Hi everyone. Since everyone here seems pretty knowledgable and has lots of experiences to share, I thought I should post my questions here. My questions all relate to my specific case of bringing my Iranian fiance here to the U.S. from Iran. If anyone could help me at all with these questions, it would be an great, great, great help. Thank you so much:

1. My first question regards which consulate/embassy to use. The State Department's website mentions that since there is no U.S. embassy in Iran, Turkey is often used instead for Iranian citizens. I have heard, though, that many Iranians use Dubai, instead. Is there a choice, or is one assigned? How does this work? The Dubain consulate website also mentions longer wait times for Iranians in Dubai (average wait time 1 month for an appointment, and average processing time 3-6 weeks due to security clearances). If Turkey is used instead, are these wait times shorter?

2. In general, which type of visa have you seen takes the least amount of time for Iranian citizens, in particular : K-1(Non-immigrant visa for fiance), K-3 (Non-immigrant visa for spouse), or IR1/CR1 (Immigrant visa for spouse). I am assuming that both K-3 and K-1 are better than IR1/CR1 since K-3 and K-1 are non-immigrant visas, so they should be easier and faster to obtain. I guess my real question is between K-3 and K-1. I had heard from experiences of other people that K-1 visas were rather swift, but my fiance assures me that for Iranians K-1 visas take a long, long time, and that it is definitely much better to try for a K-3 visa(i.e. we should get married first and then apply for K-3 instead of applying as a fiance). Can you tell me which, in general, you have seen is better for Iranians?

3. Lastly, from what I've read, it seems to me that whichever route I decide to take, apply for a fiance visa(K1), or a spouse visa (K3), I have to start the process in both cases from here in the U.S. Is this correct? My fiance has described to me the following procedure (which she has heard from other Iranians): She says that I can come to Iran, we can get married, then go to the consulate in Dubai and apply there for a visa (K3, nonimmigrant visa for spouse...I guess). Over there the consulate will give us an appointment date, which might be a month or two later, when we will be interviewed....and then two or three days later we should recieve her visa, there in Dubai. Does this procedure sound familiar to anyone?

Thank you so much for your help.

No, K-1 and K-3 petitions are filed in the US with the USCIS. She must be speaking of what is commonly referred to as DCF which is an I-130 filed directly with the consulate which will result in an IR1/CR1.