K3 or IR-1/CR-1

[Shermeen&Adam 0]

Hi, my husband and I are preparing to apply for me to move to the US and need advice on the best way to do it.

My husband is an American citzen and I am a British citizen, we were married last year in the UK and have been living here together since then. Due to circumstances, it is necessary that my husband return to the US and of course I need to go with him. It is most likely that he will return later this year and we will file early next year for my visa. In April we will have been married for two years, which I believe can make a difference as to whether or not I get a greencard on arrival to the US or have to file to have my status changed.

There are so many different forms to be filed and at different stages. Honestly, we just need a simple explaination as to how to apply. Whether to file the I-130 first and what follows after that? Whether we have to remain in different counties until the whole process is complete? On here it talks about K3 and IR-1 being an option but I'm not quite sure what the difference is? On the USCIS website I only see the otpion in regards to a K3 application.

Though I handled most of my husbands application to come to the UK, my journey to the US seems so much more complicated and I would really appreciate any assistance I can get.

Thank you in advance xx

[Paloma&Adam 1]

Hi, my husband and I are preparing to apply for me to move to the US and need advice on the best way to do it.

My husband is an American citzen and I am a British citizen, we were married last year in the UK and have been living here together since then. Due to circumstances, it is necessary that my husband return to the US and of course I need to go with him. It is most likely that he will return later this year and we will file early next year for my visa. In April we will have been married for two years, which I believe can make a difference as to whether or not I get a greencard on arrival to the US or have to file to have my status changed.

There are so many different forms to be filed and at different stages. Honestly, we just need a simple explaination as to how to apply. Whether to file the I-130 first and what follows after that? Whether we have to remain in different counties until the whole process is complete? On here it talks about K3 and IR-1 being an option but I'm not quite sure what the difference is? On the USCIS website I only see the otpion in regards to a K3 application.

Though I handled most of my husbands application to come to the UK, my journey to the US seems so much more complicated and I would really appreciate any assistance I can get.

Thank you in advance xx

Hi. I am from the UK too preparing to join my US wife

The K3 visa is pretty much obsolete. The only option really is the CR-1/IR-1 immigrant visa. This visa will allow you to find employment immediately after entering the US, you just need your social security number. This visa also eliminates the need of having to change status while in the US which the K3 required you to do.

The first form he must file for you is the I-130, along with all necessary evidence,

http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide1

Click on the above link for instructions on what you must do first. There are some really great helpful people on this forum who will help you with any queries.

Edited November 2, 2010 by Paloma&Adam

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

k-3 is dead, so you can ignore that. You will file for a CR/IR-1, which begins by filing a I-130. There are guides at the top of the website. If your husband (the US Citizen)is a legal resident in the UK, then you can file directly through the London Consulate, which will shave months off of the processing time. Otherwise the wait time for a spousal visa is 6-9 months (very rough estimation). You can check the London Consulate website for instructions and requirements for Direct Consular Filing (DCF), and there are plenty of people here on VJ who can give you more exact details on processing times for both the normal way and the DCF in the CR-1/IR-1 forum.

Regarding the two-years marriage thing... yes, if you enter the country before you have been married two years then you will be given a green card that is good for two years. You will file to "remove conditions" in two years after that to get a green card good for 10 years. That fee is about $600.

You can travel and visit while the application is processing, but if you do the DCF, then it will go pretty fast. There should be some VJ timelines that would give you a better estimate on total time then I can. Good luck!

[Paloma&Adam 1]

Hi. I am from the UK too preparing to join my US wife

The K3 visa is pretty much obsolete. The only option really is the CR-1/IR-1 immigrant visa. This visa will allow you to find employment immediately after entering the US, you just need your social security number. This visa also eliminates the need of having to change status while in the US which the K3 required you to do.

The first form he must file for you is the I-130, along with all necessary evidence,

http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide1

Click on the above link for instructions on what you must do first. There are some really great helpful people on this forum who will help you with any queries.

Actually, I would have thought you could go for DCF (Direct consular filing) with the US embassy in London, since you guys have been living together over 6 months in the UK. That's a whole different thing and I don't really have knowledge of that.

[canadian_wife 1,823]

http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide1

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

Here are the guides for the I-130 petition for the Cr-1 visa. K-3 is dead so don't even bother with that one anymore

File DCF if you qualify, follow the link for that as we

good luck

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Duplicate thread moved from K-3 forum and merged with thread in CR-1 forum as the CR-1 is the most appropriate forum