Visa options and passport question

[newby2 0]

Hello

I am German and married to a US citizen and we currently live in London. We are planning on moving to the US in late summer/fall (for the first time) and I just wanted to make sure I understand all the options we have.

We can either go for an immigrant visa and file an I-130. According to the US Embassy website for London there is a backlog of applications and it currently takes them about 3 months to even review the documents you send them, so I am correct in thinking the whole process will take about 10 months (3 months waiting plus the 7 months this site says it usually takes)?

Second option would be to file for an I-130 and then a K3 to try and speed up the process. But it seems that this would really only save about 1 month and we would still have to do more paperwork once we got there and before I would be able to work.. Is that correct?

Is there any way to move to the US and then start the application process, so we don't have to wait here until everything has been approved and for me to be able to work quickly?

Also, my passport is running out in June. Is it possible to only send them a copy of my birth certificate with the application or a copy of the old passport and advise them of the new passport details later?

Thanks so much for your help, really appreciated!

[payxibka 10,044]

Is this the page you were getting info from?

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/dhs/uscis/i130filing.html

The website says : As of January 22, 2010, we are processing petitions filed on December 1, 2009.

A direct file petition with the USCIS in London is much faster than a stateside submitted petition to the USCIS service center. A K-3 petition must go through the stateside process, so a K-3 is not going to be faster for you. I would think you could get the entire process done in 3-4 months

moving this thread to the DCF forum

Edited January 28, 2010 by payxibka

[mustafa1232 3]

in my opinion in this situtation you are married to a us citizen and you are enter in a imigration status there are so many way to applay for usa visa but all of these visa is non imigrant in my advise dont try to get non imigrant visa because these type of visa slow up your imigration process i suggest you to bepatient and relax and file for i-130 only not k3 your visa categary is ir1 and wait until your whole process is not complete you asking about passport you dont need any passport at this time you only need your passport at interview time in your home embassy in that time you only need your marriage certificate your birth certificate your reletative affitdafit which mention your reletative present in your marriage ceremony 2 reletative affiitdafit you fill up g325a and your wife and also g325a foam 355$ pay order and rembember convert your marriage and birth certificate in to english and send into uscis so please keep update for me

[newby2 0]

Thanks very much, very helpful info!