! I think postponing is best option though. We expected noa2 in November or December and it came in August. Just felt a little rushed. But I've had the chat with SO and if we can postpone will be fine. His dads not too well undergoing chemo at the moment so we are both a little distracted.

Wwhen I went through POE, my mother-in-law had her tests done and started radiation within days. In some ways, it wasn't exactly a thrill however, my husband could focus more because he didn't feel compelled to sit infront a computer skyping, and his mom had two people to help out rather than one. I know it's probably not a solution for everybody however it is possible. She's btw all well right now, a year later.

Good luck with what you decide, and best wishes to your fiance's father.