a difficult choice k-1

[Tebessa1111 16]

giuliarachele

You can do this without the help of a lawyer, many of us have. The process varies from one person to another. Our journey started back in Sep of 2011. My husband (then fiance) interviewed at the Algeria Consulate on June 21st, 2012. He was put under AP for the following 13 months (there was never an explanation for this lengthy process). After many inquiries from the Congressman and Senator of my State, including the many emails and phone calls on my part. On Aug 1st, 2013 we received an email from the Consulate denying his K1 visa.~ We never gave up ~. I started planing my move to Algeria, and on Aug 18th, 2013 my husband received a phone call from the American Consulate in Algeria requesting his passport and a new medical..... ~ We were APPROVED! ~ Weird, right? Uh huh!.. ( WE BELIEVE IT WAS DIVINE INTERVENTION) . His K1 visa was issued on Sept 4th, 2013 and he was finally HOME with me on December 3rd, 2013. We were married on December 30th, 2013 and started our AOS process on Aug 19th, 2014. On January 13th, 2015 we had our interview, we were APPROVED, and TODAY he received his GREEN CARD!

This was a very consuming, lengthy, expensive process. This journey is NOT for the weak!. You CAN'T lack LOVE, you have to really love each other to endure whatever it is you will encounter in your journey. This I think it's the ultimate test of LOVE.

If you truly love each other, you CAN do this and wait whatever time you have to. This process again is NOT made for the WEAK. The process will take whatever time it needs to. You can do this without the help of a Lawyer!

Best of luck in your journey!

[AmAjjD 33]

If your relationship is serious and marriage material, then the process should be worth it. Honestly, skip the lawyer. There are so many people on here that can help, and so much data to access for free. You're not just going to be paying a fee for the K-1. You're going to be paying fees for several years after you move to the US so you really need to think about the long term, not just the short term and lawyer fees is going to add up on its own without the form fees. A year is tough but it is what it is and if you really want to marry then you both should be willing to sacrifice that year because then you'll have the rest of your lives together after that. And trust me, K-1 is the fastest way to get here, even with the current delays. You will not enjoy this process, no one does, but it has to be done if you want to come to the US to marry your fiance. We all feel your pain and frustration, trust me.

[NickD 203]

All I can add to this is really doubt if waiting this extra year was not easy on anyone of us. But my wife to be did have a tourist visa and I had a US passport. So I could visit her in six months or she could visit me, so we never went three months without seeing each other.

Also had the opportunity to meet my future in-laws and could spend time with my step-daughter to be. One thing I could say, in that year, we never lost interest in each other. We could visit each other more frequently if we had a lot more money and could get more time off of work.

I did find one of the top US immigration law firms with a very reasonable flat fee, just for guidance and to check over our forms. Was a lot cheaper than if we answered just one question wrong, they rejected our forms and kept our fees that they can do. And for two people, that fee was quite a large some. Unlike other law firms that are only licensed in your state, can go to any state with immigration.

This whole subject was entirely new to me with a ton of forms and filling them out properly. I did look over the old INS forms that made sense, Emilio really did a great job of butchering them.

Law firm also instructed me to make complete duplicates as the USCIS is notorious for loosing things. That was great advice you are getting for free. Our applications were "misplaced" more than once.

I didn't know about this board at that time, but sure got a lot of help with removal of conditions and US citizenship. And that year did go by. I see within the last couple of years, all these forms were changed. Haven't looked at them yet, but wonder if they are comprehensible. Sure a lot longer.

That year really can be a good thing, let's you know whether both of you can stick it out without losing interest in each other.

[NickD 203]

Ha, if you ever served in out US military, was always hurry up and wait. Immigration is just the opposite, its wait, then hurry up. Only have 90 days to get married and get all those forms in.

Forget about a church marriage, that can take forever if this is your thing, have to do that much later. Wonder what idiot came up with this 90 day limit. Either you get married within this time frame or have to send them back.

[NikLR 13,227]

Ha, if you ever served in out US military, was always hurry up and wait. Immigration is just the opposite, its wait, then hurry up. Only have 90 days to get married and get all those forms in.

Forget about a church marriage, that can take forever if this is your thing, have to do that much later. Wonder what idiot came up with this 90 day limit. Either you get married within this time frame or have to send them back.

No it's get married within this time frame or you lose your money, your fiance(e) is in the USA illegally, and then you have to spend MORE money to adjust their status. 90 days is likely the limit because of the VWP, which allows people to have tourist visas for 90 days. It was just an easy number and getting married within 90 days is more than viable. Granted it may not be the wedding of your dreams but you can plan that for afterward.

The fiance visa is when you're sure you want to be married and NOT living together after marriage is not an option for you. If you want a big wedding you can do it afterwards or have one and get a spousal visa.