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Kostas

Fiancee visa, marriage visa, or DCF?

By Kostas in What Visa Do I Need - Family Based Immigration

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Kostas Contributor

Kostas   3

Posted
Filed: Other Timeline
Posted

Hello ,

I am hoping to get some good advice here, any help is greatly appreciated.

I am a U.S. citizen and engaged to a wonderful Russian girl.

We have been together for one year and just recently got engaged .

We met abroad in Greece, we have taken three trips together in Europe.

I wanted to go the fiancé visa route but we both mutually decided that we want to get married in one of the Greek Islands.

We will get married on July 17, 2017 and will go on a two week honeymoon.

I have been reading many horror stories about very long wait times for filing for marriage visa if your wife is abroad, some people have been waiting and separated as long as 18 months !!

I have also read that if you do direct consular filing that it is much faster than filing from the United States.

It's all very confusing and I would definitely appreciate some advice.

I don't want to wait for 18 months to be together with my wife !

We will get married abroad this July, what is the best and fastest way to bring my wife to the United States?

Thanks !

 

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Ontarkie Grand Master

Ontarkie   14,226

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted (edited)
4 minutes ago, irani said:

Do your ceremony in Greece but with no legal marrige liscense. Get I129 F and get her here quick!

Bad advice,

 

Do not do anything that looks like a wedding. people are denied all the time because they had a ceremony and thought because it was not legal or registered it was ok. 

 

You have plans to get married so K1 is out. I don't know if DCF is available in Greece others will be able to help with that. Do you have residency in Greece? You can't do DCF if you are just a visitor.

Edited by Ontarkie
Spoiler

Met Playing Everquest in 2005
Engaged 9-15-2006
K-1 & 4 K-2'S
Filed 05-09-07
Interview 03-12-08
Visa received 04-21-08
Entry 05-06-08
Married 06-21-08
AOS X5
Filed 07-08-08
Cards Received01-22-09
Roc X5
Filed 10-17-10
Cards Received02-22-11
Citizenship
Filed 10-17-11
Interview 01-12-12
Oath 06-29-12

Citizenship for older 2 boys

Filed 03/08/2014

NOA/fee waiver 03/19/2014

Biometrics 04/15/14

Interview 05/29/14

In line for Oath 06/20/14

Oath 09/19/2014 We are all done! All USC no more USCIS

 

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Ontarkie Grand Master

Ontarkie   14,226

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

~~Moved to What Visa Do I need, from IR1/CR1 P&P - As the Op is exploring the difference between visas.~~

 

 

Spoiler

Met Playing Everquest in 2005
Engaged 9-15-2006
K-1 & 4 K-2'S
Filed 05-09-07
Interview 03-12-08
Visa received 04-21-08
Entry 05-06-08
Married 06-21-08
AOS X5
Filed 07-08-08
Cards Received01-22-09
Roc X5
Filed 10-17-10
Cards Received02-22-11
Citizenship
Filed 10-17-11
Interview 01-12-12
Oath 06-29-12

Citizenship for older 2 boys

Filed 03/08/2014

NOA/fee waiver 03/19/2014

Biometrics 04/15/14

Interview 05/29/14

In line for Oath 06/20/14

Oath 09/19/2014 We are all done! All USC no more USCIS

 

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Ontarkie Grand Master

Ontarkie   14,226

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted (edited)
2 minutes ago, irani said:

Have you not heard of Muslim religeous ceremonies? 

Do some research it does not matter. If it looks anything like wedding they can be denied. Too married for a K1 not married enough for CR1. There have been many members just here on VJ that have been denied. 

Edited by Ontarkie
Spoiler

Met Playing Everquest in 2005
Engaged 9-15-2006
K-1 & 4 K-2'S
Filed 05-09-07
Interview 03-12-08
Visa received 04-21-08
Entry 05-06-08
Married 06-21-08
AOS X5
Filed 07-08-08
Cards Received01-22-09
Roc X5
Filed 10-17-10
Cards Received02-22-11
Citizenship
Filed 10-17-11
Interview 01-12-12
Oath 06-29-12

Citizenship for older 2 boys

Filed 03/08/2014

NOA/fee waiver 03/19/2014

Biometrics 04/15/14

Interview 05/29/14

In line for Oath 06/20/14

Oath 09/19/2014 We are all done! All USC no more USCIS

 

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Kostas Contributor

Kostas   3

Posted
Filed: Other Timeline
  • Author
Posted

Wow, I'm even more confused after reading some of these responses.

I am not a citizen of Greece, I am a U.S. citizen and she is a Russian citizen and we are going to have a legal civil ceremony in Greece this summer.

What are my options?

From all of my research, the only option I have is to file the I-130 THEN FILE FOR the marriage visa.

Am I right or is there other options?

Thank you !

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Unlockable Mentor

Unlockable   7,314

Posted
Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Dominican Republic
 Timeline
Posted

Do not do any ceremonies if you want to do the fiance visa.

 

You can search on this forum and you will find many cases of people who have been denied the K1 (spousal) visa because they had some sort of a "ceremony" prior to entering the US. The Embassy treated it like an actual wedding.

“When starting an immigration journey, the best advice is to understand that sacrifices have to be made... whether it is time, money, or separation; or a combination of all.” - Unlockable

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bunkx Explorer

bunkx   25

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Belgium
 Timeline
Posted

If you insist on marrying in Greece, your only bet is the CR-1 visa. You go back to the US, file for an I-130, she goes back to Russia and waits...

 

Another option is getting a K-1, marrying in the US, waiting for the EAD/AP combo card and then going on your honeymoon with the EAD/AP. It takes about 90 days of processing to get the EAD/AP though, so keep that in mind.

N-400 Application for Naturalization

Day    00 - 08/31/20 - Submitted online N-400 application. ROC still pending. Requested combo interview.

Day    01 - 09/01/20 - NOA received online. Status says biometrics appt letter will be sent. (PD 08/31/20)

Day  141 - 01/20/21 - Biometrics reuse letter

Day  233 - 04/22/21 - ROC approved, no news on N-400

Day  288 - 06/18/21 - Interview scheduled

Day  332 - 07/30/21 - Successful interview. No decision yet.

Day 758  - 09/28/22 - Oath ceremony will be scheduled

Day 870 - 01/18/23 - Oath ceremony complete

 

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NikLR Grand Master

NikLR   13,227

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Yes CR1 is your only option with your wedding in Greece.  It will take about 1 year for your wife to move to the USA after you file the I-130 petition.  We have guides to help you through the process.  

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.  - Dr. Seuss

 

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Ryan H Grand Master

Ryan H   3,812

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
 Timeline
Posted

USCIS does have a field office in Athens so if you, the petitioner legally reside in Greece, then DCF will be a viable option.

Our journey:

Spoiler

September 2007: Met online via social networking site (MySpace); began exchanging messages.
March 26, 2009: We become a couple!
September 10, 2009: Arrived for first meeting in-person!
June 17, 2010: Arrived for second in-person meeting and start of travel together to other areas of China!
June 21, 2010: Engaged!!!
September 1, 2010: Switched course from K1 to CR-1
December 8, 2010: Wedding date set; it will be on February 18, 2011!
February 9, 2011: Depart for China
February 11, 2011: Registered for marriage in Wuhan, officially married!!!
February 18, 2011: Wedding ceremony in Shiyan!!!
April 22, 2011: Mailed I-130 to Chicago
April 28, 2011: Received NOA1 via text/email, file routed to CSC (priority date April 25th)
April 29, 2011: Updated
May 3, 2011: Received NOA1 hardcopy in mail
July 26, 2011: Received NOA2 via text/email!!!
July 30, 2011: Received NOA2 hardcopy in mail
August 8, 2011: NVC received file
September 1, 2011: NVC case number assigned
September 2, 2011: AOS invoice received, OPTIN email for EP sent
September 7, 2011: Paid AOS bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 9, 2011)
September 8, 2011: OPTIN email accepted, GZO number assigned
September 10, 2011: Emailed AOS package
September 12, 2011: IV bill invoiced
September 13, 2011: Paid IV bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 14, 2011)
September 14, 2011: Emailed IV package
October 3, 2011: Emailed checklist response (checklist generated due to typo on Form DS-230)
October 6, 2011: Case complete at NVC
November 10, 2011: Interview - APPROVED!!!
December 7, 2011: POE - Sea-Tac Airport

September 17, 2013: Mailed I-751 to CSC

September 23, 2013: Received NOA1 in mail (receipt date September 19th)

October 16, 2013: Biometrics Appointment

January 28, 2014: Production of new Green Card ordered

February 3, 2014: New Green Card received; done with USCIS until fall of 2023*

December 18, 2023:  Filed I-90 to renew Green Card

December 21, 2023:  Production of new Green Card ordered - will be seeing USCIS again every 10 years for renewal

 

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bunkx Explorer

bunkx   25

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Belgium
 Timeline
Posted
Just now, Ryan H said:

USCIS does have a field office in Athens so if you, the petitioner legally reside in Greece, then DCF will be a viable option.

 

From what I can understand neither of them legally reside in Greece. The USC lives in the US and the beneficiary is Russian living in??Russia I assume.

N-400 Application for Naturalization

Day    00 - 08/31/20 - Submitted online N-400 application. ROC still pending. Requested combo interview.

Day    01 - 09/01/20 - NOA received online. Status says biometrics appt letter will be sent. (PD 08/31/20)

Day  141 - 01/20/21 - Biometrics reuse letter

Day  233 - 04/22/21 - ROC approved, no news on N-400

Day  288 - 06/18/21 - Interview scheduled

Day  332 - 07/30/21 - Successful interview. No decision yet.

Day 758  - 09/28/22 - Oath ceremony will be scheduled

Day 870 - 01/18/23 - Oath ceremony complete

 

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