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jkim

k1 vs cr1 and foreseeable problems

By jkim in General Immigration-Related Discussion

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jkim Rookie

jkim   0

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Filed: Timeline
Posted

Hi everybody, first post and i apologize in advance because its one of those help!!! posts...

a little background info on my current situation:

Me : 27 year old, dental student, US citizen, male.

Fiancé: 29 year old, unemployed, Chinese citizen, female.

We met a little over a year ago while I was on vacation in my home town Shanghai, and clicked right away. Bona fide relationship, with many many trips together, pictures, boarding passes, passport stamps, cards, etc... We've spent more than half the year together, traveling to and from the States and China. I'm leaving in March to see her again.

Problems: I am a students so I have 0 income but my parents will co-sponsor. We both have savings but it probably sums up to only 50-60k max USD. Are there any other foreseeable problems with our case? What is the fastest route, K1 or CR1 for our situation?

We can get married in either country we don't mind. Thanks!

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agrabs Rising Star

agrabs   241

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Romania
 Timeline
Posted

http://www.visajourney.com/content/compare

use the guides to compare the different visas to see which one will work best for you and your fiance. There really is no quickest route. They both take time and patience.

We did K1 because it was easier for us to get married here than in my husbands country, and at the time, I really didn't have a good understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of each visa. If I had to do it all over again, I would probably go the Cr1 route instead of K1.

CR1 is a little cheaper but the biggest advantage is that they will get their green card and be able to work upon entering the country. With K1 visa you can not work or travel out of the country until EAD/AP is approved which takes about 3 months after applying for adjustment of status which you do after you have married ( which you must do within 90 days of entering the country).

Use the guides to compare which visa would be best for you, because none of them are quick!

Good luck on your journey!

K1 Visa                                                                 Adjustment of Status                                                             ROC

Service Center : California Service Center                        CIS Office : Kansas City MO Service Center                           California Service Center

Consulate : Bucharest, Romania

I-129F Sent : 2011-11-18                                 Date Filed : 2012-09-04 Date                            Filed: 2015-05-26

I-129F NOA1 : 2011-11-23                                      NOA Date : 2012-09-06                                                             NOA1 Date: 2015-05-28

I-129F RFE(s) : none                                              RFE(s) : NONE                                              RFE(s): NONE

I-129F NOA2 : 2012-04-12                                                 Bio. Appt. : 2012-10-03                                                              BIO. Appt.: 2015-09-15

NVC Received : 2012-04-26

NVC Left : 2012-05-10                                           EAD/AP Approved : 2012-11-08                             ROC APPROVED:2015-10-26      

Consulate Received : 2012-05-14                               EAD/AP Card Received : 2012-11-17                         Green card Received: 2015-11-04    

Packet 3 Received : 2012-05-17                                          Green card Approved : 2013-07-08                        NO INTERVIEW

Packet 3 Sent : 2012-05-20                                                    NO INTERVIEW

Interview Date : 2012-06-26                                                 Green Card Received : 2013-07-15

Interview Result : Approved                                                 

Visa Received : 2012-06-26                                                   

US Entry : 2012-07-05

Marriage : 2012-08-24

 

N-400 Naturalization:

04/25/2016 N-400 sent to USCIS AZ courier address thru FedEx

05/04/2106 NOA I-797 Receipt Notice Date
05/27/2016 Fingerprints Bio-metrics appointment date
06/08/2016 E-notification of interview scheduling
06/13/2016 Received official letter regarding interview
07/18/2016 Date of Interview
08/11/2016 Date Oath Ceremony
Field Office: Kansas City, MO

event.png
 

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jkim Rookie

jkim   0

Posted
Filed: Timeline
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Posted (edited)

use the guides to compare the different visas to see which one will work best for you and your fiance. There really is no quickest route. They both take time and patience.

We did K1 because it was easier for us to get married here than in my husbands country, and at the time, I really didn't have a good understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of each visa. If I had to do it all over again, I would probably go the Cr1 route instead of K1.

CR1 is a little cheaper but the biggest advantage is that they will get their green card and be able to work upon entering the country. With K1 visa you can not work or travel out of the country until EAD/AP is approved which takes about 3 months after applying for adjustment of status which you do after you have married ( which you must do within 90 days of entering the country).

Use the guides to compare which visa would be best for you, because none of them are quick!

Good luck on your journey!

Thanks so much for the link. It seems like K1 is the best bet for us too, we want to be together asap and shes not in a hurry to work...

She currently has a b1/b2 tourist visa that is valid until 2014. Can she still travel on that visa after we send in her I-129?

Got any tips for us before we embark on the long road ahead?

Edited by jkim
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TBoneTX Grand Master

TBoneTX   45,329

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ecuador
 Timeline
Posted

*** Thread moved from K-1 Process to General Immigration Discussion -- OP hasn't settled on a visa path yet. ***

06-04-2007 = TSC stamps postal return-receipt for I-129f.

06-11-2007 = NOA1 date (unknown to me).

07-20-2007 = Phoned Immigration Officer; got WAC#; where's NOA1?

09-25-2007 = Touch (first-ever).

09-28-2007 = NOA1, 23 days after their 45-day promise to send it (grrrr).

10-20 & 11-14-2007 = Phoned ImmOffs; "still pending."

12-11-2007 = 180 days; file is "between workstations, may be early Jan."; touches 12/11 & 12/12.

12-18-2007 = Call; file is with Division 9 ofcr. (bckgrnd check); e-prompt to shake it; touch.

12-19-2007 = NOA2 by e-mail & web, dated 12-18-07 (187 days; 201 per VJ); in mail 12/24/07.

01-09-2008 = File from USCIS to NVC, 1-4-08; NVC creates file, 1/15/08; to consulate 1/16/08.

01-23-2008 = Consulate gets file; outdated Packet 4 mailed to fiancee 1/27/08; rec'd 3/3/08.

04-29-2008 = Fiancee's 4-min. consular interview, 8:30 a.m.; much evidence brought but not allowed to be presented (consul: "More proof! Second interview! Bring your fiance!").

05-05-2008 = Infuriating $12 call to non-English-speaking consulate appointment-setter.

05-06-2008 = Better $12 call to English-speaker; "joint" interview date 6/30/08 (my selection).

06-30-2008 = Stokes Interrogations w/Ecuadorian (not USC); "wait 2 weeks; we'll mail her."

07-2008 = Daily calls to DOS: "currently processing"; 8/05 = Phoned consulate, got Section Chief; wrote him.

08-07-08 = E-mail from consulate, promising to issue visa "as soon as we get her passport" (on 8/12, per DHL).

08-27-08 = Phoned consulate (they "couldn't find" our file); visa DHL'd 8/28; in hand 9/1; through POE on 10/9 with NO hassles(!).

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Penguin_ie Grand Master

Penguin_ie   5,994

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ireland
 Timeline
Posted

Yes she can still visit, no matter which visa you choose.

Be careful if you are considering the K1 fiance visa- many Asian countries' US embassies do not allow co-sponsors for the fiance visa, only the CR-1 spousal visa, so if you must have a co-sponsor, you may be better off going for the CR-1 because they must accept a joint sponsor for that. Do some reading in our regional China forum regarding the subject: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/94-china/

Bye: Penguin

Me: Irish/ Swiss citizen, and now naturalised US citizen. Husband: USC; twin babies born Feb 08 in Ireland and a daughter in Feb 2010 in Arkansas who are all joint Irish/ USC. Did DCF (IR1) in 6 weeks via the Dublin, Ireland embassy and now living in Arkansas.

mod penguin.jpg

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jkim Rookie

jkim   0

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Filed: Timeline
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Yes she can still visit, no matter which visa you choose.

Be careful if you are considering the K1 fiance visa- many Asian countries' US embassies do not allow co-sponsors for the fiance visa, only the CR-1 spousal visa, so if you must have a co-sponsor, you may be better off going for the CR-1 because they must accept a joint sponsor for that. Do some reading in our regional China forum regarding the subject.

Oh interesting thanks for the heads up. Is there a place where I can verify if they allow co-sponsors on K-1's in China?

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Penguin_ie Grand Master

Penguin_ie   5,994

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ireland
 Timeline
Posted

It's not an official rule, but it is something most embassies in the region go by (they have broad lattitude to not approve based on the "potential public charge" issue). If you ask in the forum I linked to, or do a Advanced Search on this site, I am sure you'll find some answers.

Bye: Penguin

Me: Irish/ Swiss citizen, and now naturalised US citizen. Husband: USC; twin babies born Feb 08 in Ireland and a daughter in Feb 2010 in Arkansas who are all joint Irish/ USC. Did DCF (IR1) in 6 weeks via the Dublin, Ireland embassy and now living in Arkansas.

mod penguin.jpg

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jkim Rookie

jkim   0

Posted
Filed: Timeline
  • Author
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It's not an official rule, but it is something most embassies in the region go by (they have broad lattitude to not approve based on the "potential public charge" issue). If you ask in the forum I linked to, or do a Advanced Search on this site, I am sure you'll find some answers.

ok thanks!

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