Fiance Visa with our daughter

[kguin 12]

Hello. I hope anyone can help me. A little story about our relationship. We started dating back in 2012 and I immigrated in 2013, we had a daughter in dec 2017. We never got married. I just got my citizenship last month and planning to bring them here in the US. I spoke with a lawyer and told me that I need to petition my fiance as i-129f and a separate petition for my daughter i-130. and also it is going to be EXPENSIVE if I went that route quoted me almost 5 digits. He also gave me an option to go back in PH and get married. I came accross rapidvisa it is cheaper than having a lawyer, but I just want to know what's the best route in petitioning my fiance and daughter? What's the fastest? Thank you so much anything would help.

[Hank_ 9,174]

11 minutes ago, kirkguinto said:

Hello. I hope anyone can help me. A little story about our relationship. We started dating back in 2012 and I immigrated in 2013, we had a daughter in dec 2017. We never got married. I just got my citizenship last month and planning to bring them here in the US. I spoke with a lawyer and told me that I need to petition my fiance as i-129f and a separate petition for my daughter i-130. and also it is going to be EXPENSIVE if I went that route quoted me almost 5 digits. He also gave me an option to go back in PH and get married. I came accross rapidvisa it is cheaper than having a lawyer, but I just want to know what's the best route in petitioning my fiance and daughter? What's the fastest? Thank you so much anything would help.

 

This is a do it yourself website ... bet you can guess what would be suggested around here         Neither the lawyer or a visa service can complete anything with you providing every bit of information needed.   The process is not complicate, and if you have questions ... well this is what this forum is all about.   Save your money, unless you really feel the need to have someone else type up the forms.

 

Fastest?    You would be the fastest.  Serious.

 

Here is a guide for the I-129F   and the I-130  petition.   https://www.visaconnection-philippines.com/uscis-petition-process.html

Edited December 4, 2019 by Hank_

[kris&me 572]

you can do the work yourself (you'll be doing it anyway)

rapid visa has a bad rep on here / they have messed many a petition up

you gather the evidence and send it to someone /  they only make a copy for their files and mail it in

 

pay attention to the above poster

[geowrian 22,337]

Unless you have a complicated case, it's a very DIY process for both a fiance and a child.

Use the guides on this website + read all instructions. Ask questions.

 

The K-1 will cost ~$535 I-129F + $265 visa fee + ~$350 medical + documents & translations. Then $1225 for AOS after marrying in the US.

The IR-2 for your child will cost $535 I-130 + $445 NVC fees (IIRC...I'm doing this off-hand) + ~$350 medical + documents & translations. Then $220 immigrant fee after the visa is approved.

So it's not cheap by any means, but it's a few thousand USD to DIY....nowhere near 5 digits.

 

The child will become a USC upon entry on the IR-2 visa since she will be the under-18 child of a USC residing as an LPR in the US. You can apply for a US passport for them after entry.

They will need an I-864W instead of an I-864.

[SalishSea 17,836]

20 minutes ago, kirkguinto said:

Hello. I hope anyone can help me. A little story about our relationship. We started dating back in 2012 and I immigrated in 2013, we had a daughter in dec 2017. We never got married. I just got my citizenship last month and planning to bring them here in the US. I spoke with a lawyer and told me that I need to petition my fiance as i-129f and a separate petition for my daughter i-130. and also it is going to be EXPENSIVE if I went that route quoted me almost 5 digits. He also gave me an option to go back in PH and get married. I came accross rapidvisa it is cheaper than having a lawyer, but I just want to know what's the best route in petitioning my fiance and daughter? What's the fastest? Thank you so much anything would help.

"RapidVisa" cannot expedite any part of the process.  Neither can a lawyer.  All are subject to the same processing times as everyone else.  Everyone has to wait their turn.

[Duke & Marie 1,389]

25 minutes ago, kirkguinto said:

Hello. I hope anyone can help me. A little story about our relationship. We started dating back in 2012 and I immigrated in 2013, we had a daughter in dec 2017. We never got married. I just got my citizenship last month and planning to bring them here in the US. I spoke with a lawyer and told me that I need to petition my fiance as i-129f and a separate petition for my daughter i-130. and also it is going to be EXPENSIVE if I went that route quoted me almost 5 digits. He also gave me an option to go back in PH and get married. I came accross rapidvisa it is cheaper than having a lawyer, but I just want to know what's the best route in petitioning my fiance and daughter? What's the fastest? Thank you so much anything would help.

Unfortunately the fastest isn’t always the best option, plus let’s face it, it’s immigration and it will not happen overnight, it’s a slow process 12 months maybe more.

 

both K1 (fiancé) and CR1 (spouse) have advantages and disadvantages.. please carefully read the requirements for both before making your mind up..

 

personally, I’d choose spousal, yes it takes a little longer (6+ months) but comes with all the perks, e.g able to work, drive, get bank accounts etc.. given you have a child, I’d recommend this route, I’d hate to be stuck home no vehicle to get the store or doctors etc with a baby while your at work... plus it’s a little cheaper.

 

forget lawyers and rapid visa. You really don’t need them and if anything they slow the whole process

Edited December 4, 2019 by Duke & Marie

[kguin 12]

2 hours ago, Hank_ said:

This is a do it yourself website ... bet you can guess what would be suggested around here         Neither the lawyer or a visa service can complete anything with you providing every bit of information needed.   The process is not complicate, and if you have questions ... well this is what this forum is all about.   Save your money, unless you really feel the need to have someone else type up the forms.

 

Fastest?    You would be the fastest.  Serious.

 

Here is a guide for the I-129F   and the I-130  petition.   https://www.visaconnection-philippines.com/uscis-petition-process.html

 

2 hours ago, kris&me said:

you can do the work yourself (you'll be doing it anyway)

rapid visa has a bad rep on here / they have messed many a petition up

you gather the evidence and send it to someone /  they only make a copy for their files and mail it in

 

pay attention to the above poster

 

2 hours ago, geowrian said:

Unless you have a complicated case, it's a very DIY process for both a fiance and a child.

Use the guides on this website + read all instructions. Ask questions.

 

The K-1 will cost ~$535 I-129F + $265 visa fee + ~$350 medical + documents & translations. Then $1225 for AOS after marrying in the US.

The IR-2 for your child will cost $535 I-130 + $445 NVC fees (IIRC...I'm doing this off-hand) + ~$350 medical + documents & translations. Then $220 immigrant fee after the visa is approved.

So it's not cheap by any means, but it's a few thousand USD to DIY....nowhere near 5 digits.

 

The child will become a USC upon entry on the IR-2 visa since she will be the under-18 child of a USC residing as an LPR in the US. You can apply for a US passport for them after entry.

They will need an I-864W instead of an I-864.

Thank you everyone for your insight and suggestions. I get that neither a lawyer or rapidvisa can expedite the process, I only think of them because I dont want to confuse on how to petition my fiance and my daughter. Given they are asking for ridiculous amount of money I opted to get help here.

 

Given you guys post counts and reputation I would say you have experience and a good idea on how this works. So I guess I just have few questions.

 

If I decided to go with fiance visa route:

1. I will petition my fiance as i-129f, as per my understanding I cannot include her in that petition because she's my biological child?

2. If above is true I will need to petition my daughter as separate i-130? I will need to fill up two separate petition?

3. So timeline of both of these petition are different? from what Im seeing in uscis timeline the fiance visa is faster and will get approved first before my daughter?

 

2 hours ago, Duke & Marie said:

Unfortunately the fastest isn’t always the best option, plus let’s face it, it’s immigration and it will not happen overnight, it’s a slow process 12 months maybe more.

 

both K1 (fiancé) and CR1 (spouse) have advantages and disadvantages.. please carefully read the requirements for both before making your mind up..

 

personally, I’d choose spousal, yes it takes a little longer (6+ months) but comes with all the perks, e.g able to work, drive, get bank accounts etc.. given you have a child, I’d recommend this route, I’d hate to be stuck home no vehicle to get the store or doctors etc with a baby while your at work... plus it’s a little cheaper.

 

forget lawyers and rapid visa. You really don’t need them and if anything they slow the whole process

I was given this option by my lawyer. It has it's advantages but it's a slower process than fiance visa. but given if I petition my daughter separate with i-130 and i-129f for my fiance basically will be the same timeline as CR1 if they will both need to enter US together.

 

 

[geowrian 22,337]

11 minutes ago, kirkguinto said:

If I decided to go with fiance visa route:

1. I will petition my fiance as i-129f, as per my understanding I cannot include her in that petition because she's my biological child?

2. If above is true I will need to petition my daughter as separate i-130? I will need to fill up two separate petition?

3. So timeline of both of these petition are different? from what Im seeing in uscis timeline the fiance visa is faster and will get approved first before my daughter?

1. Right. Your biological child is separate.
2. Yes
3. Correct. Optimally you would marry (anywhere) then do an I-130 to start the spousal visa process. Then the timelines are around the same and you get all the benefits of a CR-1 visa and none of the K-1 drawbacks.

 

[Duke & Marie 1,389]

5 minutes ago, kirkguinto said:

 

 

I was given this option by my lawyer. It has it's advantages but it's a slower process than fiance visa. but given if I petition my daughter separate with i-130 and i-129f for my fiance basically will be the same timeline as CR1 if they will both need to enter US together.

 

 

Spousal is slower.. but honestly, I don’t think that much slower, it really depends on where your petition is sent.. plus after sending off initial petition, you could file K3/4 for wife a child which is free with pending I130 and could speed the process up..

 

on the the other side.if you filed separately they could also go to different processing facilities ugh.. 

 

 

[kguin 12]

Im not worried about the k-1 drawbacks, I just want them in the US ASAP, am really getting homesick. Now im seeing the picture on what is the fastest way for them to get here (talking about processing times). Fiance visa takes 6-9 months, IR2 is 6 months. So technically if I petition them now they should be here mid next year. 

 

12 minutes ago, Duke & Marie said:

Spousal is slower.. but honestly, I don’t think that much slower, it really depends on where your petition is sent.. plus after sending off initial petition, you could file K3/4 for wife a child which is free with pending I130 and could speed the process up..

 

on the the other side.if you filed separately they could also go to different processing facilities ugh.. 

I live in california, i guess it will be sent to CSC?

[geowrian 22,337]

17 minutes ago, kirkguinto said:

Im not worried about the k-1 drawbacks, I just want them in the US ASAP, am really getting homesick. Now im seeing the picture on what is the fastest way for them to get here (talking about processing times). Fiance visa takes 6-9 months, IR2 is 6 months. So technically if I petition them now they should be here mid next year. 

IR-2 is roughly the same as IR-1...roughly a year or so.

 

17 minutes ago, kirkguinto said:

I live in california, i guess it will be sent to CSC?

Where you live doesn't matter. But all I-129Fs for a fiance are routed to CSC initially (then VSC for certain limited criminal checks).

[Duke & Marie 1,389]

48 minutes ago, kirkguinto said:

Im not worried about the k-1 drawbacks, I just want them in the US ASAP, am really getting homesick. Now im seeing the picture on what is the fastest way for them to get here (talking about processing times). Fiance visa takes 6-9 months, IR2 is 6 months. So technically if I petition them now they should be here mid next year. 

 

I live in california, i guess it will be sent to CSC?

You I130 could effectively go anywhere.. unfortunately where you live will not determine its processing center.. 

[kguin 12]

1 hour ago, geowrian said:

IR-2 is roughly the same as IR-1...roughly a year or so.

Oh really. Was hoping about 6months or so. I cant find the processing times for IR2

[kguin 12]

2 hours ago, geowrian said:

IR-2 is roughly the same as IR-1...roughly a year or so.

Question, IR-2 and F2a are different? According to visa bulletin, F2a is current. Does it mean F2a is faster than IR2?

[geowrian 22,337]

1 hour ago, kirkguinto said:

Question, IR-2 and F2a are different? According to visa bulletin, F2a is current. Does it mean F2a is faster than IR2?

IR-2 is the child of a USC. IR sands for "immediate relative", which means the priority date is immediately current.

F-2A is the child of a green card holder. Family preference categories are limited by law in how many visas as available per year. F2A happens to be current now as well. However, F2A petitions are normally sent to CSC and take close to 12-18 months for processing. Then on to NVC, then to the consulate.

IR-2 petitions can be sent to the other service centers, which generally are a matter of 6-12 months. Then NVC, then the consulate. Total time for an IR case is around a year (barring very backlogged consulates). Total time for F2A is usually closer to 2 years.