which is faster/cheaper/easier, fiance or spousal visa (merged)

[justanea 1]

I've been told that getting married but using some variant of the fiance visa is workable right now? What are my costs, other than her plane ticket from Manila? Is there some sort of "bond $ held in escrow there, until she's a US citizen? Do these fees go to the US or to Phills or where? Thanks

[justanea 1]

My fiance is in phills. I will go there to marry her if there's an advantage to doing so, of course. I need her here ASAP. she's currently a first year nursing student (on my money) Sjhe's 27, I"m 62, US citizen. She's got a 5 year old daughter that will have to remain with grandma for a year, while her mom and I work out where we'll love, etc. Our daughter prefers grandma anything, mom havng been too busy making money. I"m marginal (for a while yet) on having the needed support money for her.

I just came back from Manila, we lived together for 7 weeks, both of our names on the lease., plenty of pics of us togheter with her family, chat, skype, email records, telegram money sent, etc. I need to know the $ amounts for each, cause her current semester ends in Sept, I'd like to have her here shortly after that,before she has to sign up for October classes. I want her here, in January US classes.

Edited April 30, 2015 by justanea

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

**** Moving from K1 Fiance visa to What Visa do I Need? forum*****

No visa is fast, or cheap, and there is no version of the fiance visa when you are legally married.

The K1 is faster, but is more paperwork and more expensive. The CR-1 spousal visa takes longer, but leads to an immediate greencard upon entry to the USA (thus can work and travel immediately).

Check out our Guides here: http://www.visajourney.com/content/guides for information on costs and paperwork needed.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

January isn't going to happen...think at least April for either visa

[mallafri76 1,012]

For the spousal visa, cr-1, you pay roughly the below:

$425 I-130 petition filing fee

$120 Affidavite of support fee

$325 visa application fee

Green card fee once it's been issued. Think it's around $169.

Plus costs for translations, medical exam, vaccinations, trips etc. The cr-1 visa takes about one year but since your girlfriend is from the Philipinnes, they usually get auto expedited so you might get yours in eight months. Also, since you'll probably will have been married less than two years, you also need to pay an adjustment of status fee.

You have quite the age difference so be prepared for questions about that.

[LionessDeon 2,060]

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

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

Here are some links. Probably best to read up and you and your fiancee make the decision between the two of you what is best for your particular situation. There are pros and cons to both types

Best of Luck

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

The fiance visa is fastest at roughly 5-6 months, but you will spend more money at the back end when she gets here to the USA. You will then have to file for her AOS paperwork which is $1070 right off the bat.

Edited April 30, 2015 by cyberfx1024

[lost_at_sea 995]

You can also study the timeline data users provide on VJ to get an idea of the average times: http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/

In the world of US immigration, however, you just cannot guarantee how long anything will take so it's best to never have hard deadlines for other life events if you can help it - always have a plan b (like, signing up for classes in 2016, instead of 2015, for instance).

Given that it's already May and you have yet to file anything at all, she's not going to make it here by September 2015. It'll likely be the end of this year / start of next. But, if you get your ducks in a row and file that I-129f for K1 *tomorrow* then you never know. The spousal option is going to mean you're going to have to make another trip for the marriage (so added time).

Roughly:

K1 is faster (usually) but more expensive overall (by $1040 or whatever AOS costs these days).

CR-1 is slightly longer, but cheaper (immediately GC, so no AOS), but you'll have to travel first to marry (so the cost, depending on how much you spend to travel to get married may be equivalent).

Neither is "easier".

Edited April 30, 2015 by lost_at_sea

[Luana and Andrew 1]

Take advantage on the fact that dhe is filipino, if you go now for k1 visa you will get her to the US in a few months. I'd say 3/4 months.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

Forgot that Filipinos have it easier

[Luana and Andrew 1]

Forgot that Filipinos have it easier

And all the cases are now sent to csc. CSC+filipino is thr fastest combo ever. Lol.

Have a smooth journey!

[Hank_ 9,174]

My fiance is in phills. I will go there to marry her if there's an advantage to doing so, of course. I need her here ASAP. she's currently a first year nursing student (on my money) Sjhe's 27, I"m 62, US citizen. She's got a 5 year old daughter that will have to remain with grandma for a year, while her mom and I work out where we'll love, etc. Our daughter prefers grandma anything, mom havng been too busy making money. I"m marginal (for a while yet) on having the needed support money for her.

I just came back from Manila, we lived together for 7 weeks, both of our names on the lease., plenty of pics of us togheter with her family, chat, skype, email records, telegram money sent, etc. I need to know the $ amounts for each, cause her current semester ends in Sept, I'd like to have her here shortly after that,before she has to sign up for October classes. I want her here, in January US classes.

Fastest - K-1 visa.

Cheapest - IR/CR-1 visa

[raven52 233]

justanea,

Always read Hank's posts, as he is an expert about the Philippines. CR-1, getting married in the Philippines, I personally would not do. My wife is from Cebu, and she came here on a K-1 visa.

IF something happens the marriage does not work out, there is no such thing as divorce in the Phils. You and her would have to go back to the USA, or China requires a 1 year residence before you can file there (got a friend going thru that there) so I would not consider a marriage in the Philippines. Me and my wife had a huge engagement party there.,.,.,and it was great.

Seeing where you live, you will be sent to CSC, and Filipinos are still on expedite there, I think. Just this past December, my friend filed Nov. 22, and had his NOA 2 Dec. 26.!!!!

Yes, the Phils. is fast especially from CSC service center.

K-1 is maybe 3-6 months, and CR-1 is 12 to 14 months, sometimes more. And to me, too much is made of the AOS procedure after the K-1 marriage, but if your paper work is all good, we did not

even have an interview. It is nothing. YES, K-1 is a little more expensive, but well worth it.

It would seem you are very new to this site, I would read and memorize the Guides on top of the "Home Page" on what ever visa you choose, and what the requirements are, print them out, and do each thing, and then double and triple check, and keep two copies of everything you send in a ""very sturdy" envelope to the Texas Lockbox (where all petitions go, then are forwarded to service centers.

IF no problems you could have your bride in the USA is 5-6 months after filing a K-1.,.,.,.,.CR-1 over a year .,..,.,.,but this is just a guess, of reading past petition approvals.

Good luck, and log on here more often, and read and study!

[RoJ10 18]

K1 is fastest - my case were done in almost 3months, and it can be 2 if I did not wait for the affidavit of support that long.

[justanea 1]

thank all of you. Cathy and I will be reading this forum a lot!