Evidence of Meeting

[Crazy Cat 41,802]

1 minute ago, W199 said:

Getting married or even rushing to get married to get a CR-1

Who says you have to rush to get married?  I fail to see any logic in your case. 

[W199 331]

19 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

Who says you have to rush to get married?  I fail to see any logic in your case. 

It depends on the person, their situation, age, and so forth.

For myself, I felt I had to rush to make a decision because when I applied the wait time was going to be 2 years.

 

I didn't want to wait 2 more years before I chose to file the CR-1 or the K-1.

Because then it will be 4 years before they arrive in the USA. I am getting too old for that.

 

So I felt rushed into getting married or doing a K-1 due to the 2 years wait and suffering living alone, and the worst of all, spending everyday

reading VisaJourney watching the processing times, statistics, and all the horror stories on here. 

 

Actually, my case is more complicated as I wanted to do this years earlier but I had to wait until my divorce became final. That already took years.

Once that happened, then I had to decide cr-1 or k-1.  But I didn't want to rush to married right after my divorce became final I wanted the 2 years of extra time that the K-1 gave me to be 1 million percent confident of my new marriage. 

 

 

 

Edited March 4, 2023 by W199
typo

[W199 331]

1 hour ago, Crazy Cat said:

That just is Not true at all! The processing times for the K-1 and CR-1 are roughly the same. 

>> Don't know what you mean, It sounds like we agree there is an equal wait of 1.5 to 2 years, depending on the case.

 

Both have equal visitation privileges. 

>> Exactly.

The CR-1 is the far faster route to a green Card. 

>> Yes, that can be a very big thing for many, especially for those people marrying to get a GC. My fiancee couldn't care less whether her green card

>> came in 1 year or 4 years after we married, or when she becomes naturalized in 3 or 5 years. Because its all going to be a distant memory and

>> insignificant after being married for 20 years. We just want a happy and forever marriage and  the wait for EAD and APis not an issue until the GC arrives.

>> the time difference is going to be totally insignificant in the long run. But sure, many people are excited and can't wait for their GC for one reason or another.

>>  But again, I don't disagree, for some, for many different valid and good reasons, getting the green card and naturalized ASAP is important.

I have seen many K-1 couples regret that they chose that route.  I have seen zero spousal visa couples who wish they had chosen a K-1 instead. 

I see no different "break up numbers" in K-1 cases vs spousal visa cases.  

>> So you agree there are "break up numbers:.  And with a CR-1 you can't just break-up, you need to get a divorce. I don't wish that on my worst enemy.

My comparison is very realistic. 

The Utah Zoom marriage option has made a K-1 much, much more inferior. 

>> Some people have had issues with the Utah zoom marriage due to various invalid or illegal reasons in some Countries 

>> like the Philippines. But I hear those issues are now resolved.

It's your decision....and your consequences. 

>> We agree ...

 

[SalishSea 17,797]

6 hours ago, USAtoday said:

Hi everyone I’m currently finalizing our K-1 application however I really don’t have any receipts to scan. I have provided boarding passes, bus tickets, flight itineraries, passport stamps, and photos of us together. Will this be enough? Just a bit stressed about it. I do have a couple of random receipts but nothing with our names.

I have yet to add the 2 receipts I do have as I feel they aren’t really helpful in any way without showing either of our names 

OP,  what country is your fiance from?

 

I did a K-1.  In 2018 it made sense for us, and vs today's processing times, it was lightning fast.  8 months from filing to marriage.  

 

Today things are very different.  If I was petitioning him today, we would definitely do a spousal visa, for the reasons outlined by the C. Cat.

 

However, if you do proceed with the K-1, the evidence you mentioned is all we submitted.  The boarding passes and passport stamps have historically been completely adequate for most consulates.

 

Best wishes.

[Mar u 54]

5 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

That just is Not true at all! The processing times for the K-1 and CR-1 are roughly the same.  Both have equal visitation privileges.  The CR-1 is the far faster route to a green Card. 

I have seen many K-1 couples regret that they chose that route.  I have seen zero spousal visa couples who wish they had chosen a K-1 instead.  I see no different "break up numbers" in K-1 cases vs spousal visa cases.  

My comparison is very realistic.  The Utah Zoom marriage option has made a K-1 much, much more inferior. 

It's your decision....and your consequences. 

Totally agree! I think if you are sure that you found your other half, skip the engagement…marry now! 😅

 

 

[Crazy Cat 41,802]

3 hours ago, Boatsi said:

We went K1 too for the reason that we don't want a stupid Utah zoom marriage

What is stupid about it?  

Edited March 4, 2023 by Crazy Cat

[P055UM 281]

1 hour ago, Crazy Cat said:

What is stupid about it?  

I mean I get some people don’t want a zoom marriage…but I’d argue it is far more stupid to arrange your entire immigration journey simply around the wedding day. CR1 clearly superior in this day and age (even if marriage is via Utah Zoom).  

[h02ejmajja 57]

13 hours ago, W199 said:

 

 

What I am trying to say is making a decision based on "which is better" is not the right attitude, it should be what do you need. A cr-1 because you are getting married, or a k-1 because you want to be engaged, or a cr-1 for work, etc....  not comparing the features like you compare different credit cards.

 

Another realistic considering is the possibility of divorce. Getting married and divorce in Thailand was trivial. In the Philippines, both are very dif

Keep in mind that the worldwide visa issuances for K1 are around 45%. When my current husband and I first met and started researching the K1 you can google K1 approval rate and its like 98%-99% - but that's the USCIS approval rate for a K1 - not the rate of people who actually receive visas. 

 

So during my husbands K1 interview, we ended up being put into administrative processing and the visa petition was returned to the US - as the K1 only has a validity of 4 months they just say it's expired and you have to start over again. So we weren't DENIED a K1 but we had an unapproved K1. After that experience we started researching more and found the approval rate worldwide. 

 

In addition, rates of visa issuance worldwide are also going down. You mentioned Philippines and Thailand. While Philippines issued 4,804 K1s in 2022 (which is BY FAR the highest number of ANY country - the 2nd highest, Mexico, issued 1,166) - they were issuing 8,000+ pre-pandemic. Thailand has also decreased slowly - 700-900 routinely pre-pandemic but only 273 in 2022. Most countries have had their K1 totals start going down, and many countries have longer wait times for K1 interviews after USCIS approval. It's not just about the wait for a green card/the money - and you mention if you waited two years to marry then did a spouse visa it would be 4 years total - well keep in mind that if you wait 2 years for a K1 and it's not approved for whatever reason (and there's no requirement to tell you why a K1 was not approved and no grounds for an appeal, unlike the spouse visa) then you're back at the beginning again. 

 

Our spouse visa was approved at my husband's interview and we are now waiting on his naturalization, but the process made me realize how the K1s are less prioritized and less of a great thing than the spouse visa is. 

 

[MonkeyDan 27]

14 hours ago, W199 said:

Need to be realistic as many K-1 couples break up before they get married. Rushing to get  married to save a little bit on the application fee or on taxes is foolish.

You should get married if that is your priority, or do a K-1 if you prefer to have a longer engagement and get married in the USA. 

The money or time is going to be insignificant and all forgotten after being married for a while. What will be important is how you got married, or developed your relationship during your engagement.

 

 

THIS!!  I am glad someone finally said something.  I keep seeing everyone push Spousal visa because it is "quicker" or "easier" or you get to work right away, etc. I don't think people should get married just because it is more convenient.  I have seen this push over and over again and honestly I do not understand it.  It may be more convenient now but I am certain the divorce rate is higher with these couples (since many of them have hardly spent any time together or lived together prior to the marriage) and although you might save money and time now, a divorce will nullify any benefit you got from speeding up the process.  

 

I say this from personal experience, about 5 years ago I met an immigrant and everyone was pushing the spousal visa because it was easier and quicker.  Even our attorney pushed it for us.  We decided to go that route and got married very quickly and that ended in a disaster, divorce, and legal fees.  I am not going to make that mistake again.  I personally think a fiance is the better route, as it gives you plenty of time to decide if you want a future with that person.

[JeanneAdil 6,488]

 

 

W 199

if u aren't ready to marry,  don't do either 

 

Edited March 4, 2023 by JeanneAdil

[W199 331]

5 minutes ago, MonkeyDan said:

THIS!!  I am glad someone finally said something.  I keep seeing everyone push Spousal visa because it is "quicker" or "easier" or you get to work right away, etc. I don't think people should get married just because it is more convenient.  I have seen this push over and over again and honestly I do not understand it.  It may be more convenient now but I am certain the divorce rate is higher with these couples (since many of them have hardly spent any time together or lived together prior to the marriage) and although you might save money and time now, a divorce will nullify any benefit you got from speeding up the process.  

 

I say this from personal experience, about 5 years ago I met an immigrant and everyone was pushing the spousal visa because it was easier and quicker.  Even our attorney pushed it for us.  We decided to go that route and got married very quickly and that ended in a disaster, divorce, and legal fees.  I am not going to make that mistake again.  I personally think a fiance is the better route, as it gives you plenty of time to decide if you want a future with that person.

Amen!  I think it is because "misery loves company."    My last K-1 was 20+ years ago and I don't even remember the extra steps of EAP, AP, etc... Its all in the noise and soon forgotten.  Now that I am in "bed" with my fiancee, I am in the know of so many other girls in the Philippines that are scamming their foreign bf.  Just being engaged to them for 2 more years would help flush that that, assuming you are not gullible and do not ignore the warning signs. I just had a friend go to the Philippines to meet his fiancee for the first time and to get married. But he never made it there. On his transit connection stop he called her, then, he turned back to usa based on what she said to him.  

 

But nonetheless the cr-1 is a lot better, but I think that needs to be taken very seriously and is only right for certain couples, or other special situations. So do not be paranoid to do the cr-1, but really evaluate if you are using your brain and if that makes the most sense from a relationship standpoint, an make a wise intelligent decision, not basing it on the features of the cr-1, lol

[JeanneAdil 6,488]

15 minutes ago, MonkeyDan said:

THIS!!  I am glad someone finally said something.  I keep seeing everyone push Spousal visa because it is "quicker" or "easier" or you get to work right away, etc. I don't think people should get married just because it is more convenient.  I have seen this push over and over again and honestly I do not understand it.  It may be more convenient now but I am certain the divorce rate is higher with these couples (since many of them have hardly spent any time together or lived together prior to the marriage) and although you might save money and time now, a divorce will nullify any benefit you got from speeding up the process.  

 

I say this from personal experience, about 5 years ago I met an immigrant and everyone was pushing the spousal visa because it was easier and quicker.  Even our attorney pushed it for us.  We decided to go that route and got married very quickly and that ended in a disaster, divorce, and legal fees.  I am not going to make that mistake again.  I personally think a fiance is the better route, as it gives you plenty of time to decide if you want a future with that person.

if u post for K1 or CR1 the intent is to marry

if u don't want to marry , don't do either 

we don't push CR1  because of a green card 

we say (to people who intend to marry)  the spouse visa has advantages like getting SS # and DL  and not going thru the AOS process (which by the way will go from $1225 to $2820.

and yeah,   sometimes we have to think about spending the money 

To me i did K1 and it was denied (being ignorant of this process i had no idea what i getting into) so i had to do CR1/IR1

and that meant my husband who is trying to support family back in Moroc was able to work and found a job within 2 months 

[Unlockable 7,314]

***Several posts and quoted posts removed for TOS violation: Preventing others from posting or telling others not to post.

 

VJ Moderation

[W199 331]

1 hour ago, h02ejmajja said:

Keep in mind that the worldwide visa issuances for K1 are around 45%. When my current husband and I first met and started researching the K1 you can google K1 approval rate and its like 98%-99% - but that's the USCIS approval rate for a K1 - not the rate of people who actually receive visas. 

 

So during my husbands K1 interview, we ended up being put into administrative processing and the visa petition was returned to the US - as the K1 only has a validity of 4 months they just say it's expired and you have to start over again. So we weren't DENIED a K1 but we had an unapproved K1. After that experience we started researching more and found the approval rate worldwide. 

 

In addition, rates of visa issuance worldwide are also going down. You mentioned Philippines and Thailand. While Philippines issued 4,804 K1s in 2022 (which is BY FAR the highest number of ANY country - the 2nd highest, Mexico, issued 1,166) - they were issuing 8,000+ pre-pandemic. Thailand has also decreased slowly - 700-900 routinely pre-pandemic but only 273 in 2022. Most countries have had their K1 totals start going down, and many countries have longer wait times for K1 interviews after USCIS approval. It's not just about the wait for a green card/the money - and you mention if you waited two years to marry then did a spouse visa it would be 4 years total - well keep in mind that if you wait 2 years for a K1 and it's not approved for whatever reason (and there's no requirement to tell you why a K1 was not approved and no grounds for an appeal, unlike the spouse visa) then you're back at the beginning again. 

 

Our spouse visa was approved at my husband's interview and we are now waiting on his naturalization, but the process made me realize how the K1s are less prioritized and less of a great thing than the spouse visa is. 

 

Yes, that is a very good point. The consulate has far more discretion to deny a K-1 than a CR-1.  Just like you and Angela on 90 day fiance, it got refused and they had to resort to a CR-1 and wait 2 more years.   But that is more for cases with red flags or other issues.  In fact, I considered that issue as well, and still a little nervous, but our love story is very typical of those in Philippines and those cases all get approved. If there are red flags and you want to bullet proof it then CR-1 will help tremendously.

 

On the other hand, CR-1 do also get denied if the beneficiary or petitioner is not eligible. The risk is much lower, and you should know if you are eligible or not, but If your cr-1 is denied due to the benificiary lying about their criminal history or being free to marry, then you are far more screwed, than having to do a CR-1 if your k-1 is denied. Many people whose k-1 are denied just end the relationship. So again, need to think carefully and weigh all factors in your relationship before doing a CR-1, its a very serious decision and should not be based on saving some money on the application fee.

[Crazy Cat 41,802]

46 minutes ago, MonkeyDan said:

I don't think people should get married just because it is more convenient.

No one has ever suggested that....period. Nor, has anyone suggested to rush into marriage.  That notion is just baloney.   We suggest the spousal visa because it eliminates a GREAT deal of agony AFTER marriage.  In addition, a spousal visa is the faster route to a Green Card.  That means a faster route to working, a faster route to being able to leave and re-enter the US, and a faster route to citizenship eligibility.  

Edited March 4, 2023 by Crazy Cat