Question regarding Wait time

[d and c 2]

Hello VJ Friends,

I will like to know the total wait time on the CR1 visa. The reason is, We're thinking if it's better to marry my current fiance and petition for him to come here or go the K1 visa route. I already know for Ghana embassy, it takes 8 to 10 months from the petition date to the date he gets his K1 visa. But I do not know the exact date for the CR1 visa in Ghana. I have looked at the timeline for the CR1 and I am still confuse in determining the estimated length of time. Anyone with any ideas, please help me out. Will really need to know this.

Thanks a lot!

[Enigma11561 336]

Every one is concerned about waiting times. The problem is everyone is different and what happens to some one else can be radically different than you. Please do not let a few months here or a few months difference there affect your judgement. Do what you feel is in your best interests. Remember this is a life long commitment. Think about this way. If you are married for 50 years that is 600 months. If you have to wait an extra 2 now that still leaves 598.

[evoria 19]

Not really an answer to your question, but I hope our experience helps. For fiance visa, the first question is how long have you known each other and how many times have you met. In our experience we found that getting a fiance visa after knowing each other and after one visit was impossible. Ghana Embassy is very difficult to prove a relationship, it is a high fraud country. How many times have you met physically, proves to very important. That said, be prepared to show a relationship that has built over time. If you can not show that, plan a trip back befor you get to the interview stage. What we were told by the CO during our I-130 interview, these are the reasons why were not approved for the I-129F. it does not matter either way you are looking at minimum one year. "But I do not know the exact date for the CR1 visa in Ghana". This goes up and down, Ghana Embassy seems to go through periods when they have to regroup, and it goes slow, and then they speed up. It is weird.

[The Mean Lady 604]

8-10 Months is an avg CR1 visa, ignoring any AP or unexpected hold.

The real questions you should be thinking about are:

Do I want to get married very soon?

No.

Then file for a K1 fiance and get married in the US in 8-10 mos

Yes.

Then get married and file for a CR1 and be in US 8-10 mos post marriage

Do I have the money to Adjust status and wait on employment?

No.

Then get married and file for CR1.

CR1 comes with immediate ability to work with 2year green card.

No immediate additional payments post entering the US (except the new green card fee).

Yes.

Then you can go the K1 visa route.

You must adjust status post entering the US which is more money and more time.

During this time, you cannot work for a few months and must also wait on the ability to travel until Advanced Parole is approved.

[Tosh Love 77]

Not really an answer to your question, but I hope our experience helps. For fiance visa, the first question is how long have you known each other and how many times have you met. In our experience we found that getting a fiance visa after knowing each other and after one visit was impossible. Ghana Embassy is very difficult to prove a relationship, it is a high fraud country. How many times have you met physically, proves to very important. That said, be prepared to show a relationship that has built over time. If you can not show that, plan a trip back befor you get to the interview stage. What we were told by the CO during our I-130 interview, these are the reasons why were not approved for the I-129F. it does not matter either way you are looking at minimum one year. "But I do not know the exact date for the CR1 visa in Ghana". This goes up and down, Ghana Embassy seems to go through periods when they have to regroup, and it goes slow, and then they speed up. It is weird.

This is sooo depressing. I did not realize K1s were difficult to get through Ghana. Even though I have been to visit 3 times since our engagement and will have gone at least twice more by our interview, I am now nervous. I am now tempted to go ahead and get married at this visit and start all over. I am just discouraged i don't think I can take a denial.

[The Mean Lady 604]

This is sooo depressing. I did not realize K1s were difficult to get through Ghana. Even though I have been to visit 3 times since our engagement and will have gone at least twice more by our interview, I am now nervous. I am now tempted to go ahead and get married at this visit and start all over. I am just discouraged i don't think I can take a denial.

best to post in your regional forum for lots of opinions on the matter

[ca1bear 7]

best to post in your regional forum for lots of opinions on the matter

I spoke with the USCIS helpline last month and I was told that K3s are being approved faster than the K1s.

Perhaps the reason is because they receive more money for the K3 process ($420 I-130 petition fee per family member and then $230 for each Visa and the subsequent fees for adjustment of status). Seems a little backwards to me though because children (under 18) of a Fiance are included on an I-129F petition which is just $340.

[The Mean Lady 604]

I spoke with the USCIS helpline last month and I was told that K3s are being approved faster than the K1s.

Perhaps the reason is because they receive more money for the K3 process ($420 I-130 petition fee per family member and then $230 for each Visa and the subsequent fees for adjustment of status). Seems a little backwards to me though because children (under 18) of a Fiance are included on an I-129F petition which is just $340.

K3s are barely being approved at ALL.

So that's a far fetch to say.

[ca1bear 7]

K3s are barely being approved at ALL.

So that's a far fetch to say.

I would have to wonder if you're a member of the U.S. Government... I've worked for them for 24 years now. When it comes to making things as archaic as possible, they excel; and they have internal policies (called grey papers) which would shock the everyday civilian. Never-the-less, do you have any statistics, or just your general observation from the posts here in the forum? Thanks.

[The Mean Lady 604]

I would have to wonder if you're a member of the U.S. Government... I've worked for them for 24 years now. When it comes to making things as archaic as possible, they excel; and they have internal policies (called grey papers) which would shock the everyday civilian. Never-the-less, do you have any statistics, or just your general observation from the posts here in the forum? Thanks.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_2993.html

Important Notice: When both petitions have been approved by USCIS and sent to the NVC or when USCIS approves the I-130 before the I-129F, the availability of, as well as the need for, a nonimmigrant K-3 visa ends. If the NVC receives both an approved I-130 petition and an approved I-129F petition:

The nonimmigrant K-3 visa case will be administratively closed.

The application process explained below will not be available to the foreign-citizen spouse and cannot be used.

The NVC will contact the U.S. citizen sponsor and foreign-citizen spouse, with instructions for processing the IR-1 (or CR-1) immigrant visa. For more information on the immigrant visa process, review the Immigrant Visa for a Spouse webpage.

Since I-130s are processed and approved as fast as they are, it becomes extremely rare for any K3 visa to get to NVC prior to the approved I-130. I have seen ONE case floating around VJ.

And no one is able to help that poor girl because K3s happen so rarely anymore.