K3 general question

[pagipagi 0]

Hello,

Sorry to be a bother again. My fiance and I are beggining to plan our wedding and we are thinking about doing the k1 or k3. I had a question about the k1 that I asked on the k1 forum, but I have a curious question about the k3.

We will be married in about a year. A religious marriage, but not legal unless we register. Well, if we register we have to do the k3 visa. So if we decided to go this route, we would be seperated for some time while the k3 process occurred. At least as I see it. Since as I understand it, I have to be back in the USA to start this process. Correct me if I am wrong on that? We both live in different countries. Perhaps I missed it but there does not seem to be a quicker way of doing it?

But the real question is this... everything I've seen indicates to me that the k3 process will take about 4 to 6 months to complete. However by word of mouth, from an individual from the same country who now resides in the usa, my fiance has been informed that it only took them 2 weeks and the applying spouse did not have to come back to the usa. This disparity between what is reported and what has actually occured confuses me.

In other words... how the heck did that happen? And am I unaware of some very important piece of information that I shoudn't be unaware of?

Sorry to bother you all, thanks for your help.

Ian

[crifever 0]

Yes the K3 process takes anywhere from 4-6 months to complete. [about 100-120 days till USCIS approval [NOA2], another 14-21 days in NVC, and then to the consulate that you choose of your spouse's interview. This usually takes 30-45 days]

As far as I understand, you have to start the K3 process in the US by sending the application to the USCIS chicago office.

good luck!

[limah 1]

Hello,

Sorry to be a bother again. My fiance and I are beggining to plan our wedding and we are thinking about doing the k1 or k3. I had a question about the k1 that I asked on the k1 forum, but I have a curious question about the k3.

We will be married in about a year. A religious marriage, but not legal unless we register. Well, if we register we have to do the k3 visa. So if we decided to go this route, we would be seperated for some time while the k3 process occurred. At least as I see it. Since as I understand it, I have to be back in the USA to start this process. Correct me if I am wrong on that? We both live in different countries. Perhaps I missed it but there does not seem to be a quicker way of doing it?

But the real question is this... everything I've seen indicates to me that the k3 process will take about 4 to 6 months to complete. However by word of mouth, from an individual from the same country who now resides in the usa, my fiance has been informed that it only took them 2 weeks and the applying spouse did not have to come back to the usa. This disparity between what is reported and what has actually occured confuses me.

In other words... how the heck did that happen? And am I unaware of some very important piece of information that I shoudn't be unaware of?

Sorry to bother you all, thanks for your help.

Ian

Hey Ian, my marriage is also a religous one and can not become legal until my huband arrives in the USA.

1st can I say that I am not an expert and have only recently sent off the 2nd form in the process. I am tellin you that because there are definitely more people here with experience and the can help a lot more than I can.

I married my husband in Morcco and had to come home to the USA to file the petition for him. Where is your fiance from? Sorry, I don't know if youve posted that before. The 4-6 months, to my understanding is only for the approval of the application, there are steps after the approval. (SOMEONE CORRECT ME IF I AM INCORRECT) If your case is and approved in 4 months, I believe it takes 6-8 weeks for an interview date. I think thats standard for most countries. right people? So in that case it will be 6 months.

2 weeks, huh? For the friend?? What country is this? I don't know about that. How long ago was this? I know about 5 years ago my sister in law, it only took her 2 months and her husband was able to file for her in Morocco. Of course things have changed a great deal since then. It even took my other sister in law after that 7 months. The case was approved rather quickly, in April, 3 1/2 years ago, and her interview date was in July. She was here by August. Thats a long time, huh?

Hope everything works out 4 ya!

[girl 37 7]

What country are you in? Maybe you can do DCF?

[Reba 2]

You say you both live in different countries, but are either of you living in the US? I'm assumin you are the US citizen, if so, you must have a domicile in the US, and some form of income in order to sponsor your spouse. If you do not, you will need to find a co-sponsor in the US and somewhere to live.

I think your friend was misinformed about the 2 weeks. There's no way a fiance(e) visa or spouse visa can be processed and completed in that amount of time. Consider just gatherng the supplemental documents, sending it thru the mail, it sits on someone's desk a few days to weeks, approval process, send it to NVC, criminal background checks, send it the appropriate consulate, schedule the interview, have the medical exam, yadda yadda yadda...nah, it takes a heckuva lot longer than 2 weeks!

It is possible that if you have legal residence in your spouse's country that you can apply via DCF (direct consular filing) but even that takes longer than 2 weeks.

I suggest you read all the guides here at VJ and some timelines of people in the same country as your fiance(e)/spouse. As you haven't mentioned what country here, its difficult for us to point you in the right direction.

[henry34florida 0]

I married my wife civilly in Peru and applied for the K-3 visa. Then when she came here we had a religious ceremony and had our marriage convalidated in the Catholic Church. In retrospect I wish that we did the K-1 visa because people that applied for the K-1 visa were getting approved in 2-3 months and my K-3 took 10 months to be approved. Good luck!