K-1 Question

[G&A 1]

Hi everyone. We are so happy to have found this site. My girlfriend lives in Canada and we are planning on getting married soon. I have two questions and was hoping for some advice.

1) Is it better to go for the K-1 visa and then get married in the US or get married in Canada and apply for the K-3?

2) Do we need a lawyer for the K-1 visa application? If so, any recommendations would be appreciated.

G&A

[TracyTN 237]

1.) That's a decision you and your fiance have to make by reviewing both options and deciding which makes the most sense for your exact situation.

2.) No, you don't need one to send in the petition. Whether your particular circumstances dictate a need for one, however, is something only you would know.

[G&A 1]

1.) That's a decision you and your fiance have to make by reviewing both options and deciding which makes the most sense for your exact situation.

2.) No, you don't need one to send in the petition. Whether your particular circumstances dictate a need for one, however, is something only you would know.

Regarding question 2), would people still recommend getting a lawyer or is the process straight forward?

Lawyers fees range from 800 to 1800 based on my initial research.

[TracyTN 237]

Again, *I* think the process is straight forward.

But your particular case may have complications that mine does not. Overstays, a criminal record, etc etc etc.

You are the only person who can make that determination.

[payxibka 10,045]

Hi everyone. We are so happy to have found this site. My girlfriend lives in Canada and we are planning on getting married soon. I have two questions and was hoping for some advice.

1) Is it better to go for the K-1 visa and then get married in the US or get married in Canada and apply for the K-3?

2) Do we need a lawyer for the K-1 visa application? If so, any recommendations would be appreciated.

G&A

There are positives and negatives benefits to each class of visa. The best bet is to read the guides and understand the differences and then decide what is most important to you.

TracyTN said it very well. You do not NEED a lawyer, however, personal circumstances may dictate it to be a good idea. Only you can decide

[featherB 1]

When you're first looking into the whole process, it's understandable that it seems so daunting that you just want someone to tell you 'this is the way you should do it'... but nobody can do that. By telling you to read the guides, people aren't trying to avoid helping you - it's just that there are pros and cons to both options, and nobody here knows which will be most important to you in coming to a decision. Similarly re: the lawyer - nobody can give you any meaningful advice on that question as nobody knows your situation and any circumstances which might make your application less than straightforward.

Honestly... have a read of the guides, they're a very good starting point. Get a feel for what's involved in applying for a fiance/spouse visa, have a talk with your fiancee and think about which way you'd both rather do it. Then ask anything you're not sure about on here (also reading back over old threads is a *really* good way of learning more about this stuff - these forums contain so much information from people who have been there & done that), and you're sure to get good answers - people on here know their stuff! (Well, not me, I'm a mere newbie, but when it comes to advising you to read the guides and try to absorb the info, I *do* know what I'm talking about!)

Good luck with whichever way you decide to do it... and may it all go smoothly for you!

Edited December 20, 2006 by featherB

[payxibka 10,045]

Regarding question 2), would people still recommend getting a lawyer or is the process straight forward?

Lawyers fees range from 800 to 1800 based on my initial research.

I do not think that dealing with a governmental agency and the term "straight forward process" can be put in the same sentence. It would be an oxymoron. There is a lot about the process that seems inefficient and maybe even down right stupid. However, it is navigatable.

I would guess that the vast majority of the members here have navigated this process without the assistance of a lawyer. Some however, after getting part way in wished they had a lawyer (at a minimum an initial consult). Some who initially used a lawyer wished they had not. I have no idea what the success rate for members here is but I would like to think it is almost 99.9% but since this is a public forum we do not always hear the results of all instances (good or bad).

There is a wealth of information and experience here as you know. You have a question, people come forward with answers. I have joked around before as I believe this place is where attorneys go to get answers and information.

The best thing to do is read the guides and get as much knowledge as you can. Then you will have to decide if you are up for it because it does and will take a lot of time and effort on your part to do it by yourself.

[G&A 1]

Thank you all for your replies. We have been reading the guides and did have a few initial consultations. We think we have a "straight forward" case. At least, we hope so. By the way, the lawyers we have talked to did not agree on every term and did provide conflicting information. For example, one lawyer told us that the only consulate that gives K visas in Canada is the one in Montreal (she was 100% sure) while another lawyer did say that Vancouver (which by the way is much closer to her home) does provide K-visas and that this should be the way to go since Montreal is so backed up these days.

PS Glad to be members here and get to know you all

G&A

[Yodrak 7]

G&A,

1) See #2 below.

2) Have a consultation with a US immigration attorney to review the facts of your situation and discuss your questions such as #1 in your post. Then you can make an informed decision as to whether or not you want to hire an attorney to work on your case.

Yodrak

Hi everyone. We are so happy to have found this site. My girlfriend lives in Canada and we are planning on getting married soon. I have two questions and was hoping for some advice.

1) Is it better to go for the K-1 visa and then get married in the US or get married in Canada and apply for the K-3?

2) Do we need a lawyer for the K-1 visa application? If so, any recommendations would be appreciated.

G&A

[brnidokiegurl 0]

In the beginning i thought we needed lawyer to until i started calling around about prices, then quickly decided if these others can do this surely we can to, so far no problems