Hi all, I've been pondering the option of possibly going ahead with our K3 visa (our I-129F was just approved about 3 weeks ago,) and forgetting about bothering with CR1. I was so unbelievably elated to hear that the wait times for the Montreal interviews aren't nearly as long with CR1's as they are with K3's, but now it seems they are slowing down with those too, and I can't even put into words how frustrated and distraught I've been feeling these last couple weeks.

We really don't have much longer to go with the CR1...I'm hoping to get notification that our case is complete sometime this week, but I'm at the point where my anxiety levels are so high I can hardly get out of bed in the morning to face another day knowing I may be months away still from seeing my husband again.

I would be getting my K3 interview in Vancouver since I am just across the water in Victoria, but mostly I just want to hear some other opinions. Does anything think it is worth it to abandon the CR1 at this point and go through with the K3 despite the bigger costs, added frustration after entering the US, etc? I'm not sure after all the processing is done that the K3 would even be much faster than the CR1 at this point, which I guess is why I'm looking for some feedback from some of you who are more experienced with the K3 process.

Anyways, any opinions are definetely welcome. I know in my heart it would probably be best to wait out the CR1, but I don't know how much longer I can hold my sanity with this waiting and being separated. (I'm sure you can all relate with me on that )

If we had to do again we'd have stuck with the CR-1.
We went thru hell adjusting status plus cost us a LOT more. I guess it would have been alright if they hadn't screwed up the AOS and we'd have gotten the GCs in a "normal time".
Wasn't the case tho.

At this stage i would just stick with the CR1 since you are almost there. K3 would have taken you about 2-4 months. If you start your process now I think both the interviews would come at about the same time.

My wife and I actually got her CR-1 visa on June 5, and I am SO thankful we went that route. It seems that your time table is going to be just about the same either way you go, so I'd highly recommend just doing the CR-1. Once she was over the border, we went and met with our lawyer, then went and got her Social Security card and driver's license, and now we're pretty much done for 21 months (90 days before that technically). After reading a lot of AOS stories, I'm very thankful we stuck with the CR-1. Good luck!

there's no reason to abandon your CR-1 at all. You can go ahead and get the k-3 in Vancouver if you want to and then go to Montreal for the CR-1. There is a chance that you'll get both interviews around the same time but in that event you could just go ahead and cancel the k-3 at Vancouver and fly to Montreal.

My husband just got his k-3 in May and we're still doing the CR-1 in Montreal........we too are hoping to hear that its complete at the NVC in the next few weeks.

Actually USCIS now has a policy that if you go through with K3, then they automatically assume that you will AOS and will not forward your I-130 to the NVC for a CR-1 unless you file a form that tell them differently with a $240 price tag which adds more time to the process.

With the increase in fees for AOS as of July 30, I would think long and hard about going through with a K3.

What form is that? At what point do you file it? I started with a Cr1/Ir1 but I've just sent in my I-129F for the K3. I thought they'd continue with the I-130 on a parallel track so I could just wait and see which one went thru first. How much more time does it add to the process?

I-824 Follow-up action on an
approved application or petition

USCIS now assumes that most applicants who file for a K3 will file for AOS rather than go back to their home country to complete with the CR1/IR1 process so recently USCIS stopped forwarding the approved I-130s to NVC. If you want to continue with the IR1/CR1 route you need to file the above form with USCIS after it has been approved.

In this case her I-130 has already been forwarded and is processing at the NVC, so going ahead with the K-3 wouldn't affect that process.The only risk involved here is having interviews scheduled around the same time( at 2 different consulates) and potentially spending the 100 bucks on the k-3 and not needing it.

Don't abandon the CR-1! Trust me, you don't want to have to deal with AOS (and the fees are increasing by a lot July 30, 2007). Stick with the CR-1. AOS has more forms, more processing, more hassles...

You could always do both but don't abandon the CR-1!

Just to "drive the nail in farther" I spent OVER $2,000 EXTRA going thru AOS for the K3/K4.
They screwed up and we had to do Biometrics 3 times.
This isn't counting the 1000s my wife lost from not being able to work because of no GC thus no SSN.

K3s SUCK!!!!!!!!

Misty I just re-read your post. I know the feeling of anxiety being apart and even something as small as one month seems like a lifetime.

If you can spare the flight money, you can follow both through. K3 will get you there faster. You could conceivably get an interview within 1-2 months in Vancouver, enter the U.S. and then fly back to Canada to Montreal for the CR-1. Or you could wait out the CR-1 which will be about 2 months or so from case complete at NVC.

Whatever you decide, totally bypass AOS at all costs! No really, it's a huge pain in the ###!

Thanks for all the replies everyone
I guess I'll just stick with the CR1 route, especially after hearing how frustrating AOS will be. We just found out that our case was completed on June 18th, so now it's just the interview waiting left to deal with.
Crossing my fingers now that Montreal starts catching up!

Congrats with your case complete! Don't forget to hit up NVC in a few weeks to see if an interview has been scheduled. You're almost there, just a couple more months!

Congrats, Misty! You are almost there. Hang in there