Canadian K1 Visa

[tanman22 14]

Hi everyone, 

I will soon be applying for a K1 visa I’m from Ontario and my fiancée is from Michigan. For all the K1 Canadian vets on here I have a few questions:

 

1. Did you notice that your petitions were less heavily scrutinized being from Canada?

 

2. How long did the K1 visa take to be approved?

 

3. For the medical exam did many of you end up getting it done in Montreal since that is where the visa interview is taking place?

 

 

4. After you married your US spouse how long did it take you before you got your work authorization and Green Card?

 

Thanks and Merry Christmas!

 

[payxibka 10,045]

4 minutes ago, tanman22 said:

Hi everyone, 

I will soon be applying for a K1 visa I’m from Ontario and my fiancée is from Michigan. For all the K1 Canadian vets on here I have a few questions:

 

1. Did you notice that your petitions were less heavily scrutinized being from Canada?

 

2. How long did the K1 visa take to be approved?

 

3. For the medical exam did many of you end up getting it done in Montreal since that is where the visa interview is taking place?

 

 

4. After you married your US spouse how long did it take you before you got your work authorization and Green Card?

 

Thanks and Merry Christmas!

 

There is an entire forum dedicated to all things Canada. 

 

1.  All petitions receive the same level of scrutiny 

[Going through 5,671]

18 minutes ago, tanman22 said:

1. Did you notice that your petitions were less heavily scrutinized being from Canada?

The only plus side is that Canada is not considered a high-fraud country, and that sometimes background checks tend to move slightly faster due to the US and Canada openly sharing criminal/immigration/border control information with each other...but that's really about it.  That being said, your petition won't be scrutinized any less solely based on one partner being Canadian.

 

 

 

 

[ThomasNC1988 762]

Compare k-1 and cr-1 before you file. I don't know your full situation but the fact that you are so close makes cr-1 that much more appealing.

[tanman22 14]

1 minute ago, ThomasNC1988 said:

Compare k-1 and cr-1 before you file. I don't know your full situation but the fact that you are so close makes cr-1 that much more appealing.

Cr-1 would take more time would it not?

[payxibka 10,045]

4 minutes ago, tanman22 said:

Cr-1 would take more time would it not?

Depends on what you are measuring.   K1 has a Slight advantage to time to entry, cr1 has a huge advantage on time to green card 

[ThomasNC1988 762]

Just now, tanman22 said:

Cr-1 would take more time would it not?

A little more time yes. 8-10 months for K-1(most likey) 12-14 for cr-1 I think. Nothing to stop you from coming down for those couple of months anyway to visit unless you are denied entry for some reason. With cr-1 however you are free to work and come and go to Canada as soon as you get here. While you have to wait for AOS with k-1 generally you will get your EAD/AP in 4 to 6 months. Look up processing times for the local office where you will be moving for time to get a greencard. I'm not sure of the rules in Michigan but you potentially will not even be able to drive during that time. K-1 is right for some just make sure you know what you are getting into.

[SalishSea 17,874]

None of those parameters are any different for Canadians.

[Ontarkie 14,237]

~~Moved to the Canada forum, from K1 P&P - The OP is asking about other Canadian's experience.~~

[NikLR 13,227]

12 hours ago, tanman22 said:

Hi everyone, 

I will soon be applying for a K1 visa I’m from Ontario and my fiancée is from Michigan. For all the K1 Canadian vets on here I have a few questions:

 

1. Did you notice that your petitions were less heavily scrutinized being from Canada?

 

2. How long did the K1 visa take to be approved?

 

3. For the medical exam did many of you end up getting it done in Montreal since that is where the visa interview is taking place?

 

 

4. After you married your US spouse how long did it take you before you got your work authorization and Green Card?

 

Thanks and Merry Christmas!

 

1) Canada is low fraud regardless of petition type. If your family or yourself were from an originally high fraud country.

2) k1 are taking about 10 months.  (CR1 is about 14 months.)  

3) location of medical depends on your location

4) EAD is taking about 6 months for most people.  Green card about a year. 

So the CR1 is 14 months to green card and K1 is 22 months to green card.  

 

However cr1 would require getting married first and you would need the marriage certificate before filing. However theres no way it would take the time difference. 

[KBA 542]

I would consider the CR1. You will get a green card right away.. etc as mentioned in other posts. My fiancé is Canadian and we waited 1 year and 2 months for NOA2 for no good reason...shouldn’t have happened especially with a low fraud country and nothing in his background to warrant it. If we had it over we would’ve done CR1

[Crazy Cat 41,923]

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/he receives approved Advance Parole (approx 5-6 months)    
Spouse can not work until she/he receives EAD (approx 5-6 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 Adjustment of Status  (I-485, I-131, I-765) required.    
Spouse can immediately travel outside the US    
Spouse is authorized to work immediately upon arrival.    
Spouse receives Social Security Card and Green Card within 2 or 3 weeks after entering the US    
Opening a bank account, getting a driver's license, etc. are very easily accomplished with GC, SS card, and passport.
Spouse has legal permanent Resident status IMMEDIATELY upon entry to US. 

My Final Analysis:  CR-1 is a much, much better option

[NicoleS 189]

Heyo I'm Canadian (living in Montreal for school, but I'm from Halifax!). We are doing k1 because we didn't want to get married in Canada and then be separated for 1 year + while the CR1 goes through. We filed for the k1 on June 15 and just got our noa2 (USCIS approval on Dec. 7). I should have my visa interview, I predict, by March at this point.

I already have a volunteer thing lined up for when I enter the US to make the time pass before I can actually work lol

[NikLR 13,227]

On 12/14/2018 at 6:14 AM, NicoleM said:

Heyo I'm Canadian (living in Montreal for school, but I'm from Halifax!). We are doing k1 because we didn't want to get married in Canada and then be separated for 1 year + while the CR1 goes through. We filed for the k1 on June 15 and just got our noa2 (USCIS approval on Dec. 7). I should have my visa interview, I predict, by March at this point.

I already have a volunteer thing lined up for when I enter the US to make the time pass before I can actually work lol

Becareful with volunteer work not on an ead.  If you get anything at all or are potentially keeping someone from having a job or are guaranteed a job after the fact you aren't allowed to volunteer for that position or company.