how long do i have to wait for my IR-1/CR-1 visa to be approved?

[mistypink 0]

my american boyfriend and i are planning to get married next year, i'm just wondering about the steps on how to apply for the visa and how long i will have to wait for the visa to be approved, thanks :3

[Bulwara Road 5]

Using that font when posting on this forum will make the USCIS put your application to the bottom of their pile...

Just kidding. :-)

[mistypink 0]

haha sorry.... but i like it, its cute.. is it not allowed?

[kitthekat 1,317]

check out the K1 guide: http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide and the flowchart: http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1flow

you can safely factor in about 8-12 months to get your visa from the day you send in your petition, give or take.

[Avery Cates 1,141]

Well, you're asking about a K-3 in the K-1 forum.

Are you planning to get married, and then petition, or are you getting engaged and looking to marry once you're in the US? Forget the K-3, it's no longer used. If engaged and marrying in the US after a visa approval, go the K-1 route. If you're getting married and waiting it out that way, file a CR-1.

[Darnell 8,478]

k-3 visa? application time? in the PI? About 2 months.

But there's lots o stuff happening prior to that, in the USA, and it's all variable, 2 to 11 months, to be allowed to file a visa application.

[mistypink 0]

my american boyfriend and i are planning to get married in the Philippines (where i live) next year. im just wondering how long am i going to wait till i get my visa. and is it ok to go the US with him after the marriage even if i dont have visa yet. thanks

[SliderMK 3]

I think it would be a lot better if you get married in the US. Just get K-1 visa and that's it. The immigration procedure takes long time and that means looonnggg separation.

I'm waiting for I-130 approval and if I had to do this all over I'd just take K-1 and get married in the US, at least I'd be with my wife.

You can look at and compare I-129F and I-130 processing times on USCIS website. Just a reminder, that's only the first part.

https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processTimesDisplayInit.do;jsessionid=bachWdjR4Z6Si_hlTVtru

[mistypink 0]

k-3 visa? application time? in the PI? About 2 months.

But there's lots o stuff happening prior to that, in the USA, and it's all variable, 2 to 11 months, to be allowed to file a visa application.

so it will be like almost 1 year? can i go to the US even if the papers are processing?

[B & G 200]

Right now a spousal visa, CR1 takes about 12-14months. The processing times might be reduced by the time you file, but there really is no way of knowing.

As sliderMK said, you do have the option of filing for a fiance visa, K1 which right now takes 8-10months. The difference is that your marriage has to take place in the US.

There is no way for you to enter the US without a visa. Even after marriage to a US citizen. You need either the spousal, the fiance or at least a tourist visa.

Be warned though, tourist visas are not for the purpose of immigrating, (moving for good to the US). Tourist visas are for visiting/tourism.

Look at the following guide, compare and decide which is the best option for the both of you.

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

Edited February 21, 2014 by B & G

[Avery Cates 1,141]

so it will be like almost 1 year? can i go to the US even if the papers are processing?

Unlikely.

[LoveMyTico 999]

Right now a spousal visa, CR1 takes about 12-14months. The processing times might be reduced by the time you file, but there really is no way of knowing.

As sliderMK said, you do have the option of filing for a fiance visa, K1 which right now takes 8-10months. The difference is that your marriage has to take place in the US.

There is no way for you to enter the US without a visa. Even after marriage to a US citizen. You need either the spousal, the fiance or at least a tourist visa.

Be warned though, tourist visas are not for the purpose of immigrating, (moving for good to the US). Tourist visas are for visiting/tourism.

Look at the following guide, compare and decide which is the best option for the both of you.

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

An approval from the USCIS is not the end of the journey.... NVC takes about 2 months then however long it takes to get the file to the embassy and schedule an interview.

[JA_Martinez 81]

Philippine Nationals are required to have a Tourist Visa issued by the US Govt to enter the US, which requires an application, interview and approval. However, the US Govt believes that everyone who comes to the US as a tourist, intends to stay so you have to be able to prove that theory incorrect by producing proof that you have an investment to return to the PI once your "vacation" is over in the US, meaning you have to prove ties to the PI, ie. employment, family, a home, etc, and most esp an open return plane ticket. You could be granted a Tourist Visa by the US Consulate/Embassy in Manila and get to the US and be stopped by Immigration at the POE and not admitted if you don't have proof that you "intend" to return to the PI. NOTE: Coming to the US as a tourist with the intention to bypass the immigration process is illegal!

You could of course (legally) apply for a K1/Fiance' visa which also requires that you submit the I-130 Petition which has been moving much more quickly for K1 visas, but it could still be up to 12-14mths for that approval to take place, but the distance is shorter once that is approved. You enter the US and you must be married within 90days or your K1 is cancelled and you'll be sent back to the PI.

You can't really get around the process, it is what it is.

[B & G 200]

An approval from the USCIS is not the end of the journey.... NVC takes about 2 months then however long it takes to get the file to the embassy and schedule an interview.

I'm sorry.. but where in my post did I mention that USCIS is the end of the journey?

[aaron2020 11,651]

my american boyfriend and i are planning to get married in the Philippines (where i live) next year. im just wondering how long am i going to wait till i get my visa. and is it ok to go the US with him after the marriage even if i dont have visa yet. thanks

If you are waiting for a visa, which one did your boyfriend file for? Has he file yet?

A spousal visa will tak 12-18 months. Your husband can start the process only after he marries you. He cannot seek a spousal visa before marriage.

There is absolutely no way for you to go with him to the US after the marriage without a visa.

You and your boyfriend really need to do some research and expect a long separation. You seem pretty clueless thinking marriage to a US citizen is all it takes for you to come to the US.

If your boyfriend is pursing a K-1 fiancée visa, marriage outside the US will void the K-1 visa. If you enter the US married with a K-1 visa, you would be committing fraud.