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Posted (edited)
9 hours ago, GoSox said:

Hi everyone,

 

Looks like a pretty niche community I've been lurking for the past few months. I asked my girlfriend from Belarus to marry me early last month, so we are beginning process together.

 

We were deciding between K1 and CR1, and the advantages of CR1 are obvious to me and don't need to be reiterated.

 

My question is, the CR1 application's examples for evidence of bona fide marriage are things like cohabitation, joint finances, or even children. The K1 evidence is just evidence of "having met in the past 2 years." We have been together every month in 2022 with photographic evidence and documented flights and everything, so this will not be an issue. We do not have evidence of the sort expected for a CR-1 Visa, so we have tentatively opted for a K1. The other advantage of a K1 in our opinion is the consolidation of all legal documents into a single location (the USA).

 

Everyone here seems pretty hell-bent on steering new applicants to a CR-1, but this issue has me a little nervous, because I would obviously hate to be turned down and restart this process all over again.

 

Thanks!

We got one visit and married on that first visit.  We had nothing but marriage docs because I filed as soon as I got back.  We were fine. 
The big packages packed with evidence are usually stapled to the I130/I485 applications.  Those couples already live together in the US.

Edited by iwannaplay54
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Australia
Timeline
Posted

My husband and I did the K-1 in 2018, and got married in 2019. In 2018, CR-1 versus K-1 was more of a toss up but if we were going through the process now, we would absolutely do the CR-1. At this point, K-1 has pretty much zero advantages over CR-1. 

K1 to AOS                                                                                   AOS/EAD/AP                                                                      N-400

03/01/2018 - I-129F Mailed                                              06/19/2019 - NOA1 Date                                              01/27/2023 - N-400 Filed Online

03/08/2018 - NOA1 Date                                                    07/11/2019 - Biometrics Appt                                   02/23/2023 - Biometrics Appt
09/14/2018 - NOA2 Date                                                    12/13/2019 - EAD/AP Approved                               04/03/2023 - Interview Scheduled

10/16/2018 - NVC Received                                              12/17/2019 - Interview Scheduled                          05/10/2023 - Interview - APPROVED!

10/21/2018 - Packet 3 Received                                      01/29/2020 - Interview - APPROVED!                  OFFICIALLY A U.S. CITIZEN! 

12/30/2018 - Packet 3 Sent                                               02/04/2020 - Green Card Received! 

01/06/2019 - Packet 4 Received                                     ROC - I-751

01/29/2019 - Interview - APPROVED!                           11/02/2021 - Mailed ROC Packet

02/05/2019 - Visa Received                                             11/04/2021 - NOA1 Date

05/17/2019 - U.S. Arrival                                                     01/19/2022 - Biometrics Waived

05/24/2019 - Married ❤️                                                    02/04/2023 - Transferred to New Office

06/14/2019 - Mailed AOS Packet                                    05/10/2023 - APPROVED!

Posted

We initially started preparing for either a K1 OR a CR1 petition in tandem before deciding to go all in on the CR1.  Best decision I ever made.  Not only was CR1 cheaper and easier but in our case, it ended up being way faster too. Like most here, our bona fide marriage evidence was very heavily weighted towards boarding passes, matching passport stamps and photos together.  Photos of me with her family probably worked well too. There are some things you can do comingling finances like adding her as an authorized user on your credit cards and I added her as beneficiary on my 401k. But those are probably secondary. Obviously, we had no joint bank accounts and never cohabitated.  I don't think you could find a single person here who regretted choosing CR1 over K1, but you could find a more than a few who went with K1 lamenting being stuck in adjustment of status purgatory.

Wife and Stepdaughter                                                                            

  • December 17, 2020:  Married in Costa Rica
  • March 08, 2021: Filed l-130s Online
  • March 09, 2021: NOA1
  • April 26, 2021: NOA2, I-130s Approved
  • April 30, 2021: NVC Received
  • May 01, 2021: Pay AOS and IV Bills
  • May 06, 2021: Submit AOS, Financial Docs and DS-260s
  • May 14, 2021: Submit Civil Docs for Stepdaughter
  • May 21, 2021: Submit Civil Docs for Wife
  • June 25, 2021: NVC review for Stepdaughter, RFE submit additional Doc
  • July 08, 2021: Wife Documentarily Qualified by NVC
  • August 31, 2021: Stepdaughter Documentarily Qualified by NVC
  • September 15, 2021: Received Interview Date from NVC, October 05, 2021
  • September 22, 2021: Passed physicals at Saint Luke's Extension Clinic
  • October 05, 2021: Interview at US Embassy Manila. Verbally approved by US Consul. Positive interview experience.
  • October 05, 2021: CEAC status changed to "Issued"
  • October 07, 2021: Passports tracking for delivery on 2GO Courier website
  • October 08, 2021: Passports with visas delivered.  "Visas on hand"
  • October 08, 2021: Paid Immigrant Fee
  • October 12, 2021: Temporary CFO Certificates Received
  • October 26, 2021 POE arrival at LAX
  • November 02, 2021 Social Security Cards arrive in mail
  • January 31, 2022: USCIS Status changed to "Card Is Being Produced"
  • February 04, 2022: USCIS Status changed to "Card Was Mailed To Me"
  • February 07, 2022: Green cards received. 

 

Posted
1 hour ago, top_secret said:

We initially started preparing for either a K1 OR a CR1 petition in tandem before deciding to go all in on the CR1.  Best decision I ever made.  Not only was CR1 cheaper and easier but in our case, it ended up being way faster too. Like most here, our bona fide marriage evidence was very heavily weighted towards boarding passes, matching passport stamps and photos together.  Photos of me with her family probably worked well too. There are some things you can do comingling finances like adding her as an authorized user on your credit cards and I added her as beneficiary on my 401k. But those are probably secondary. Obviously, we had no joint bank accounts and never cohabitated.  I don't think you could find a single person here who regretted choosing CR1 over K1, but you could find a more than a few who went with K1 lamenting being stuck in adjustment of status purgatory.

I think the only people who really regret CR1 over K1 are those who have a relationship breakdown just as the beneficiary enters the US and because of timelines the CR1 converted to a IR1... but that's a totally different story and the couple is no longer a couple... 

 
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