Starting the K-3 visa process

[Lindz 0]

My husband is a US citizen and I'm a British citizen both living and working in China. We got married in Hong Kong in May and are about to start the process of applying for CR-1 and the K-3 visa, where we should apply for the K-3 visa ? My Chinese visa runs out in January so i'm concerned that they won't be able to process it before I have to leave China.Is it possible for them to start processing the K-3 in Hong Kong and issue it in the UK if I have to need to leave China before the process is finished?

Thanks

Lindsey

[lost_at_sea 995]

You'll find quite a lot of discussion on here about the K3 being defunct, because it tends to take just as long to process as the I-130 for CR-1 (or, even, it never gets processed before that visa). Filing location can be found here, though: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=a10e4154d7b3d010VgnVCM10000048f3d6a1RCRD&vgnextchannel=db029c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD You'll need to file the I-130 first, so you can include a copy of the receipt for that with the I-129f.

As for where you'll be doing the actual visa applications - you can have that be in whichever country you reside in once the petition is approved. Just make sure you keep your address updated once you relocate back to the UK.

You can get an impression for how long you'll be waiting from the statistical data available on VJ from VJ members own experiences (look down on the left for stats/trends/timelines for K3 and IR/CR-1s):

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/

You may also want to take a look at other posts from the K3 section of the forum. You'll find some recommending not even trying the K3, since they believe it'll complicate your I-130 - but I'm not sure how evidenced that is. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/81-k-3-spouse-visa-process-procedures/

Edited August 15, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[Lindz 0]

I just had a look at your timeline - so you went the Direct consulate filing route. Do you think that would be a viable option for us?

Thank you so much for your advice

Lindsey

[lost_at_sea 995]

I just had a look at your timeline - so you went the Direct consulate filing route. Do you think that would be a viable option for us?

Thank you so much for your advice

Lindsey

Only if China still offers DCF. They closed a lot of foreign USCIS offices at the end of last year/this year which means that DCF has gone for a majority of places.

I'm not 100% sure if it's still available in China. I found some recent posts:

In Beijing:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/386461-checklist-i-think-were-ready-to-go-i-130-dcf-beijing/

and a more recent post regarding Guangzhou:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/443837-guangzhou-sends-noa-1noa-2/

At the end of this thread, Darnell reiterates DCF is/was available in Guangzhou:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/419539-dcf-in-hong-kong-or-guangzhou/

Edited August 15, 2013 by lost_at_sea