K-1 VS CR1 (IR1)

[GuidoArizona 13]

Just wanted to pass along some updates in case this helps anyone.  We really agonized over the decision between K-1 and CR1 (I-130).  We finally decided it was better to get married and go the CR-1 route.   BEST. DECISION. EVER.  219 days from submission on the I-130 to the interview date.  I highly recommend the CR1 route!  Yes - I have a lawyer (and you need a lawyer, too).  Yes - I filed Expedite Requests that were denied.  Yes - I filed a 129 (K-3) and got denied on that, too.  Just passing along my experience ... good luck to everyone.   #1 piece of advice:  GET A GOOD LAWYER.  It makes a huge difference.  Little mistakes (made by YOU) will cause massive delays.  A lawyer will make sure everything is right the first time. 

Edited October 3, 2022 by GuidoArizona

[Lil bear 4,201]

24 minutes ago, GuidoArizona said:

Just wanted to pass along some updates in case this helps anyone.  We really agonized over the decision between K-1 and CR1 (I-130).  We finally decided it was better to get married and go the CR-1 route.   BEST. DECISION. EVER.  219 days from submission on the I-130 to the interview date.  I highly recommend the CR1 route!  Yes - I have a lawyer (and you need a lawyer, too).  Yes - I filed Expedite Requests that were denied.  Yes - I filed a 129 (K-3) and got denied on that, too.  Just passing along my experience ... good luck to everyone.   #1 piece of advice:  GET A GOOD LAWYER.  It makes a huge difference.  Little mistakes (made by YOU) will cause massive delays.  A lawyer will make sure everything is right the first time. 

The vast majority of visa applicants on this site successfully completed their processes without the expense of a lawyer. What us required is diligence, attention to detail, careful studying of the whole process from easily available resources, checking and doubly checking forms before submitting. Not saying don't get a lawyer, but our collective successful visa journeys do speak to the ability of most people to get it right. RFEs aren't the end of the world either .. they can often be resolved very quickly. 

[nastra30 2,284]

If one can afford a lawyer, sure go for it. However, there have also been numerous stories on here where lawyers have also screwed up people's applications or made worse their problems.

Most people on here went the DIY route and have successfully navigated the process with ease including myself. We saved all the money that would have gone to lawyers on vacations.

 

[GuidoArizona 13]

Well - that's a different opinion.  REFs are not the end of the world, but they are big delays. It killed me to write that giant check to the lawyer, but it cost much less that the 2-3 more trips to see my fiancee I would have had to do if my case had taken 24-26 months instead of 7 months.  Just sayin.'  If you don't cut your own hair, change your own oil, sell your house without a realtor, diagnose your own sicknesses, ect... why wouldn't you pay a pro to get you and your spouse/fiancee together ASAP? 

[Mike E 11,739]

56 minutes ago, GuidoArizona said:

 Yes - I filed a 129 (K-3) and got denied on that, too.   

That was expected. That’s not why you file -I-129F. The 219 days from I-130 to interview just might have some thing to do with I-129F

 

Congrats  

[nastra30 2,284]

24 minutes ago, GuidoArizona said:

Well - that's a different opinion.  REFs are not the end of the world, but they are big delays. It killed me to write that giant check to the lawyer, but it cost much less that the 2-3 more trips to see my fiancee I would have had to do if my case had taken 24-26 months instead of 7 months.  Just sayin.'  If you don't cut your own hair, change your own oil, sell your house without a realtor, diagnose your own sicknesses, ect... why wouldn't you pay a pro to get you and your spouse/fiancee together ASAP? 

You'll pay 'Lewis Hamilton' to drive your car for you? I bet you've learned to drive and don't need a pro to drive you.

How about typing on a computer? You need a pro typist? How about changing a car tire?

You see where I'm going with this? 

There many situations where of cos you'll need assistance of a pro, and there many where you can easily DIY without a pro by following instructions carefully and saving a lot by doing so. 

BTW, during the lockdown my wife learned how to cut my hair the way I cut it, and now she's my pro barber. Haha.

 

Edited October 3, 2022 by nastra30

[GuidoArizona 13]

27 minutes ago, Mike E said:

That was expected. That’s not why you file -I-129F. The 219 days from I-130 to interview just might have some thing to do with I-129F

 

Congrats  

I think you're right.  I knew the I-129f was going to get denied - I did it to remind them I am alive.  As been suggested on here, filing the I-129f sometimes kicks the I-130 into high gear. I'm pretty sure it worked for me. 

 

The point of my post was to recommend the I-130 (CR1 / IR1) route over the K-1 plan.   Good luck to everyone. 

[GuidoArizona 13]

19 minutes ago, nastra30 said:

You'll pay 'Lewis Hamilton' to drive your car for you? I bet you've learned to drive and don't need a pro to drive you.

How about typing on a computer? You need a pro typist? How about changing a car tire?

You see where I'm going with this? 

There many situations where of cos you'll need assistance of a pro, and there many where you can easily DIY without a pro by following instructions carefully and saving a lot by doing so. 

BTW, during the lockdown my wife learned how to cut my hair the way I cut it, and now she's my pro barber. Haha.

 

Yes - you "learned" how to drive a car after practicing many times (not from reading the manual in the glove box).  You learned how to type from practicing and doing it over-and-over (not from reading the typewriter manual).  Your wife "learned" how to cut your hair from practicing (not from reading the how-to sticker on the scissors). This visa process is done ONCE in your lifetime, not over and over and over again like typing or driving.  Just sayin' - Hire the lawyer.  I don't want anyone (including me) to "learn" this process as I go. I prefer a pro to get it right the first time.

Edited October 3, 2022 by GuidoArizona

[nastra30 2,284]

19 minutes ago, GuidoArizona said:

Yes - you "learned" how to drive a car after practicing many times (not from reading the manual in the glove box).  You learned how to type from practicing and doing it over-and-over (not from reading the typewriter manual).  Your wive "learned" how to cut your hair (not from reading the how-to sticker on the scissors). This visa process is done ONCE in your lifetime, not over and over and over again like typing or driving.  Just sayin' - Hire the lawyer. 

Again, you don't need a lawyer for everything. We can go on and on and on. But I understand you are one of those who make mistakes in your USCIS applications so go for a lawyer, sure. I read and follow instructions carefully and successfully helped so many friends and family fill basic USCIS forms. Not a single RFE. Even if you get RFE, not the end of world; you'll continue to learn and become a pro yourself.

Reading and practicing go hand in hand. Wife watched YouTube videos (reading) and cuts (practice). Lawyers read law and apply. 

Hmm, that idiom of about people parting away with their money. Pro tip: Go get a 'lawyer' for your bank account. I'm out.

 

Edited October 3, 2022 by nastra30

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from K1 Process & Procedures to IR-1/CR-1 Progress Reports.

[GuidoArizona 13]

44 minutes ago, nastra30 said:

Again, you don't need a lawyer for everything. We can go on and on and on. But I understand you are one of those who make mistakes in your USCIS applications so go for a lawyer, sure. I read and follow instructions carefully and successfully helped so many friends and family fill basic USCIS forms. Not a single RFE. Even if you get RFE, not the end of world; you'll continue to learn and become a pro yourself.

Reading and practicing go hand in hand. Wife watched YouTube videos (reading) and cuts (practice). Lawyers read law and apply. 

Hmm, that idiom of about people parting away with their money. Pro tip: Go get a 'lawyer' for your bank account. I'm out.

 

I think you just like to argue.  I was giving my opinion and sharing my experience.  My I-130 took 69 days to approve (yours was 268).  My interview came in 216 days (yours was 400 days).  People can do the math themselves. Feel free to keep arguing if you like, but I think I'm allowed to share my experiences and opinion. LET IT GO.  Why are you so triggered? You think back-handed insults are helping anyone here? Can't people make their own choices?  I'm certain people are interested in more than just one person's opinion. 

Edited October 3, 2022 by GuidoArizona

[nastra30 2,284]

14 minutes ago, GuidoArizona said:

I think you just like to argue.  I was giving my opinion and sharing my experience.  My I-130 took 61 days to approve (yours was 268).  My interview came in 216 days (yours was 400 days).  People can do the math themselves. Feel free to keep arguing if you like, but I think I'm allowed to share my experiences and opinion. LET IT GO.  Why are you so triggered? You think back-handed insults are helping anyone here? Can't people make their own choices?  I'm certain people are interested in more than just one person's opinion. 

 

You see, you don't even know how this thing works. Each person's petition/application is different. Cases go to different service centers, different consulates, different regions, different circumstances, fbi search, etc etc. I won't bore you with other petty instances as it relates to timing but believe me when I say everyone's case is different. And my friend, this can affect when cases are approved. 

Anyway, as I said do you and go for a lawyer. BTW, visajourney is mostly a community for DIYs. Just saying.

Lol, the triggered bit. Hmm, and I wonder who gets triggered more than lawyers. 

Sure; I'll let it go. Congrats on your approval BTW. Hope for more speedy processing with the rest of the process.

Edited October 3, 2022 by nastra30

[SteveInBostonI130 3,434]

Congrats on your quick process.  Well, relatively quick.  Only in the world of US immigration is 200+ days "quick".

 

I am glad using a lawyer worked out for you.  But I would hesitate before stating that it is a necessity.  There have been mixed results from posters about the benefits of using a lawyer.  Generally people tend to complain more than compliment; the many negative posts here about incompetent lawyers are probably out of proportion.  But still, they are not insignificant.

 

[AfroKing 48]

Congrats. I will just like to say having a Lawyer don't speed up a process with USCIS, it only meant you gave someone else to do the hard work for you. If you look around here, you will run into so MANY threads where this feat was achieved through DIY route, so it's really no big deal. 

 

If one is a good and attentive reader of instructions, then you wouldn't need to pay anyone. For instance, an attorney was going to charge us 5k for the process. Then i looked at the forms, followed the instructions and asked some questions here. No RFe whatsoever!

 

Just so you know, there's someone in one of my Whatsapp group that missed interview and had to reschedule just because the attorney didn't upload documents to the Embassy on time.

 

Attorneys don't speed up processing times, that's a misconception

[JeanneAdil 6,498]

attorney fills out the application (and u are responsible for the content as u do all the work to provide the documents)

filing out the application (petition) isn't that difficult if you follow USCIS instructions

 

the lawyer can not even attend the interview in most embassies and if allowed in interview ,  he/she can not answer questions or guide the immigrant in this process/  if a person did have the money to pay for an attorney to fly in for the interview

 

i will agree that some cases are difficult and waivers are needed and an experienced immigration lawyer could need to be consulted but for most its a matter of following the guides (clearly spelled out here and at USCIS site)

 

I can see that a highly experienced attorney is needed for employer for work permit and most prominent universities have one on staff to help with student visas but for normal K1 or CR1 , i personally don't see the need

and even then my case was going to be denied (NOID) and i filed my own appeal (no lawyer)