Has this happen to anyone else? What did you do? Which process did you do? Any advice is appreciated

You may want to wait and see what happens with them since they tend to be holding the I130's if the I129 is approved. If they didn't retain it though you may want to consider doing the I130. It is all about time. It takes about two to three months longer to get the I130 to the embassy from the time you get the NOA2, whereas it's only a matter of weeks with the I129. If you can stand to be apart for a few extra months (on top of all those other months) then you may want to since he'd get his greencard right away.

I'm sure others will give more input too as to which is the best in terms of Morocco. Good luck!

Mabrouk on the approval

Congrats on the approval!!!

CR-1/IR-1s are moving faster. Ours has gone much faster than I was told it would. Think of it this way, you have two options now, and that's not a bad thing!

When did you file yours Greeneyedgirl and what stage is it at? I am looking for time frames...
I cannot understand why they let you file both apps then they retain the CR/IR1 if they are both approved same time...?!

We filed the I-130 the last week of July 2006, and have received the I-184 pak from the NVC already. We could have been farther along by now, because I got the I-864 bill from the NVC the first week of November 2006 (about 3 months in between filing and getting to the NVC), but I'd been holding up returning the I-864 pak until our 2006 taxes are done next week. I want to use only my income and the I-864EZ to file that.

The problem is that after 10/23 I believe a new policy was implemented whereby they retain the I-130 if the I-129 has been approved. If this happens you have to submit a form and a fee to request that the I-130 be processed. It's part of the new overhaul that they are doing to make things more efficient I guess. When szsz filed this policy was not in existance and you just waited to see which one got approved first and went with that.

SO then whats the point to file both? ????

We never filed an I-129F because the NOA2 came in faster than I was expecting it to. So, it just stayed a CR-1/IR-1.

Just what I was wondering but felt too shy to ask. You have to pay for each when filing don't you?

Yes exactly.... like we are already wasting ton of money and time... but to waste for something we know will get retained

Well in my case, I want to do the K-3 since it will get him here faster. It means less time at the NVC.

In order to do the K-3, I have to first file the I-130. Then once I get the NOA1 from the Vermont Service Center from the I-130, I can send off the I-129 which is the application for the K-3 visa.

As of now, from what I understand, they will retain my I-130 (unless I submit another form and additional money) until the K-3 is issued and then they will process it. The I-130 is necessary in any event in order for him to get permanent residency.

The K-3 was invented so that spouses could be reuinited in a more speedy fashion while they wait for the CR-1 to go through.

I hope that made sense and please correct me if I'm wrong.

GEG - you were smart in 86'ing the K-3 since it's the I130 came through. It's just an additional fee really to get him here sooner.

It's another way for the government to raise more money for military funding, I guess.

GEG - you were smart in 86'ing the K-3 since it's the I130 came through. It's just an additional fee really to get him here sooner.

Thx, sis. I was worried about doing an IR-1 for a while, but explanations from folks here helped me to chill out about it. Now, I'm lovin' it!

You're right but you cannot even start the K-3 process if you don't first file the I-130. If you want to save the money just do the I-130 and it won't be retained but you'll be adding about two months or so to your waiting period. It's all in how long you are willing to wait. I've never been known for my patience.

what is this form called and what is the fee?
Uff the cr/ir1 visa fees are already 1200$

Don't be shy, melly. Ask and you shall be answered!

Just 2 months? I have looking at the timeline...says 24months for the CR/IR1...

With them 86-ing DCF I am redoing our plan... and I am clueless...

Just 2 months? I have looking at the timeline...says 24months for the CR/IR1...

I don't get those timelines. I guess they're general, but mine has been faster than that. so far. That's how I ended up with an IR-1 instead of a K3.

May I ask when you filed GreeneyedGirl? So I am compare the times...

We filed on 7/26/06 and got to NVC by Oct 8, 2006. That's about 2 months. About 9 weeks later, I had the I-864 pak. That's where we are now, and I'm sending that back next week, insha'allah.

Thanks... hmm hopefully the system will not slow down

Not to sound dumb but how many more packets to go?
I am have just now looked into the k3 and cr/ir1 2days ago...after the new law chnage....still clueless

Here is the link to the new policy http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/PN_i-129f.pdf


The form is the I824 and is $200.

How are you getting $1,200 though? The I-130 is $190, right? I'm not sure how much the other forms are once the process gets to NVC but I didn't think it added to $1,200.


The two months that I mentioned is the average amount of time the I-130 takes to be processed from the time it arrives at the NVC to the time it is sent out to the embassy. It's not the total time for the entire process to take place...I wish!!! I just use that as comparison because the I-129 only sits at NVC for about a week before it's sent to the embassy so doing the I-130 adds about two months to the total time this dreaded process takes.

I don't look at estimates either. I figured my own estimate just based on watching the peeps here that go through Cairo. My estimate is:

send I-130 to Vermont
receive NOA1 - 1 week
send I-129F to Chicago
receive NOA1 for I-129F - 1 week
I-129 arrive at VSC - 1 week
receive NOA2 for I-129F - 100 days
I-129 arrives at embassy - 1 month (we're talking Cairo here where they leave early when they feel like it. lol.)
get interview date - 2 months (again....this is Cairo)
be on admin processing - 4 to 5 months.


That's what I'm banking on but if it's more than that so be it and Allah knows best.

I'm no expert, but I think there's another bill and 3 more packets. Someone farther on, feel free to correct me!

from what i calucated it is about 1200$ i may be wrong but thanks for the link

I-130 = $190

I-129F - $170, last time I checked.

so what about the medical exam, AOS etc?

There's a fee for examing your financials. The I-864 is $70.

so what about the medical exam, AOS etc?

By the time you get to these, the costs could have changed.

Ah I see,,, so you donnot send the money all the same time...like with DCF... ok I need to do some more reading up.

someone posted this for the CR1 in another thread. Don't know how accurate it is and of course there could be other fees involved I guess and it probably varies depending on where the spouse lives.

I-130 - US$190 (send check with form)
I-864 - US$70 (paid before you get the I-864 package)
IV Fee - US$380 (paid before you get the DS-230 and application package)
Medical - about US$100
Blood tests and other exams for the medical (in Brazil): US$120
Photos: US$ 5
Copies: US$ 5

I'm up to having paid the IV bill, so far.



Yea, they nickel and dime you into submission.

Yes when i read about DCF I knew it was too good to be true... ye now they 86-ed it...

Also I posted this on the LPR bringing family to USA forum, but I did not get a real answer.

So since may of my questions were asnwered I thought I repost it here...maybe someone can help here ?! Our orginal plan was (even thou I already stated this) was to do DCF file the I-130 in the consulate but that is out... I read all I coulld first about the K1, then we decided to get married, better option for us, then I read up on DCF(which was the same I-130 form but just filed in a different way) They nixed that out...now I am going crazy looking for another route...but I guess my only 2 options are k3 and CR/IR1...


Thanks!

Henia, you may want to check out the 2007 edition of "Fiance and Spousal Visas", by Ilona Bray. It has a section on how LPRs can do spousal visas. You can even download it at Amazon.

Saha,Thanks checking it now

Preordered the digital version of the book.

I guess I am just frustrated with years of dealing with INS, their bizarre adminstratie errors, rude and stupid officers in my local office, a cheating lawyer whoe wasted my time for 2 years and this new John Walsh law.