K-1 or CR1

[apricot123 0]

Hello,

My fiance and I met over a year ago in online Facebook forums. We became friends and later, obviously, more than.
We have spent several months messaging, skyping etc.
He traveled from the United Kingdom (London) recently to spend two weeks with me and things went really well. We decided that we want to get married and he wants to move here to live with myself and my children. I am currently a student with little income and do not meet the financial requirements for the K-1 on my own. I have heard mixed messages on the ability to use a joint sponsor.

We are trying to figure out the most efficient, best-fitting Visa option.

Can anyone offer any advice?

Thanks!

[Georgia16 2,858]

http://www.visajourney.com/content/compare

You can compare the visa here and see what's best for the two of you.

[JusticeWarrior67 3]

Hi, usually it depends on the consulate the applicant is going to be interviewed at. Some do allow the petitioner to use a joint sponsor, some do not - this is something you'll have to find out by asking the consulate. Choosing between a K-1 and a CR-1 visa is you guys' choice. if you wanna be with him as soon as possible - do the K-1 (again, if your consulate approves the use of a joint sponsor) keep in mind that if you choose the K-1 over the CR-1, you'll have 90 days to get married to him AND start the adjustment of status process otherwise he'll have to leave. He'll also be able to work during that time and fly outside of the U.S with a work authorization and advance patrol card (can be filled concurrently with the I-485)

CR-1 however takes more time and less expensive, but when granted, you guys will be all set and your husband won't need to be interviewed for the green-card as a CR-1 visa is an immigrant visa while the K-1 isn't

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Yes to a financial sponsor other than the fiance for a K1 visa in London. The beneficiary can even sponsor himself if he has a huge stash of cash assets.

Costs

K1 London route = $1705 + £295

$340 (USCIS) I-129F petition

£45 (ACPO) Police certificate just before petition approval

£250 (Knightsbridge Doctors) medical exam. Pay at exam.

$265 (Embassy) Visa fee prior to interview. Online pay.

$30 Courier fee if home delivery, $0 to pick up at a depot. Online.

$1070 (USCIS) Adjustment of Status/Work Authorization/Advance Parole

Plan on him not being able to work, leave the US, or get a driver license for a minimum of about 4 months. Becoming a permanent resident, even longer.

CR1 route = $1060 + £295

$420 (USCIS) I-130 petition

$325 (National Visa Center) Visa fee

$120 (National Visa Center) Affidavit of Support Review fee

£45 ACPO Police certificate https://www.acro.police.uk/police_certificates.aspx

£250 (Knightsbridge Doctors) medical exam http://www.visamedicals.info/us.asp

$30 Courier fee if home delivery, $0 to pick up at a depot

$165.00 (USCIS) Immigrant Fee via the Department of State's website - https://ceac.state.gov/IV/Login.aspx

Becomes a permanent resident the day he arrives, so he can work, get a driver license, or travel out of the country for an emergency trip home.

[Boiler 43,401]

You do not need a huge stash of cash to self sponsor a K1.

[yuna628 9,527]

Hello,

My fiance and I met over a year ago in online Facebook forums. We became friends and later, obviously, more than.

We have spent several months messaging, skyping etc.

He traveled from the United Kingdom (London) recently to spend two weeks with me and things went really well. We decided that we want to get married and he wants to move here to live with myself and my children. I am currently a student with little income and do not meet the financial requirements for the K-1 on my own. I have heard mixed messages on the ability to use a joint sponsor.

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We are trying to figure out the most efficient, best-fitting Visa option.

Can anyone offer any advice?

Thanks!

The right visa for you all depends on what you want to do. K-1 is fairly faster but once in the US and married, the spouse will be unable to work or travel outside the country until their status is adjusted (you file for a temporary work and travel card while waiting on the green card). The temporary documents usually arrive within 90 days. It is not true that a K1 'has to leave' the country if they don't file to adjust. Many persons take time to file for adjustment due to personal or financial reasons. However, it is in the best interests of the immigrant to file to adjust as soon as possible, as it protects their status in the US. A person who has entered on a K1 and married, but not yet adjusted is free to leave the US if they wish, but they may not re-enter unless they file for a spousal visa.

A spousal visa requires you to already be married, and for you two to remain separated in your own countries (beyond just visiting). It can take up to a year in many cases to process, but the tradeoff is, once the spouse enters the US they already will have a green card and able to work immediately.

As for co-sponsoring, let me put your mind at ease. London absolutely will accept a co-sponsor. We used one.

[apricot123 0]

Hello,

Thanks so much for your response!

Did you use a joint/co sponsor for the entire amount of support? I literally only have about $650/month child support as income at this time. My mother will likely cosponsor for us and he would also be able to save up a fair amount of cash for a few months if that would be helpful??
Did you use an immigration lawyer? How lond did the K-1 take to process/be approved for you?

Thanks,

Andrea

The right visa for you all depends on what you want to do. K-1 is fairly faster but once in the US and married, the spouse will be unable to work or travel outside the country until their status is adjusted (you file for a temporary work and travel card while waiting on the green card). The temporary documents usually arrive within 90 days. It is not true that a K1 'has to leave' the country if they don't file to adjust. Many persons take time to file for adjustment due to personal or financial reasons. However, it is in the best interests of the immigrant to file to adjust as soon as possible, as it protects their status in the US. A person who has entered on a K1 and married, but not yet adjusted is free to leave the US if they wish, but they may not re-enter unless they file for a spousal visa.

A spousal visa requires you to already be married, and for you two to remain separated in your own countries (beyond just visiting). It can take up to a year in many cases to process, but the tradeoff is, once the spouse enters the US they already will have a green card and able to work immediately.

As for co-sponsoring, let me put your mind at ease. London absolutely will accept a co-sponsor. We used one.

[apricot123 0]

So you are unable to use a sponsor for K1 if foreign fiance is from London immigrating to US?

Yes to a financial sponsor other than the fiance for a K1 visa in London. The beneficiary can even sponsor himself if he has a huge stash of cash assets.

Costs

K1 London route = $1705 + £295

$340 (USCIS) I-129F petition
£45 (ACPO) Police certificate just before petition approval
£250 (Knightsbridge Doctors) medical exam. Pay at exam.
$265 (Embassy) Visa fee prior to interview. Online pay.
$30 Courier fee if home delivery, $0 to pick up at a depot. Online.
$1070 (USCIS) Adjustment of Status/Work Authorization/Advance Parole

Plan on him not being able to work, leave the US, or get a driver license for a minimum of about 4 months. Becoming a permanent resident, even longer.


CR1 route = $1060 + £295

$420 (USCIS) I-130 petition
$325 (National Visa Center) Visa fee
$120 (National Visa Center) Affidavit of Support Review fee
£45 ACPO Police certificate https://www.acro.police.uk/police_certificates.aspx
£250 (Knightsbridge Doctors) medical exam http://www.visamedicals.info/us.asp
$30 Courier fee if home delivery, $0 to pick up at a depot
$165.00 (USCIS) Immigrant Fee via the Department of State's website - https://ceac.state.gov/IV/Login.aspx

Becomes a permanent resident the day he arrives, so he can work, get a driver license, or travel out of the country for an emergency trip home.

[NikLR 13,220]

So you are unable to use a sponsor for K1 if foreign fiance is from London immigrating to US?

You are able to use a joint sponsor. You are even able to sponsor yourself.

[yuna628 9,527]

Hello,

Thanks so much for your response!

Did you use a joint/co sponsor for the entire amount of support? I literally only have about $650/month child support as income at this time. My mother will likely cosponsor for us and he would also be able to save up a fair amount of cash for a few months if that would be helpful??

Did you use an immigration lawyer? How lond did the K-1 take to process/be approved for you?

Thanks,

Andrea

We used a co-sponsor for our K-1 process and we are using a joint sponsor for our AOS process. No lawyer is needed and we did not use one. As you can see from our timeline, our entire K1 process from start to finish took nearly 300 days (yes it was ridiculous). This was because at the time K1 cases were being sent to Texas Service Center, that had backlog problems. This is no longer the case for new applications, which are now sent to the California Service Center. Cases are processed much faster now.

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

So you are unable to use a sponsor for K1 if foreign fiance is from London immigrating to US?

You can use a "joint sponsor" as people tend to call it. Some people from other countries will tell you that you (fiance) must fill out an I-134 even with no income and a joint sponsor does another I-134. London consulate will take one I-134 from anybody who makes enough...like maybe your Mom. So it's not really "joint" because it can be only your Mom and no I-134 from you. Each consulate varies on what they find acceptable.

For adjustment of status, both have to do a form.

Edited March 20, 2016 by Nich-Nick

[apricot123 0]

Do you have any idea how much you do need to self-sponsor or where you can find that information?
I have been searching and haven't located anything on it.

Thanks!!

You do not need a huge stash of cash to self sponsor a K1.

[NikLR 13,220]

Do you have any idea how much you do need to self-sponsor or where you can find that information?

I have been searching and haven't located anything on it.

Thanks!!

Probably 3x the poverty guidelines in assets. It may be 5x if the assets are foreign? Hopefully Nich-Nick has the right multiplication value for you.

[Boiler 43,401]

Do you have any idea how much you do need to self-sponsor or where you can find that information?

I have been searching and haven't located anything on it.

Thanks!!

It is sometime since I have seen a number, the Consulate would be the best bet.

It was the sort of number that would be good enough for a 90 day stay in the US, so logical.

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Do you have any idea how much you do need to self-sponsor or where you can find that information?

I have been searching and haven't located anything on it.

Thanks!!

Probably 3x the poverty guidelines in assets. It may be 5x if the assets are foreign? Hopefully Nich-Nick has the right multiplication value for you.

It's not 3x or 5x the poverty level. It's a subjective decision by the officer. The lowest actual number I remember somebody reporting was around $40,000. Others had more. One had $8,000 but also some income that would continue in the US plus the fiance made about half the poverty level, so it wasn't on cash assets alone.