Fastest way to bring spouse here

[texangator 0]

Hello All. I am a Permanent Resident and will be US Citizen in Jun 2013. I am considering marrying someone in Pakistan and wanted to know what is the fasted way to get her here.

1. Considering she doesn't have any kind of US Visa and can't get one - Should I apply for her while I am a PR or wait till I become a citizen and then apply for CR-1 or K-3 or K-1?

2. If she has a US visit visa or F-1 or can get one of these two before we get married - Provided she has the visa then we get married and then she comes here on her visit visa and keep doing that until I become a citizen at which point I apply for her K-3 or CR-1 or is there anything wrong with thsi appraoch.

Basically the main thing I am looking for is to start living in US as soon as possible - Its OK if she has to travel back and forth every six months or so. Thanks much for any guidance that I could get.

Edited December 12, 2011 by texangator

[TimeTravel 78]

Hello All. I am a Permanent Resident and will be US Citizen in Jun 2013. I am considering marrying someone in Pakistan and wanted to know what is the fasted way to get her here.

1. Considering she doesn't have any kind of US Visa and can't get one - Should I apply for her while I am a PR or wait till I become a citizen and then apply for CR-1 or K-3 or K-1?

2. If she has a US visit visa or F-1 or can get one of these two before we get married - Provided she has the visa then we get married and then she comes here on her visit visa and keep doing that until I become a citizen at which point I apply for her K-3 or CR-1 or is there anything wrong with thsi appraoch.

Basically the main thing I am looking for is to start living in US as soon as possible - Its OK if she has to travel back and forth every six months or so. Thanks much for any guidance that I could get.

#1 - CR-1/K-3/K-1 can be applied thru US Citizen only. So you have to wait for this option until you become USC.

By the way, how did you gain Permanent Resident status so far? As it also effects on your case and situation.

2 - Once she is married to you, and if she is holding any non-immigration visa, thats mean, she may not get entry in USA, as she may have hard time to show the strong ties with her home country.

Edited December 13, 2011 by iwaiting

[texangator 0]

#1 - CR-1/K-3/K-1 can be applied thru US Citizen only. So you have to wait for this option until you become USC.

By the way, how did you gain Permanent Resident status so far? As it also effects on your case and situation.

I understand that but I was wondering if I apply for I-130 and any other steps as a PR (F2A route) before I become USC and then once I do become USC, then convert my case to K-3 or CR-1. Is that possible and would it save me time. I got my GC through my employer.

2 - Once she is married to you, and if she is holding any non-immigration visa, thats mean, she may not get entry in USA, as she may have hard time to show the strong ties with her home country.

I think it would be risk and more chances are that she may not be allowed entry once we are married. However, if she has a US visit visa, then if she comes here based on that visa and we get married here - can she stay here in US while I file for her GC (remember I won't be a ciizen till Jun 2013). I think she would have to leave after her duration of stay expires (perhaps we could get extension?).

Edited December 13, 2011 by texangator

[Boiler 43,668]

By far the fastest way for you to be together would be for you to be the one to move.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I understand that but I was wondering if I apply for I-130 and any other steps as a PR (F2A route) before I become USC and then once I do become USC, then convert my case to K-3 or CR-1. Is that possible and would it save me time. I got my GC through my employer.

You'll have to marry her first if you're going to file the I-130 while you're still a PR. However, there are advantages of a CR1 over a K1, which may make you want to consider marrying first anyway. For example, a CR1 is an immigrant visa so she'll enter the US as an immigrant, and automatically get a green card. Since there's no adjustment of status, a CR1 also costs substantially less.

Anyway, if you marry her first then by all means file the I-130 while you're still a PR. Your petition should be approved and waiting at NVC when you become a US citizen. You can then upgrade the petition to CR1, and proceed immediately to the NVC processing stage. That should cut the better part of a year off your waiting time.

I think it would be risk and more chances are that she may not be allowed entry once we are married. However, if she has a US visit visa, then if she comes here based on that visa and we get married here - can she stay here in US while I file for her GC (remember I won't be a ciizen till Jun 2013). I think she would have to leave after her duration of stay expires (perhaps we could get extension?).

Yes, it can be more difficult for her to enter with a B2 visa if she's married to an LPR or US citizen, especially for someone from a high fraud country.

Entering with a B2 visa with the intention of adjusting status and becoming an immigrant is illegal. It's called "preconceived intent". Nobody here will recommend you do something which is not legal, even if it's technically possible. If she enters with a B2 visa then she should have every intention of leaving before her authorized stay expires.