hello friends. I am newbie to this whole immigraiton process. I filed both the I-130 and the I-129 petition for my husband. Now i am hearing that this will result in either a IR-1 or the CR-1 visa. Please please tell me what the difference is? What usually happens in the case when both the I-130 and I-129 are filed... usual circumstances. Please give feedback. thanks.

If you end up getting your greencard right away (which is what the IR-1/CR-1 is) instead of getting the K3 visa, it will be automatically decided whether you get the IR-1 or the CR-1. You don't have to worry about it. You will get the CR-1 if you are married less than two years (I believe on the date of the interview) and the IR-1 when married longer than two years. With the IR-1 you will automatically get the 10-year greencard, with the CR-1 you'll get the 2-year greencard which will then have to be renewed.

Hope this helped.

Hello. If the I-129F is approved first, there will be an interview for the K3 visa. The K3 visa allows the foreign spouse multiple entry to the US and is good for two years. After the first point of entry, you can either apply for Adjustment of Status (which will result in a green card) or I believe if your I-130 is soon approved, you could take that route to a green card while in the US on the K3.

If the I-130 is approved first, there will be an interview for a CR1/IR1 visa. The visa is good for six months. After the first point of entry, a green card is automatically generated - two year if married for less than two years, and ten year if married for more than two years at the time of the interview.

There are advantages to the CR1/IR1 visa as opposed to the K3 visa. If both your I-130 and 1-129F petitions are approved around the same time, you should ask for advice on how to get the CR1/IR1 visa interview instead of the K3. I think that's possible.

neel06,

Nothing significant. They are the same visa, the 'C' or 'I' designating only the age of the marriage at the time the visa is issued.

Yodrak

Not unusual at all. Filing both those petitions give your beneficiary the option of potentially applying for a K-3 visa, or potentially an Immigrant Visa (CR-1/IR-1).