Kuwait police clearance for K1

[keystoneheights 0]

So I have a question regarding processing times. I have a friend 5 years ago that I witness through the whole process. They had a fiancé from Cebu, and my friend and I are from United States. The whole process from when he applied until when she got her k1 visa and was allowed to leave the Philippines was exactly 7 months. I know it varies but here's my question: we have heard that the processing time in Kuwait is much shorter than in the Philippines. So should she stay in Kuwait and keep working as I processor k1 visa and go to her interview at the Philippine embassy in Kuwait? Or should she go back to the Philippines and we begin to process it from there? 

Here's a little background information;
-My fiancé is from the Philippines but she has been working in Kuwait on a Visa (number 18). She has been living and working in Kuwait for the last 16 months. She has a civil ID and all of her documents over there are in order.

-Because she has been there over a year, does she only need to get police clearance from Kuwait? And is she able to?

-She goes home on vacation in 2 weeks so she can get any and all documents she needs from the Philippines. Documents like CENOMAR, Philippine police clearance, etc.

-is the process for finding and going to her doctor's appointment (The one that is required right around your interview time) the same in Kuwait? Is she going to run in any trouble there?

-I also remember my friend's fiancé had to attend a 2-day class in Cebu right before she left That taught her about the ways of the United States... is this also something she'll run into trouble in Kuwait trying to organize and arrange?

So basically I'm asking two things:

-is the processing time in Kuwait faster than in the Philippines? (All of her co-workers are telling her it is, and she went to the Philippines embassy in Kuwait to ask the same question and they agreed although they were vague which is why I'm posting here) 

-Will she run into any unexpected steps that we are not preparing for because she's in Kuwait?

[Crazy Cat 41,814]

***Comment split from old thread to new topic***

[J.M. 230]

I don't have any Kuwait specific information, but there are a few things in your question that I can answer.

 

The majority of the waiting time is for processing your I-129f petition in the US.  The time for that processing is the generally the same, regardless of the beneficiary's country.

 

I'm sure the Philippine Embassy would have looked at her a bit strange, since her interview and processing would be at the US Embassy, not the Philippine embassy.

 

Yes, she will need a police clearance from Kuwait, and yes, she is eligible to get one.  She will also need an NBI clearance from the Philippines.  She will need both of these, no matter if interview is in Kuwait or the Philippines.

 

The Philippines processes a lot of visas and has a hospital that is very efficient for the medical exam.  I do not know how efficient the process is in Kuwait.  The potential down-side of medical in the Philippines is the approximately 10% chance of being subjected to sputum testing for TB, resulting in a 2 month delay.

 

The "2 day class" is CFO.  It is actually a 1/2 day class.  It is required for K-1's (and others) departing the Philippines.  If she will depart from the Philippines, no matter where the interview was done, she will need this class.  If she departs from Kuwait, not needed.

 

I would be surprised if Kuwait is significantly faster than the Philippines, but it could be.  The only thing I can think of that might be faster is getting an interview appointment.  That takes about 1 month in the Philippines.  For Kuwait, it says to email them to ask for an appointment and they will respond within 1 day with your appointment.  It does not say how far away that appointment might be, or how long it takes to process the visa and return your passport.

 

A conservative estimate for all of the processing in the Philippines, from the time they receive your case until departure, is 3 months.  That is not 3 months from the beginning of the application.  You have to add the US processing time and NVC time to that.  For me, that part was 1 year.  That's the time that you will wait before the case is sent to either country.  It seems to be a little quicker now, maybe 8 months.

 

There is very little Kuwait data in VJ timelines.  The 2 most recent K-1's took 13.5 months for US processing and 3-4 additional months in Kuwait before interview.

[J.M. 230]

Slight update...  she would not necessarily need the Kuwait police clearance if interviewing the Philippines.  It is not available unless physically present in Kuwait.  She could get one while she is still there, but it probably would not be required if interview is in the Philippines because they know it is not possible to get one without actually being there in person to request it.