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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Indonesia
Timeline
Posted
  On 8/23/2020 at 4:35 PM, Camille Gaudier said:

My fiance is the one who sent the I-129f package. I was only the one who prepared and gathered all evidence of relationship, letter of intent to marry etc. But I wasnt familiar with the terms they used with the bank cheques etc. Im sorry. thanks for answering my quiry. And yes, I am freaking out because we are doing this on our own, no lawyers involved.. So pretty much we are blind here and just relying on the internet.

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That's alright. We are in the same boat. ☺ I was the one that prepare everything as well and gathering all the documents and proof,  so my fiance just signed everything then mailed it to uscis. 

 

Anything, just ask. 

 

Before I and my fiance apply the I-129F, We did research and studying about everything. I joined group on the facebook as well as I joined visa journey. Mostly, I will just type the question or keyword on the Google, Facebook Groups, or Visa Journey and BINGO I've got the answers. I usually wrote everything on the notebook. But when I got stuck, I'll drop the questions here or any other forums. 

 

Don't worry and relax. In this case, it's only the petitioner which is (US Citizen) that will receive the mail or email from USCIS.  Once it comes to NVC Stage,  and you've got already the case number from NVC, how you proceed depends on how the embassy processes K1 visas.
There are two basic ways the embassies handle K1’s, 
1. Automatic, where the beneficiary does everything themselves and all the information that is needed is listed on that’s’ embassies website. 
2. Hurry and wait. This is the most common way, this is where you basically have to wait for the embassy to contact the beneficiary before they can proceed. How long until they contact you? It varies with embassy and workload, 1 week after they get to 3 months.

 

In my case,  I'm from Indonesia, The consulate will first contact the petitioner via email to confirm the application, and will ask for the beneficiarys email address. The consulate then contact the beneficiary informing to prepare all the documents, pay the fee and reminding for medical check up. 

 

  • 2 weeks later...
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Indonesia
Timeline
Posted

Hallo @Greenbaum and everyone,  I wanna ask a question. I'm unreasonable panicking now 

 

So I'm the beneficiary. I forgot to list my Internship in the Beneficiary's employment history (form I-129F). Well,  it was on 2017 and only for 2 months. It was paid internship but I only got like 18$-20$ per month and this Internship was one of the requirement to take the thesis when I was in college. 

 

The question is,  is that gonna be problem as I forgot to listed it on the form?  Or should I call the USCIS to include my internship history there?😥 sorry I'm just always over thinking on the small things. 

Hope I'm gonna get the answers soon.

 

Thanks ^^

Posted
  On 9/2/2020 at 9:28 AM, Aulia073 said:

Hallo @Greenbaum and everyone, I want to ask a question. I'm unreasonable panicking now 

 

So, I'm the beneficiary. I forgot to list my Internship in the Beneficiary's employment history (form I-129F). Well, it was in 2017 and only for 2 months. It was paid internship, but I only got like 18$-20$ per month and this Internship was one of the requirements to take the thesis when I was in college. 

 

The question is, is that going to be problem as I forgot to list it on the form?  Or should I call the USCIS to include my internship history there? 😥😥 sorry I'm just always over thinking on the small things. 

Hope I'm going to get the answers soon.

 

Thanks ^^

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Relax. You are not going to be denied based on the fact you omitted this small bit of information. Since it is such small item, I just would leave it alone and let your case process. It will not even appear to the IO that this was omitted. They don't have those kinds of records.

 

If you are compelled to do so, you can write a letter to USCIS and update them with this information. But like I said it's not a factor for the adjudication of your case.

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Indonesia
Timeline
Posted
  On 9/2/2020 at 11:34 AM, Greenbaum said:

Relax. You are not going to be denied based on the fact you omitted this small bit of information. Since it is such small item, I just would leave it alone and let your case process. It will not even appear to the IO that this was omitted. They don't have those kinds of records.

 

If you are compelled to do so, you can write a letter to USCIS and update them with this information. But like I said it's not a factor for the adjudication of your case.

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Oh God thank you. This answer such a big relief 😂 

  • 1 month later...
Posted
  On 10/5/2020 at 10:58 PM, zayandash said:

Super late to the party but my fiancee and I received our NOA1 in June! Started doing research as we are getting nervous about our planned wedding next year and found this forum!

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Glad you found us. We look forward to answering your questions and helping along the way. To do that we need a little housekeeping on your end. Many of our answers are predicated on the information you supply in your profile. When we look at the left column and can't determine your timeline OR your Embassy it's hard for us to give you a factual answer. Our answers will sometimes be tailored to a specific Embassy hence the reason for you to complete your profile. If you look at the profile of others here, they have a flag for their country, so it makes it easy for us to reply as we can quickly determine their Embassy. The country that should be used is the country where the interview will take place.
 
So, if you could help yourself out and complete your profile that sure would help us out when we want to reply to your question with factual information.


Country and Visa Type: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RyJiLo_7WTmqvkzXXqLuOlVHm9oyhAES/view?usp=sharing

 
Once you finish that then return and you will see a flag in your profile. Select it and see what wonderful information will open up for you.
 
Thanks 

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Philippines
Timeline
Posted

Good day guys. I would just to ask.. I have B1/B2 US Visa. Am I allowed to stay with my fiance during the holidays and do you think, how long will I be allowed to stay there? Me and my fiance decided that I should resign in my work already and will be waiting for the visa process in my home country. But before going back home, My fiance would like me to stay with him and his family for the holidays and to be able to plan the weddings aswell.. in US and in my home country. I need some information regarding this matter. Will it be okay? Hoping for answers.

Posted
  On 10/8/2020 at 9:05 PM, Camille Gaudier said:

Good day guys. I would just to ask.. I have B1/B2 US Visa. Am I allowed to stay with my fiance during the holidays and do you think, how long will I be allowed to stay there?

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Entry is at CBP's discretion, but you should still try to visit the US.

 

I noticed that I-129F was filed in recent months. If you are able to enter the US, have you considered CR-1 visa instead? You can marry in the US during your visit:

The US citizen can file I-130 (after your marriage) during your visit: "The beneficiary will not apply for adjustment of status in the United States, but he or she will apply for an immigrant visa abroad at the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate in"

 

@Lucky Cat has a great comparison:

"Every couple has their own priorities, and each couple must decide which visa is better for their situation.

K-1
    Slightly faster arrival in the US
    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
    Slightly slower arrival in the US

    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."

Filed: K-1 Visa Country: El Salvador
Timeline
Posted
  On 10/8/2020 at 9:18 PM, HRQX said:

Entry is at CBP's discretion, but you should still try to visit the US.

 

I noticed that I-129F was filed in recent months. If you are able to enter the US, have you considered CR-1 visa instead? You can marry in the US during your visit:

The US citizen can file I-130 (after your marriage) during your visit: "The beneficiary will not apply for adjustment of status in the United States, but he or she will apply for an immigrant visa abroad at the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate in"

 

@Lucky Cat has a great comparison:

"Every couple has their own priorities, and each couple must decide which visa is better for their situation.

K-1
    Slightly faster arrival in the US
    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
    Slightly slower arrival in the US

    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."

Expand  

Based on your response - it seems like the CR-1 is a wayyy more attractive option than the K-1. I don't remember thinking the CR-1 was better option for me over the K-1 when I was doing research for which visa to apply for. But now I am seeing the CR-1 having a lot more benefits. I'm not sure if I'm missing something. Is there a general reason why someone would choose K-1 over CR-1? 

Posted
  On 10/9/2020 at 2:51 PM, sarac4479 said:

Based on your response - it seems like the CR-1 is a wayyy more attractive option than the K-1. I don't remember thinking the CR-1 was better option for me over the K-1 when I was doing research for which visa to apply for. But now I am seeing the CR-1 having a lot more benefits. I'm not sure if I'm missing something. Is there a general reason why someone would choose K-1 over CR-1? 

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The K-1 at one time was faster in approval but these days they are a few weeks to a month apart. Not much of a difference but what really is the "boots on the ground" information is that CR-1 is being adjudicated while the K-1's are sitting at NVC until the embassy opens which there are a few that are processing K-1's. 

 

More in depth analysis

 

K-1 vs CR-1 Full Analysis

 

K-1

More expensive than CR-1    

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

Spouse cannot leave the US until she/he receives approved Advance Parole (about 5-6 months)    

Spouse cannot work until she/he receives EAD (about 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 10 to 12 months after Adjustment of Status is filed.

If you have red flags this may be the best place to start in case of denial.

Estimated timeline is 8 to 10 months (NOA1 to Interview) This is officially qquoted as 6 to 12 months.

 

K-1 Fees

$535 - USCIS Filing Fee

$265 per person - DS-160 (Visa Application)

$200 to $400 - Medical Fee

$1,225 per person - AOS Fee (Includes EAD/AP if filed together)

$750 per child under 14

$680 per person - ROC Fee

 

 

$2,705 plus medical (K-1)

$2,170 plus medical (K-2 over 14 years old)

$1,695 plus medical (K-2 14 years old and younger)

 

 

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 (LPR) status IMMEDIATELY upon entry to the United States

If denied, a K-1 has no practical options other than to start over from scratch. A denied CR-1 can be reaffirmed. So, if there are red flags and one is concerned about being denied, I would suggest steering away from the K-1.

 

Estimated timeline is 10 to 12 months (NOA1 to Interview) This is officially quoted at 12 to 14 months.

 

CR-1 Fees

$535 - USCIS Filing Fee

$120 - Affidavit of Support Fee

$325 - DS-260 (Visa Application) 

$200 to $400 - Medical Fee

$220 - USCIS Immigrant Fee

$680 - ROC (if married less than 2 years at POE)

 

$1,200 plus medical (per person if married more than 2 years when filing)

$1,880 plus medical (per person if married less than 2 years at POE) 

 

These are current fees subject to change without notice. Please do your personal homework before deciding what visa will work best for you with any corresponding fees.

 

Additional items to consider:

 

A refused K-1 with the petition being sent back will sit and die.

 

A refused CR-1/IR-1 with the petition being sent back can be reaffirmed and not refused again for the same reason if based upon the same evidence.

 

If concerned about the CO's evaluation of the relationship, then a spousal visa would be an optimal path.

 

Also, certain crimes can be an issue with an I-129F, but only very few crimes are an issue for an I-130 (e.g. AWA).

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Russia
Timeline
Posted (edited)
  On 10/9/2020 at 2:51 PM, sarac4479 said:

Based on your response - it seems like the CR-1 is a wayyy more attractive option than the K-1. I don't remember thinking the CR-1 was better option for me over the K-1 when I was doing research for which visa to apply for. But now I am seeing the CR-1 having a lot more benefits. I'm not sure if I'm missing something. Is there a general reason why someone would choose K-1 over CR-1? 

Expand  

The biggest practical reasons to choose a K-1 (in normal times) are

  1. If your fiancé(e) can't visit the US easily (non-VWP/visa-free country and can't easily get a tourist visa or just traveling to the US is expensive and time-consuming) and marrying a foreigner is not a simple and straightforward process in your fiancé(e)'s country (or if you can't legally marry in your fiancé(e)'s country -- most commonly this is same-sex couples), doing a CR-1 requires a third-country wedding or spending an extended amount of time in the beneficiary's country and that often is not practical.
  2. While processing times tend to go up and down, often the difference in time to the US is not really "slight"; at this time last year, average time from NOA1 to interview for a CR-1 was nearly twice as long as a K-1 (about 18 months vs 9 months)
  3. If the beneficiary has children between 18 and 21, they can be derivatives of a K-1 but not a CR-1.
  4. The biggest real cost difference between the two (especially with fee increases blocked) is lost income due to the beneficiary being unable to work; if the beneficiary wasn't intending to work outside the home in the short term anyway (retired, pregnant or has small children, or for some other reason) that's not a big deal

 

Of course, the other reason (which is emotional, not practical, but since we're talking about relationship-based visas here, that's not unimportant) is not wanting to spend an extended amount of time apart while married (which unless you're able to live together outside the US while waiting, is required for a CR-1).

Edited by DaveAndAnastasia
K-1                             AOS                            
NOA1 Notice Date: 2018-05-31    NOA1 Notice Date: 2019-04-11   
NOA2 Date: 2018-11-16           Biometrics Date: 2019-05-10    
Arrived at NVC:  2018-12-03     EAD/AP In Hand: 2019-09-16     
Arrived in Moscow: 2018-12-28   GC Interview Date: 2019-09-25      
Interview date: 2019-02-14      GC In Hand: 2019-10-02
Visa issued: 2019-02-28
POE: 2019-03-11
Wedding: 2019-03-14

ROC                             Naturalization
NOA1 Notice Date: 2021-07-16    Applied Online: 2022-07-09 (biometrics waived)
Approval Date: 2022-04-06       Interview was Scheduled: 2023-01-06
10-year GC In Hand: 2022-04-14  Interview date: 2023-02-13 (passed)
                            	Oath: 2023-02-13

 

Posted (edited)

Just want to say Hi to everyone in this group. I filed K1 and received NOA1 in late June. Right now I can probably enter China the end of this year, we are thinking about getting married in China and file CR1 instead. Will you guys go with CR1 while waiting for K1? 

My fiance is China citizen. Due to the pandemic and the relationship between US and China, local US embassies still discontinued k1 process since March. I am worried things will not be getting any better even the pandemic is over. My fiance is a H1B visa holder and has stuck in China because of the travel ban/proclamation. What are your opinions? 

Edited by Maomao
Posted
  On 10/14/2020 at 8:05 PM, Maomao said:

Will you guys go with CR1 while waiting for K1?

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Can't have both K1 and CR1 processing at the same time. By marrying you no longer meet "free to marry" requirement of K1 process. Thus, after marriage you'll have to start CR1 process.

  On 10/14/2020 at 8:05 PM, Maomao said:

My fiance is a H1B visa holder and has stuck in China because of the travel ban/proclamation.

Expand  

She can enter the US with the H1B but she'll first need to spend 14 days in an unrestricted area (South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Mexico, Turkey, Serbia, etc.) before traveling to the US.

Posted (edited)
  On 10/14/2020 at 8:21 PM, HRQX said:

Can't have both K1 and CR1 processing at the same time. By marrying you no longer meet "free to marry" requirement of K1 process. Thus, after marriage you'll have to start CR1 process.

She can enter the US with the H1B but she'll first need to spend 14 days in an unrestricted area (South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Mexico, Turkey, Serbia, etc.) before traveling to the US.

Expand  

Yes. That's why its hard to give up on K1 and proceed with CR1 especially we have been waiting for a while. 

 

Unfortunately he cant. Trump banned all H, J, L, O visa entry in June.

Edited by Maomao
Posted
  On 10/14/2020 at 8:25 PM, Maomao said:

Unfortunately he cant. Trump banned all H, J, L, O visa entry in June.

Expand  

He can enter if the visa was issued before June 24, 2020: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/06/25/2020-13888/suspension-of-entry-of-immigrants-and-nonimmigrants-who-present-a-risk-to-the-united-states-labor

The suspension and limitation on entry pursuant to section 2 of this proclamation shall apply only to any alien who:

(i) is outside the United States on the effective date of this proclamation;

(ii) does not have a nonimmigrant visa that is valid on the effective date of this proclamation; and

(iii) does not have an official travel document other than a visa (such as a transportation letter, an appropriate boarding foil, or an advance parole document) that is valid on the effective date of this proclamation or issued on any date thereafter that permits him or her to travel to the United States and seek entry or admission.

 
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Ask our VJ Immigration Lawyers.

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