Has the process gotten a little quicker?

[srvman 38]

I am not talking quicker, in relation to a few years back, where from what I read, it was around 5 months. I am talking about is it quicker than it has been for the past year or so. Scrawlin through the more recent posts I am seeing more people getting approved in about 6 months, some earlier. The reason I ask, is that I am trying to figure out the right time to file for K-1 visa. As I am filing here, in America, and staying until I finish University in December, and hoping to only be home (and away from my fiance) for 1 or 2 months instead of 7-9 (or I don't know how long, thus the question)

Any responses are greatly appreciated. I am definitely a newbie to this kind of thing. Hopefully one day I can be the one answering someone like me's questions.

Thanks.

[slowlyman 118]

Why not just get married and file CR-1 instead of the K-1?

Somebody correct me if that's bad advice.

[TBoneTX 45,319]

*** Thread moved from K-1 Process forum to USCIS Service Centers forum -- original question involves rates of processing in general. ***

[bigdog 376]

Wish we would have done that.

[srvman 38]

Thanks for the advice.

The reason we are not getting married, then filing a cr1 is for a couple of reasons, we only got engaged on 3rd July of this year, and also just money wise and logistically in terms of my family attending it wouldn't be possible right now. I had been given advice to just have a wedding through I guess it would be a town hall, just the two of us and a witness. But she didn't feel right with it, and when it comes to joint decisions, its her decision.( Plus I am not too sure where I stand on it, obviously not enough to convince me or her.)

This way, I get to go home, see my parents for a little bit (otherwise could be until the week we get married, and then for god knows when) and get to save a little bit of money.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I am not talking quicker, in relation to a few years back, where from what I read, it was around 5 months. I am talking about is it quicker than it has been for the past year or so. Scrawlin through the more recent posts I am seeing more people getting approved in about 6 months, some earlier. The reason I ask, is that I am trying to figure out the right time to file for K-1 visa. As I am filing here, in America, and staying until I finish University in December, and hoping to only be home (and away from my fiance) for 1 or 2 months instead of 7-9 (or I don't know how long, thus the question)

Any responses are greatly appreciated. I am definitely a newbie to this kind of thing. Hopefully one day I can be the one answering someone like me's questions.

Thanks.

Study the graphs on this page to see Visa Journey member averages for 16 months. They represent all K1s on VJ who keep up their timelines. http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1historical

The London graph is on this page. http://www.visajourney.com/content/consulate-k1-historical

Remember it's multipart

-Getting the receipt (NOA1)

-Getting the petition approved by your Service Center (NOA2)

-Getting from USCIS over to the NVC (a handoff to the Dept of Stete)

-Getting processed at NVC

-Gettingof rom NVC To the the embassy

-Arrival in London to interview day.

Edited July 16, 2013 by Nich-Nick

[srvman 38]

Thanks! I know I am just asking questions without giving much back. But do you know by what point I will need to be back in the UK. Not date, but after which part is processed?

Thanks again!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Thanks! I know I am just asking questions without giving much back. But do you know by what point I will need to be back in the UK. Not date, but after which part is processed?

Thanks again!

When your case gets to London is about the time you need to be in the UK. There will be forms to submit, shot records to obtain from your GP, a police certificate to order, and documents to gather. You will make two trips to London. One for a medical exam and one for the interview. It's 2-3 months depending on what you get done ahead of time in preparation. The timeline there is pretty varied.

I know you don't want to marry first, but if you did you could skip the whole visa process and London and adjust status from student to permanent resident based on marriage to a US citizen. You are adding the expense of the visa and returning to the UK just to enter the US and adjust status from K1 visa holder to permanent resident. Since you already have a visa and entry to the US, you could skip to adjusting status and never leave.

Costs

K1 route = $1650 + £294.50

$340 (USCIS) I-129F petition

$240 (Embassy) Visa fee

£45 ACPO Police certificate

£235 (Knightsbridge Doctors) medical exam

£14.50 (DX Secure) Courier fee

$1070 (USCIS) Adjustment of Status/Work Authorization/Advance Parole

[srvman 38]

You make a pretty good argument.

If we were to get married before the end of the year, to be perfectly honest, it would have to be at a town hall, in a private ceremony with no family present (as neither would approve at this time). Would this not raise suspicion come AOS interview time? If they ask why no family were present, would we are getting married now to save a large initial cost, time and travel, and I could work sooner legally so we could both contribute to a bigger wedding and a celebration next year?

As I have stated I just want to do this, the safest and most legal way possible. I love living here, but I am ultimately not intending to move here because I live 4 hours from Glacier National Park and 4 hours from Yellowstone. I want to be with my fiance, be it here, Northern Ireland, or Timbuktu, I just know that I am more mentally prepared than she is to live a 20 hour flight away from my family than she is, and she has a great job that is really sought after in our area.

Thanks,

Chris.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

You make a pretty good argument.

If we were to get married before the end of the year, to be perfectly honest, it would have to be at a town hall, in a private ceremony with no family present (as neither would approve at this time). Would this not raise suspicion come AOS interview time? If they ask why no family were present, would we are getting married now to save a large initial cost, time and travel, and I could work sooner legally so we could both contribute to a bigger wedding and a celebration next year?

As I have stated I just want to do this, the safest and most legal way possible. I love living here, but I am ultimately not intending to move here because I live 4 hours from Glacier National Park and 4 hours from Yellowstone. I want to be with my fiance, be it here, Northern Ireland, or Timbuktu, I just know that I am more mentally prepared than she is to live a 20 hour flight away from my family than she is, and she has a great job that is really sought after in our area.

Thanks,

Chris.

"I love living here, but I am ultimately not intending to move here..."

?? You lost me on that. You don't intend to move to the US?

Many, many people get married in quick civil ceremonies and nobody expects fraud. K1s do it all the time because they can't plan a big wedding with no clue when the visa will be granted. Timelines are extremely variable. If you look at those graphs, some look like roller coasters. Many K1s marry in a quick civil ceremony just so they can get on with filing for AOS. Until they file, the clock doesn't start for the greencard and work authorization wait. So they marry, then plan for a ceremony with the traditional bells and whistles some months in the future.

If you have some relationship evidence with this person, it will be fine. Fraud might be suspected if you met a girl the last week on your visa, married her the next day, and applied for a greencard and remained in the US. That couple may get some questions at the interview.

[srvman 38]

Cool, I am feeling a bit better about this option now.

What I meant was, I am not really bothered where I live. As long as I am with fiance I am happy. It just bothers me a lot less where we live than it would her, so for now I am moving to Montana.

[Paula&Anthony 3]

The CR-1 is cheaper and faster overall than the K-1. The K-1 is good if you are outside the US because you will be able to come to the US faster than if you'd send the CR-1.

With the K-1 you will be able to get your visa and come in around 7-9 months, but you will have to do the Adjust Of Status in the US and that is another saga. After that you will be given a conditional green card that expires in 2 years. Then you will have to pay another fee to get your real green card. So it will coast $1705 of visa fees (K-1 + AOS) + medical, mailing, traveling and other expenses (£294.50+ according to Nich-Nick) + $590 after 2 years to Remove the Conditions on your green card.

If you are here in the US then I would pick the CR-1. Go to the court house and get legally married while you are here. Spend less money on paperwork and worry about a real party later. You wouldn't have to leave the country, so you can arrange everything the way you want. By the end of the process you will have a 10 year green card. If you have a real relationship you have nothing to worry about. And it is the cheaper option.

I'm on the K-1 route since january 2012 and I've been waiting for my conditional green card for 8 months.. nothing yet. just saying.

Edited July 16, 2013 by Paula&Anthony

[a+j 77]

I'd marry and adjust status now, and plan on some celebration with family and friends later on. Definitely the fastest, easiest, and cheapest option. You wouldn't be breaking any rule, since you did not enter the US with the intent of getting married and adjust status.

Edited July 16, 2013 by a+j

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Cool, I am feeling a bit better about this option now.

What I meant was, I am not really bothered where I live. As long as I am with fiance I am happy. It just bothers me a lot less where we live than it would her, so for now I am moving to Montana.

Here http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide2

That is the guide for when both already live in the US. You are getting some replies that do not apply to you if you adjust status and skip both the K1 and CR1 visa process. So keep all these bit and pieces straight.

I am only leading you to an alternative to research. I don't pretend to know about the terms of a student visa or OPT. I know you qualify for concurrent filing of the I-130 and I485 (greencard) because you are already in the US on a visa. Qualify if you marry, that is. You should ask questions or look for other students going through that process in the forum for Adjustment of Status from student visa http://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/130-adjustment-of-status-from-work-student-tourist-visas/

I see you have posted there but haven gotten any good answers from actual students who did the process. Here's some just starting http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/425035-aos-from-student-through-marriage-check-list-cover-letter/

And here's the group that filed in March so you could follow their progression to see how it has panned out for them. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/417000-march-2013-filers/. The group may be adjusting from work, student or VWP, but the process is the same.

[dvd 1]

If your priority is time over money, K1 stands a better chance to get your fiance to be with you faster. However, keep in mind that there is always a doubt in the consulate officer's mind about the validity of the relationship compared to CR1. If for some reason, it gets rejected, you have to marry and then file for CR1, adding more delay. The CR1 time frames are not too bad but you should probably estimate 7-8 months from the time its filed to the interview date. The K1 is probably around 6 months. This estimate is valid if your files/records are in order and there are no RFE's and bottlenecks.