What is the better option K-1 or CR-1?

[EandH0904 1,184]

20 hours ago, DianaLDR said:

 We wants to come here for a year or so, work and wait for my retirement then we will move to Jamaica and live.  Will the fact he has children hinder this process?  I am new to all this and have tons of questions.    

If he wants to come here and work for a year or so, a K1 isn't the right visa to pick - it will take him a long time to get permission to work. 

 

Also - is there a big age difference between the two of you? I ask because you said that after a year or so, wait for your retirement - if you are almost going to retire and he still has school age kids, I'm wondering about an age difference. If that's an issue for you, doing a CR1 is also more beneficial, but do NOT marry the first time you go down there to meet him. I presume if he's your fiance you have spent time with him already - but little face time and big age differences are much more likely to not get him approved for either visa. 

[janet3 1,170]

I absolutely agree with @JFH, @NuestraUnion, and @EandH0904.

I applied for my K1 visa in February 2017. My fiance arrived in the US in November 2017 (married in December 2017). In hindsight....I would have done the cr1....we applied for AOS in January and we are still waiting. The CR1 has a lot of advantages....

 

[DianaLDR 1]

I so appreciate everyone's input and advice. He and I have discussed at great length, weighed the pros and cons and have decided we are going the CR1 route.  We've waited this long, what is a few more months.  We understand this is going to be a slow process...we are in this together and for the long haul. 

[Crazy Cat 42,033]

On 3/3/2018 at 4:40 AM, JFH said:

When people here refer to the K-1 being "faster" than the CR-1, we are talking a couple of months.

Good point..And the time from filing to green card in hand is much, much faster for CR-1.  Some people have experienced problems between arrival via K-1 and getting their green card.

[Umka36 781]

While many post say the CR1 is better, I'll give a different perspective. I didn't do the K1 visa because it was faster (we actually delayed the process in order for my wife to finish up her teaching job), but rather we wanted to be with each other once married. My wife comes from a country where a visit visa is not easy to get, and just visiting during our honey moon stage was not an option for us.

 

People say the cost of K1 is expensive due to the AOS, but from my experience it's immaterial when you look at the overall cost of bringing an immigrant here. My advice is to plan in advance for the K1. We got married right away to get her covered under my employer medical/dental plan, and mailed the AOS ASAP. Compared to bringing my wife here, our children is a never ending money pit but worth every penny.

 

I do agree that the CR1 provides the flexibility of someone working right away/traveling but that's wasn't an issue for us. My wife still does not work as we have 2 little ones still at home. Once both are in school, she plans to get back to the workforce.

 

For those who've been in the military, you know what I mean in regards to the hurry up and wait game. Immigration process is just that. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from the CR1, and the CR1 and K1 have their purpose.