Hi Everyone,

I am very new to this process. A little about myself: I am a naturalized US citizen. I recently got engaged (July 10th) when I went to India. Now I am back in the US, and I won't be able to go back to India at least until Nov-Dec. And even then, it probably won't be for more than 2 weeks. And I can go back to India only once within the next year. Now I am trying to decide whether to apply for the K1 Visa or the K3 Visa.

I have looked into K1 Visa information, and it seems that if we apply for that, then I could bring my fiancee over to the US probably in March or even April (7-8 months).

I still don't have a good handle on the K3 Visa, however. What options do I have for this visa? Would I be required to spend a certain amount of time in India before applying for it? Or is that only required if I'm doing a Direct Consular Filing? If I go the K3 route, and I get married in Dec, then when is the earliest my wife would be able to come to the US?

Any help anyone can provide is much appreciated. Even pointing me in the right direction where I can get the answers I am looking for will be greatly appreciated.

~Kartik.

I was in the same boat.

DCF is not an option anymore at the Delhi Consulate for most US Citizens residing in the US. In order to do DCF in Delhi, you need to be a resident of india and show income tax and employment records. Also long term indian visa is needed. Basically the delhi consulate is trying to serve US citizens who are long term residents of india unlike transient folks like you and me. They want all US citizens who are not residents of india to file their applications at the consulates in the US.

Effective May1st, there is no longer a duration on number of days you need to stay in India etc.

You have the K1 option for now unless you decide to get married. If you do get married, then you can do a I130 for a Greencard [7-12 month process] and/or do a K3 [5-7month process]

Good luck and Congrats on your engagement!

Kartik,

For the purpose of discussing your circumstances we can say that a K3 visa is going to take roughly the same amont of time, from petition to visa, as a K1. Since you can fill out and submit the I-129f petition for a fiance(e) today (or within a few weeks) but you can't do the same for an I-130 and I-129f for spouse until December at the earliest, the K1 visa will get you to where you want to be about 4 months sooner.

Yodrak

kartik..

u could have a formal legal marriage done (while u were there last time) at a registrar's office and file a K3..but now since u r already here n will travel only in dec for the traditional muhurt marriage and u have to file k3 @dec, considering the heavy holidays at the end of dec, n taking jan as ur month for the initial k3 process, then my wild guess follwing this forum, it would take anywhere @ may 07..

but since u have much more time until dec, try for the K1 fiance visa, n luckly she may be here @feb-march 07...

jus my thoughts...heard somewhere that u may have to show proofs that u 2 have been together from atleast 1 1/2-2 yrs before the date u r filling the K1...?? (not sure though)

citizen,

Try to remember where that "somewhere" is - then avoid it. Or listen more carefully the next time.

Yodrak