Basic I-130/I-129F Filing Question

[Hoot 0]

Hi All:

I need to file an I-130 for my wife and her 2 children plus I will file an I-129F. I live in FLorida.

The instructions/flowchart say to wait until I receive the I-130 receipt before filing the I-129F.

However, I have heard that you can shortcut the process by iling the I-129F with the I-130.

1) Is this true ???

2) If so, where do I file the combined petitions ??? The I-130 goes to a box in chicago but the I-129F goes to Vermont.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

[dale_trisha 3]

It is not true. In order to file the 129-F for the K3 visa you have to attach a copy of the NOA1 for the I-130. So each packet goes in by itself. The -130 goes to the Chicago lockbox per the instructions. The I-129F gets filed to the address given on your I-130 NOA1 thus why you need to get that first.

[Hoot 0]

Are you sure ??? I heard from an attorney that you can now send the I-129F and the I-130's together to the vermont service center and that the enclosure of the I-130s consrtitutes proof of their submission. Can anybody else confirm this filing method ???

Neil

[ronald dallas 0]

I think you send the I-129F to the same place you sent the I-130, you have to wait to recieve the receipt number that comes with your receipt of the I-130.

That is to say when you get the 797 for your I-130. There will be a receipt number on the form. You need the receipt number before you can send in the I-129F

I hope this helps.

Forms, Forms and more Forms.

[VerGo 0]

Hi All:

I need to file an I-130 for my wife and her 2 children plus I will file an I-129F. I live in FLorida.

The instructions/flowchart say to wait until I receive the I-130 receipt before filing the I-129F.

However, I have heard that you can shortcut the process by iling the I-129F with the I-130.

1) Is this true ???

2) If so, where do I file the combined petitions ??? The I-130 goes to a box in chicago but the I-129F goes to Vermont.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

I would send the I-130 and wait for the receipt. I initially started with a K3 process and the receipts came quickly. I don't think trying a shortcut for this portion will change your overall time much as this is the longest part of the process anyway. You should read the guides for what to do after the forms are filed to save some time with shortcuts there. I would just do this part the way they ask. The I 130 does go to the chicago box, and is routed to the appropriate place, the receipt notice from it will tell you where to send the second form.

[pushbrk 12,883]

Are you sure ??? I heard from an attorney that you can now send the I-129F and the I-130's together to the vermont service center and that the enclosure of the I-130s consrtitutes proof of their submission. Can anybody else confirm this filing method ???

Neil

There was a time when this would work and it might now but we've seen it tried and failed recently.

Since there are multiple family members involved, I would give strong consideration to not filing the I-129F at all. It saves little time and by the time everybody adjusts status, you'll have spent quite a bit more money in government fees. In your case, I assume some more in attorney fees as well. K3 is pretty much a dead issue now that procedures have changed to process both petitions concurrently and approve them the same day. When the I-129F arrives, the I-130 gets moved back in the line to match the I-129F receipt date too, so that's a bummer. My wife came on a K3 issued in 2006. Things have changed since then. I just helped her sister's husband prepare to file an I-130 for her last week. We won't be filing an I-129F. With multiple intending immigrants, you have much more reason to avoid the I-129F. For three people, at least 2000 reasons.

Edited January 25, 2009 by pushbrk

[YuAndDan 153]

You can save yourself a heep of $$$ and simply file 3 I-130s together 1 for wife, and 1 each for children and forget the I-129F. This results in a CR-1 for wife, and CR-2 visas for children, NO adjustment of status after entry to the USA they will get their green-card the moment they arrive into the USA.

AOS costs $1010 for wife, and $600 - $930 each for children depending on age and if filing with parent.

If considering K-3 think carefully about it. CR-1 and K-3 tend to take about the same time, K-3 may save you about a month, however the K-3 has the added pain of adjustment of status, and it NOT a work authorized visa, so also has the added period of limbo waiting for EAD to be able to do things like take a job, get SSN, etc...

For the most part CR-1 tends to take a bit longer than K-3 to get if you prepare for NVC when they request I-864 fee, and Visa fee, as well as documents requested by NVC. In many cases the CR-1 petition reaches the consulate just before K-3 interview, which causes K-3 to get dropped and the interview becomes a CR-1 visa interview.

K-3:

I-130: $355

I-129F: NONE

Consulate: $131

AOS: $1010

($1496)

CR-1

I-130: $355

NVC I-864: $70

NVC Visa fee: $400 ($355+$45)

($825)

I see many posts from K-3 holders stating, "Wow this sucks, I am stuck at home because I don't have EAD, DL, etc, or I am having hard time getting added to bank accounts because of NO SSN." K-3 has a 90 day or longer period of limbo while waiting for EAD or Green-card.

K-3 was developed at a time when CR-1 was taking much longer that today, NVC has greatly streamlined the CR-1 process to the point where K-3 becomes irrelevant.

If you consider CR-1, all you need to do is keep the NVC processing going for CR-1, and delay responding to the K-3 Packets from consulate, or reschedule K-3 interview to allow the CR-1 to complete at NVC and get sent to the consulate.

I have seen quite a few cases where a K-Visa does not save much time for Manila, compare timelines.

[hankster 0]

I see many posts from K-3 holders stating, "Wow this sucks, I am stuck at home because I don't have EAD, DL, etc, or I am having hard time getting added to bank accounts because of NO SSN." K-3 has a 90 day or longer period of limbo while waiting for EAD or Green-card.

Dan's right about this. Wish we'd gone the CR-1 Route. Of course Hindsight is always 20/20