Visa for Girlfriend

[WeGuyGal 1,052]

26 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

300 calendar days according to the official site....

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/wait-times.html

 

some background https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/frustrated-at-visa-holdup-russians-turn-their-backs-on-america/2018/04/22/067f8bc2-4633-11e8-8082-105a446d19b8_story.html?utm_term=.8a38940b13e9

woah

[Jeanne Adil 1,651]

23 hours ago, missileman said:

It is visa fraud ONLY if she comes to the US via a non-immigrant route with the intent to marry and stay(adjust status).  As long as she returns to her country before the expiration of her authorized stay, there is no visa fraud............I encourage you both to consider the pros and cons of each visa.

 

K-1

    More expensive than CR-1

    Requires Adjustment of Status after marriage (expensive and requires a lot of paperwork)

    Spouse can not leave the US until she receives approved Advance Parole (approx 3-4 months)

    Spouse can not work until she receives EAD (approx 3-4 months)

    some people have had problems with driver licenses, Social Security cards, leases, bank account during this period .

    Spouse will not receive Green Card for many months after Adjustment of Status is filed.

CR-1

    Less expensive than K-1

    No AOS required.

    Spouse can immediately travel outside the US

    Spouse can start work if desired

    Spouse receives Social Security Card and Green Card withing 2 or 3 weeks after entering the US

    Spouse  has legal permanent Resident status IMMEDIATELY upon entry to US. 

 

All-in-all, the CR-1 is superior to the K-1 imo. 

True about CR1 being better but green card is needed for traveling outside USA  / ours came a month to the day he entered

 

Tourist visa?? a lot depends on the country she is from

in regards to getting it?    at POE she has to say where she will stay and whom she visits  / she has to tell the truth/  she can be denied at POE as immigration may assume she intends to AOS and stay 

it is only $160 to apply but any lie at POE can result in denied entry and possible ban ( i do not know about bans and length of them)

[carmel34 3,650]

From all the facts OP has mentioned, and the 300 day wait for a B2 for his girlfriend, the best option for you two is to see each other as often as you can and want to outside the US,  then if you decide to get married, do it outside the US and apply for a CR1 and wait and continue to do visits outside the US.   Good luck!

[Crazy Cat 42,046]

1 hour ago, adil-rafa said:

True about CR1 being better but green card is needed for traveling outside USA 

The endorsed stamp IS a green card.....so traveling outside the US can be done immediately.

[Dashinka 24,725]

3 hours ago, WeGuyGal said:

Really? Almost a year for a B2? 

Yes, almost a year.  Interesting, my wife and I were in Russia a month or so ago and we met a teaching colleague of my wife's cousin.  This teacher teaches English and speaks it really well and is also a world traveler, but has not yet traveled to the US.  Her and a group want to visit in a few years and I mentioned the wait times for a B2, so she will be planning ahead.

 

Good Luck!

[WeGuyGal 1,052]

Embassy staff cutbacks, and NIV consolidation in Moscow effect

[geowrian 22,338]

6 hours ago, adil-rafa said:

True about CR1 being better but green card is needed for traveling outside USA  / ours came a month to the day he entered

As noted above, the endorsed visa is equivalent to the physical green card and can be used for international travel and return to the US fine.