Ah help! K1, CR-1, or DCF?! [merged threads]

[HRQX 4,145]

***I have moved this topic to Tourist Visas forum since main question in first post is about a tourist visit for a March 2022 event*****

[SalishSea 17,820]

2 hours ago, Emily8460 said:

Hey! 
Currently in the k1 process with my Tunisian fiancé. It was just sent to the USCIS. We are worried it will take awhile and he will miss my brothers wedding in March. Has anyone received a tourist visa while they were in the k1 process? Any advice or tips is appreciated. 

From Tunisia?    Very, very doubtful.

[SalishSea 17,820]

2 hours ago, Emily8460 said:

Yeah everything was successfully sent yesterday to USCIS 😅 but it hasn’t been received yet. Yeah rapid visa told us k1 is fastest… now can he get a work visa while doing the k1 visa? 

He won’t get a work visa.    
 

Currently, no visa process is fast, and it will probably be greater than two years before he gets here.   Best bet would have been to marry and do a CR-1 visa.

[SalishSea 17,820]

1 hour ago, Emily8460 said:

So we just saw that our petition hasn’t been received yet by the USCIS it’s still at the usps… should we cancel and apply for CR-1. We have been living together a year and want to move to us ASAP buy a house and start working. We had no idea that k1 visa was the worse option. Abu advice helps thanks!!

The CR-1 will not be any faster, but is less likely than a K1 to be denied, and has no delay in being able to work once in the US.

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

It is really unfortunate you did not research before you filed. There is no quick and easy process but gaining knowledge on what you are up against is so important. @Crazy Cat gave you great advice to cancel it and get married and file CR1 since you are just in the beginning of the process. Once he arrives in the US he would be able to work ASAP as that appears to be a priority since you mentioned work. With k1 it could be up to a year after he enters before he is able to work. Good luck and please create your profile/timeline

[Mezyan 149]

Sadly it is very difficult for a North African person to get a tourist visa let alone a work visa.  
 

If I had to guess, I would say your fiancé will most likely miss the wedding in March. Covid has delayed the visa process. 
 

As far as what visa type you prefer, it’s totally a personal choice. We did the k1 even though most people on here had told me before I made the decision I should do the cr1. I’m happy I went the route I did. 
 

Good luck with your process. I wish you all a speedy k1 visa! 

[Emily8460 13]

10 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

That's a personal decision.  Take a look at my list above.  Even if your fiance enters the US via a K-1, he cannot work for months and months.  

Yeah he is an aerospace engineer with his masters degree and speaks 4 languages.... so we want him to work because we think he will find a fantastic job to provide for our new family.  Your list was very helpful! We are thinking now to cancel the k1 and do the spousal visa... either way seems LONG but at least this way he can work.

 

Now for me, Ive been living/ working in China for 4 years, but vista USA 1-3 times a year (pre-covid). I'm wondering what else I should do to show my proof of domicile the the united states. I filed taxes 2020, use my credit card often, and make way above the poverty line of income. Thank you!!!

[Emily8460 13]

8 hours ago, Luckycuds said:

It is really unfortunate you did not research before you filed. There is no quick and easy process but gaining knowledge on what you are up against is so important. @Crazy Cat gave you great advice to cancel it and get married and file CR1 since you are just in the beginning of the process. Once he arrives in the US he would be able to work ASAP as that appears to be a priority since you mentioned work. With k1 it could be up to a year after he enters before he is able to work. Good luck and please create your profile/timeline

Hi there! Thanks for the tips! Yes going to create my profile today! 

[Emily8460 13]

8 hours ago, Mezyan said:

Sadly it is very difficult for a North African person to get a tourist visa let alone a work visa.  
 

If I had to guess, I would say your fiancé will most likely miss the wedding in March. Covid has delayed the visa process. 
 

As far as what visa type you prefer, it’s totally a personal choice. We did the k1 even though most people on here had told me before I made the decision I should do the cr1. I’m happy I went the route I did. 
 

Good luck with your process. I wish you all a speedy k1 visa! 

Hi there! Thanks for the response. So sad to think hes going to miss my baby brothers wedding. How was it with your fiance not working for months on end? Also the process for him to apply for the green card, was it long and extra work? Congrats on your approval. 

[Emily8460 13]

8 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

The CR-1 will not be any faster, but is less likely than a K1 to be denied, and has no delay in being able to work once in the US.

Hi there! I'm so new to this. Thank you for the tips. So you think in my situation spouse makes more sense because my fiance wants to work immediately?

[Gomast 65]

10 hours ago, Luckycuds said:

It is really unfortunate you did not research before you filed. There is no quick and easy process but gaining knowledge on what you are up against is so important. @Crazy Cat gave you great advice to cancel it and get married and file CR1 since you are just in the beginning of the process. Once he arrives in the US he would be able to work ASAP as that appears to be a priority since you mentioned work. With k1 it could be up to a year after he enters before he is able to work. Good luck and please create your profile/timeline

Please don’t say that it could take up to a year after he enters to be able to work. They need to be aware that it could take much longer. I received my work authorization 19 months after I entered. I wish I would have taken the CR-1 route. 

[Chancy 6,241]

4 minutes ago, Gomast said:

Please don’t say that it could take up to a year after he enters to be able to work. They need to be aware that it could take much longer. I received my work authorization 19 months after I entered.

 

Your case is an extreme outlier.  Still, you are correct -- there is no guaranteed timeline for EAD approval.

 

Btw, glad to hear you got your EAD eventually!

 

[Emily8460 13]

16 minutes ago, Gomast said:

Please don’t say that it could take up to a year after he enters to be able to work. They need to be aware that it could take much longer. I received my work authorization 19 months after I entered. I wish I would have taken the CR-1 route. 

Hey! So you did K1, correct. 19 months is sooo long!! I bet it was so hard to support your family on one income. How long was your process? We may change  it to CR-1 now or we just found DCF option. 

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

2 hours ago, Emily8460 said:

Hi there! I'm so new to this. Thank you for the tips. So you think in my situation spouse makes more sense because my fiance wants to work immediately?

Yes. 

[Gomast 65]

6 minutes ago, Chancy said:

 

Your case is an extreme outlier.  Still, you are correct -- there is no guaranteed timeline for EAD approval.

 

Btw, glad to hear you got your EAD eventually!

 

Thank you. I’m glad too! I feel that processing times are really bad now. Back in February I applied for the extension of the travel document, and I have been waiting for approval since then, for 6 months! My AOS has been pending since October 2019 and I haven’t received an interview yet.