NEWLY MARRIED to an American -- WHAT TO DO FIRST?? WHAT VISA TO GET??

[Marie&Curt 10]

Im Filipina and my husband is American. We met June of last year here in the Philippines when I got back from the US from my one-year hotel internship in Philadelphia, PA. We got married last July 31, 2013 here in the Philippines. He went back to America last August 23 to continue his schooling, as he is still in college. Now, our dilemma is just like most of the newly married Fil-Am couples here: what to do next to be able to bring the Filipina wife to the US to live with her husband. Im only 23 yrs old and my husband is 22, and though we've researched about the K3 and CR1/IR1 visas, we still dont know which route is the best place for us to go. We also have a lot of questions, and our main concern is how long the process will take for us. We want to be together as soon as possible; its hard and painful to be away from your spouse, especially in the first year of marriage. Please help us!

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

CR1 is the only option; K3 is dead. It takes a bit less than a year.

[Marie&Curt 10]

Im confused. What do you mean when you said K3 is dead? Is that option no longer available?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Im confused. What do you mean when you said K3 is dead? Is that option no longer available?

No, it's not available. It exists on paper but will be unobtainable. It doesn't matter anyway, because it would take as long as a CR1, if not longer.

[Marie&Curt 10]

So it'll be better to just take the CR1 route then?

[barbara360 6]

K3 is pretty much no longer available. Either one would be a wait. It is hard but pretty much all of us had to be or are currently apart and waiting. There are no short cuts unfortunately. I would say be emotionally and mentally prepared to wait about a year. Our wait was 9 months total. We survived it via Skype, me visiting, and just thinking about the end result. Good luck!

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

So it'll be better to just take the CR1 route then?

Yep, start gathering the CR1 stuff now and file ASAP.

[Dbkrantz 16]

CR-1 would be the best option for you.

There will be a wait, but it will be worth it in the end!

[MJandJON 1]

Im Filipina and my husband is American. We met June of last year here in the Philippines when I got back from the US from my one-year hotel internship in Philadelphia, PA. We got married last July 31, 2013 here in the Philippines. He went back to America last August 23 to continue his schooling, as he is still in college. Now, our dilemma is just like most of the newly married Fil-Am couples here: what to do next to be able to bring the Filipina wife to the US to live with her husband. Im only 23 yrs old and my husband is 22, and though we've researched about the K3 and CR1/IR1 visas, we still dont know which route is the best place for us to go. We also have a lot of questions, and our main concern is how long the process will take for us. We want to be together as soon as possible; its hard and painful to be away from your spouse, especially in the first year of marriage. Please help us!

hi sis are you a J1 visa holder before like me?just curious coz you said internship, and your trying to go back? well you guys should get CR1 visa.

[Marie&Curt 10]

K3 is pretty much no longer available. Either one would be a wait. It is hard but pretty much all of us had to be or are currently apart and waiting. There are no short cuts unfortunately. I would say be emotionally and mentally prepared to wait about a year. Our wait was 9 months total. We survived it via Skype, me visiting, and just thinking about the end result. Good luck!

Before we got married, we kept in touch through Skype too, for eight months. Just thinking about how long we'll have to wait is driving me nuts already, but it comforts me to know that there are a lot out there who are in the same situation, and are still surviving. Thank you for your kind words.

[Marie&Curt 10]

Yep, start gathering the CR1 stuff now and file ASAP.

So with regards to the forms that we both have to fill out, does that mean i have to send the original forms that i need to fill out to my husband in America? If that's the case, what's the fastest way to send documents to the US?

CR-1 would be the best option for you.

There will be a wait, but it will be worth it in the end!

Thanks! How long did you wait for yours?

[Marie&Curt 10]

hi sis are you a J1 visa holder before like me?just curious coz you said internship, and your trying to go back? well you guys should get CR1 visa.

Yes, I was a J1 visa holder before.. but me wanting to go back to the US now is purely coincidental, coz I never expected that I'll get married to an American after coming back to the Philippines. Was it the same with you? Did you come back here first, got married and went back to America? If so, is CR1 visa the one you applied for too?

[Dbkrantz 16]

Thanks! How long did you wait for yours?

I am currently doing DCF as we both live in the UK, which means that I am able to do everything through the US embassy in London. DCF (direct consular filling) is generally known to be faster process than the regular way.

We have his medical on Saturday, and we are waiting for an interview date to be assigned and hopefully, he will be approved then. I hope that everything will be finished by mid (ish)-October at the latest which would make it 3 months.

[MJandJON 1]

Yes, I was a J1 visa holder before.. but me wanting to go back to the US now is purely coincidental, coz I never expected that I'll get married to an American after coming back to the Philippines. Was it the same with you? Did you come back here first, got married and went back to America? If so, is CR1 visa the one you applied for too?

I am a j1 before also. But now I am getting a K1 visa. I came back immediately here in PH after my visa expires. im telling you this is a very different and crazy process compare to our J1. Goodluck to your journey. I will message you in inbox.

[Marie&Curt 10]

I am currently doing DCF as we both live in the UK, which means that I am able to do everything through the US embassy in London. DCF (direct consular filling) is generally known to be faster process than the regular way.

We have his medical on Saturday, and we are waiting for an interview date to be assigned and hopefully, he will be approved then. I hope that everything will be finished by mid (ish)-October at the latest which would make it 3 months.

Oh.. you guys are lucky to be able to take the DCF route. I know there's no chance of us doing the same, but I wish you luck with your process! =)