Fiance or marriage status for visa

[Habibi2018 0]

Hi everyone, I need advice please. My fiance lives in the Middle East and I live in the USA. What process is faster, to become engaged in the country he resides in and do the visa process for him to come to the USA or marriage in his country? Many suggest go there and get engaged then he comes here and then we have a wedding. 

[Ontarkie 14,234]

~~Moved to What Visa Do I need from K1 P&P - As the OP has not decided which way to go.~~

[GreatDane 366]

You don't physically have to get there to get engaged, unless that is something important to both of your, including either of your religions or traditions. An engagement doesn't have to be a big event. We decided, in-person (living together), that it made sense for us and started the paperwork. Later on, there was a real proposal. 

A K1 visa will allow you to marry in the US. Given he comes from the Middle East, make sure to not have any type of ceremony BEFORE you marry in the US. Even an engagement ceremony might put you in the strange category of too married for a K1 and not enough for a CR1. After the 6-8 month wait, you can marry. After you marry within 90 days, you file for AOS and from there it's a 3-4 month wait to work/leave the country. 

A CR1 visa will take 12-14 months and require you marry before filing. It takes longer but he can travel and work from day one. 

[RO_AH 1,659]

1 hour ago, Cynthia Lundy said:

Hi everyone, I need advice please. My fiance lives in the Middle East and I live in the USA. What process is faster, to become engaged in the country he resides in and do the visa process for him to come to the USA or marriage in his country? Many suggest go there and get engaged then he comes here and then we have a wedding. 

Some Middle East countries are considered high fraud countries and are very difficult to get a fiance visa. It will more than likely need a lot of evidence of bonafide relationship as well as multiple visits. 

[NikLR 13,227]

faster? Generally speaking the K1 is faster to visa.  (you have to have met in person in the last 2 years)

 

Depending on the country however, and any red flags you have in your case, it may be much better for a CR1. 

 

A little more info about you and your fiance would be helpful. 

[Habibi2018 0]

1 hour ago, NikLR said:

faster? Generally speaking the K1 is faster to visa.  (you have to have met in person in the last 2 years)

 

Depending on the country however, and any red flags you have in your case, it may be much better for a CR1. 

 

A little more info about you and your fiance would be helpful. 

Hi,  my fiance lives and works in Kuwait. He is originally from Egypt. We thought about doing the marriage there but the documents and paper work seem endless. A friend suggested the fiance visa, that is the route she took. And her fiance was in the USA in 6 months. The other way could be 12 months or longer. 

[NikLR 13,227]

fiance visas are closer to 8-10 months right now.  

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

Gosh, with the current processing times for ROC, it might even be better to get married, wait a year to file the I-130 and end up coming in on an IR-1.  Less hassle all around.