paying for your k1

[IcarthaneseXIII 0]

it says the I 1-29 filling fee is 535, so i'm assuming I can't just pay 340 to USCIS now and then the 265 to the consult when it gets to them? you have to pay it up front??

[geowrian 22,335]

Correct. You must include the full amount upfront or they will not even process your application. They will reject it and return your check.

[IcarthaneseXIII 0]

ok, thank you.  This is a set back we were going to file tom, I guess we have to wait now until i get the remaining  195.00.

[geowrian 22,335]

Good luck!

[EM_Vandaveer 2,364]

The fees recently went up, that's the new fee for filing the petition.

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

53 minutes ago, EM_Vandaveer said:

The fees recently went up, that's the new fee for filing the petition.

Vandaveer is right... this is ONLY for thE petition.. that went up Dec 23rd... the consulate will still need their visa processing fee aswell.

[IcarthaneseXIII 0]

ok elaborate more please haha.

 

so far I've seen that USCIS gets 340 and Consult gets 195.  so I would pay 535 to homeland security.  Or are you saying its a different price than that all together because that is what I had found tonight on USCIS.gov

[geowrian 22,335]

5 minutes ago, IcarthaneseXIII said:

ok elaborate more please haha.

 

so far I've seen that USCIS gets 340 and Consult gets 195.  so I would pay 535 to homeland security.  Or are you saying its a different price than that all together because that is what I had found tonight on USCIS.gov

"As of December, 2016 the total filing fees for the K-1 process were $535 for Form I-129F (filed with USCIS), $265 to apply for the K visa (paid to the consulate), and $1,225 for Form I-485 and the adjustment of status packet (filed with USCIS), including the biometrics fee. That brings the total government U.S. fee to $2,025."

 

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/whats-better-low-income-couples-k-1-fiance-visa-marriage-based-visa.html

 

So to break it down:

1) You need $535 now to submit your I-129F petition.

2) Once approved, your fiance will needto apply for the K-1 visa. Cost: $265

3) After marriage in the US, she needs to adjust her status using I-485. That cost is $1,225.

Edited January 3, 2017 by geowrian

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

3 minutes ago, IcarthaneseXIII said:

ok elaborate more please haha.

 

so far I've seen that USCIS gets 340 and Consult gets 195.  so I would pay 535 to homeland security.  Or are you saying its a different price than that all together because that is what I had found tonight on USCIS.gov

The old fee for filing i-129f was $340 the new is $535. This is payed upon filing.

https://www.uscis.gov/forms/our-fees

 

In step 2 when the fiancée applies for the visa at the overseas consulate/embassy they pay for the visa application to be processed there. .. as far as I remember thats $265.

[IcarthaneseXIII 0]

well damn.  smh ok, well we will do what we can i'm trying to scrape together the extra 195 to add to the pot for uscis first.  If ya'll got to the step of the consult yet about how long between paying Uscis till paying the consult so we have a better timeline and i understand the experience may vary.

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

And yes... it sucks... 

It's an expensive process... 

It's either... 

K1-pay more, wait on work permit, green card after entry but be together faster or 

CR1- pay less, have green card upon entry be able to work but wait longer to be together..

[geowrian 22,335]

7 minutes ago, IcarthaneseXIII said:

well damn.  smh ok, well we will do what we can i'm trying to scrape together the extra 195 to add to the pot for uscis first.  If ya'll got to the step of the consult yet about how long between paying Uscis till paying the consult so we have a better timeline and i understand the experience may vary.

Yup, it's not cheap. Another option is to get married outside the US and then obtain a CR-1 visa (via form I-130). This is cheaper, but that takes roughly 12-18 months to process. The K-1 process takes a total of roughly 6 months. As for your particular question, it varies based on consulate and processing times and such, but from NOA1 to interview it usually takes about 152 days currently (http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/stats.php?cfl=)

 

Edit: The 6 months for K1 is to get her in the US. AOS takes ~1 year, but she can (and must without advanced parole) stay in the US during that time.

Edited January 3, 2017 by geowrian

[IcarthaneseXIII 0]

hmm, because I go back to korea for a year or two to work.  so we are just trying to get the married part finished first and then the green card part as we come back to the states.

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

2 minutes ago, IcarthaneseXIII said:

hmm, because I go back to korea for a year or two to work.  so we are just trying to get the married part finished first and then the green card part as we come back to the states.

Well if you have the option to get married first and file for CR1 it looks like it would fit your timeline 1-1.5 years or so... she would then have the green card upon entry...

[EM_Vandaveer 2,364]

18 minutes ago, IcarthaneseXIII said:

hmm, because I go back to korea for a year or two to work.  so we are just trying to get the married part finished first and then the green card part as we come back to the states.

Then you shouldn't do a K-1 at all. Go to Korea, get married, file an I-130 about a year before your expected return.

 

Or she can come visit you on VWP and you get married in the US, she goes back to Korea, you follow, file an I-130 about a year before you two want to return to the US. No K-1 is needed if you just want to get married but not settle in the US yet.

Edited January 3, 2017 by EM_Vandaveer