Introductions and FRUSTRATION...

[SkepticalJess 0]

Hello Everyone!

My name is Jessica, and I'm Canadian. My fiance Shawn is American.

My fiance and I got engaged in October of 2013, finally, after MANY years of knowing each other (we've known each other since 2001) and 3 years of dating off and on. (The distance can be hard). We are now ready to take the marriage plunge - and would like to have this immigration process go as smoothly as possible... This is where my frustration comes into play.

Due to the fact that I have debts that I need to pay - I need to make sure that I can work as soon as I move to the USA.

We are planning on getting married, filing the I-130 and then going through the process that way so that I can still work while the application gets processed. I under stand the I-130 process fairly well, since a few of my friends have actually gone through the process and have been giving me pointers on what to do and what not to do with regards to that, even though they did this 5-10 years ago.

Recently I was told though that I should apply for a K-3 visa once our I-130 is submitted and then once the K-3 is granted I can apply for a work permit (I-765?). This sounds too easy/good to be true.

Today when I was reading up trying to find information based on this - I couldn't.

So what is my easiest and potentially cheapest option for all of this? Should I just do the I-130, and wait it out. Or can I do a K-3 or is there that CR something or other visa? I'm so confused.

Any assistance is appreciated.

-Jess

[li_09 40]

If you're not married yet you can go the k1 route as this will get you to the u.s faster. HOWEVER you won't be able to work right away, there'll be a few months of waiting.

You probably couldn't find much on the k3 visa because it's pretty much obsolete now. K1 would be better than k3 if you remained unmarried.

Cheapest option is I-130. The entire process could take anything up to a year but the plus side is that you have your green card as soon as you enter the u.s and you'd be able to work almost immediately.

Since you have debts to pay off I recommend I-130. That gives you about a year to work and pay your debts then once you get your I-130 visa you can move to the u.s and continue working and paying your debts if you have any left by that time

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved from Introducing our Members to Which Visa Do I Need Forum~

~Inquiry about spousal visa process~

[Ryan H 3,819]

OP, since the K3 was written into law in 2000, procedural changes at USCIS in 2006 and the State Department in 2010 have rendered the K3 virtually unobtainable. Actual issuance of one is rare. Some petitioners have had the K3 survive the NVC only to be closed by the Embassy or Consulate when they learned an I-130 was on-station at the NVC.

[NikLR 13,231]

If you need to work or collect EI right away, K3 is not a good option. You need to adjust your status which is 2-3 months before you can work.

With a CR1 visa you can work or collect EI right away. I recommend staying on this route if working is important. It's also about half the price of the K3. The hard part however is that you HAVE to interview in Montreal. There are about 5 panel physicians in all of Canada you can visit, 1 in BC, 3 in Ontario, and the 1 in Montreal by the consulate.