Advise needed- newly-married couple, incredibly stressed out!!

[earthwormgym 1]

Hi all,

SO this is a massive call out for help, and I would like to apologise ahead of time if these questions have already been answered- we are tired of going through pages and pages of forums and official government websites, and reading comparative answers, haha!

BACKGROUND:

My wife (American) and I (British) recently got married in the US- 19th April 2012 to be precise. Since then, we have been looking into our options for me to move over to the US to join my wife.

From what we currently understand, STEP ONE of this ordeal is to file the I-130, which is a form she fills out and includes supporting documents (such as marriage certificate, G-345 for each of us etc.)

But this is where we get lost.....

From what we read on the London embassy website AND from what an advisor from the USCIS told us, once we receive the receipt of I-130 (I-797?) we would then send the I-129F, thus going down the K3 route. However, from what I'm reading on this forum (and others), is that the K3 visa is now redundant/dead, and it's not better to apply for a CR-1 visa (since we have been married for less than two years.)

Additionally, our main worry is being apart for so long- I mean, can they really expect newly-weds to be apart for 6-12 months during this whole process?! As you can imagine, we are both getting very stressed with this.

Anyway, we would certainly appreciate any advice that people have and if indeed they have been in a similar situation and know the easy way through it. Of course, there doesn't seem to be Pros without Cons, but we want the personally approved approach to this process, so we can be together and get on with our lives!

Many thanks to all in advance!

[canadian_wife 1,795]

Yes, the K-3 is dead. It has been for 2 years

Follow the guide below for the CR-1 spousal visa

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

As for the separation, it is part of this process. USCIS does not care that you'll miss your wife. Sorry, but they don't. They don't care if the wife gets pregnant or the flu or both. They do care, however, if your spouse is set for immediate deployment to a combat zone, is dying, or both.

You can always visit, but entrance and duration of stay is never a guarentee

Good luck

[earthwormgym 1]

Yes, the K-3 is dead. It has been for 2 years

Follow the guide below for the CR-1 spousal visa

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

As for the separation, it is part of this process. USCIS does not care that you'll miss your wife. Sorry, but they don't. They don't care if the wife gets pregnant or the flu or both. They do care, however, if your spouse is set for immediate deployment to a combat zone, is dying, or both.

You can always visit, but entrance and duration of stay is never a guarentee

Good luck

Hi Canadian_wife,

Thanks so much for your speedy response!

Everything you mention seems to be right on the money- USCIS SHOULD care about separation, but they DON'T- just one of those unfair things in life.

Thanks for sending me the link- I'll make sure we follow those steps closely. If I have any other questions, Ill be sure to ask.

Regards,

[earthwormgym 1]

Hi Canadian_wife,

Thanks so much for your speedy response!

Everything you mention seems to be right on the money- USCIS SHOULD care about separation, but they DON'T- just one of those unfair things in life.

Thanks for sending me the link- I'll make sure we follow those steps closely. If I have any other questions, Ill be sure to ask.

Regards,

SO new question- haha- on the link you sent, it asks for evidence of Bonafide Marriage- well, we do not meet any of the suggested criteria since we were both students last year and haven't lived in a property together/have a shared bank account etc. Will they accept documents that show the nature of our relationship prior to the marriage, such as call records?

thanks again!

[Penguin_ie 5,986]

*** Moving from K3- an obsolete visa- to CR-1 spousal visa forum ****

Yes, provide whatever evidence you can. Time spent together is important so photos (esp with family), receipts of hotels or plane tickets, as well as emails, phone bills etc.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Where are you presently? In the US or UK?

[earthwormgym 1]

Where are you presently? In the US or UK?

I'm currently in the UK and she is in the US- she has been visiting me this week, so we could try and sort it all out.

[Ruffie 22]

First of all - of course USCIS doesn't care about separations. It's not their job to care, it's their job to process a gazillion of visa applications and that they do. It simply takes as long as it takes, sorry. And it's not like you can't visit her and vice versa while you wait for your visa to be all done and ready :-)

SO new question- haha- on the link you sent, it asks for evidence of Bonafide Marriage- well, we do not meet any of the suggested criteria since we were both students last year and haven't lived in a property together/have a shared bank account etc. Will they accept documents that show the nature of our relationship prior to the marriage, such as call records?

thanks again!

Include each other on each other's bank accounts, add each other on credit cards, house/appartment lease contracts and so on. The more evidence you have, the less likely you are to receive a Request For Evidence (RFE) during your CR-1 visa process.

[Ryan H 3,796]

it's their job to process a gazillion of visa applications and that they do.

USCIS does not process visa applications, visa applications are processed by Embassies and Consulates and it is State Department personnel that is doing the processing work.

[pushbrk 12,246]

USCIS people are people too, so they "care" but no amount of "care" is going to get your petition to the front of the line any faster than all the other people they care about.

Follow the CR1 visa guide and the I-130 instructions. Once you file the I-130, become an expert on the NVC shortcuts.

[david'sgirl 134]

Hi all,

SO this is a massive call out for help, and I would like to apologise ahead of time if these questions have already been answered- we are tired of going through pages and pages of forums and official government websites, and reading comparative answers, haha!

BACKGROUND:

My wife (American) and I (British) recently got married in the US- 19th April 2012 to be precise. Since then, we have been looking into our options for me to move over to the US to join my wife.

From what we currently understand, STEP ONE of this ordeal is to file the I-130, which is a form she fills out and includes supporting documents (such as marriage certificate, G-345 for each of us etc.)

But this is where we get lost.....

From what we read on the London embassy website AND from what an advisor from the USCIS told us, once we receive the receipt of I-130 (I-797?) we would then send the I-129F, thus going down the K3 route. However, from what I'm reading on this forum (and others), is that the K3 visa is now redundant/dead, and it's not better to apply for a CR-1 visa (since we have been married for less than two years.)

Additionally, our main worry is being apart for so long- I mean, can they really expect newly-weds to be apart for 6-12 months during this whole process?! As you can imagine, we are both getting very stressed with this.

Anyway, we would certainly appreciate any advice that people have and if indeed they have been in a similar situation and know the easy way through it. Of course, there doesn't seem to be Pros without Cons, but we want the personally approved approach to this process, so we can be together and get on with our lives!

Many thanks to all in advance!

We have gone through the CR1 process and can tell you it will all be worth it in the end. You can visit and so can she during the time you are apart. Bring proof of a reason to return to UK as well as proof of a return ticket. Be honest and answer any questions the POE officer asks when you come for visits. We also met up in Heathrow and spent several days in London when he had his interview. You will also be going to London so you could do that as well.

Use the Guides as others have suggested. They are very helpful. The process is pretty simple but we definitely found it helpful to come on here and chat with others who were going through the same journey.

Plan to spend a lot of time using IM chat, Skype, phone calls and sending cards, letters etc. He had to sell cars, a house and a caravan as well as keep working until the visa came through. I worked and prepared the house here for his arrival.

We wed in Scotland and I went home to the USA a few days later. We submitted affidavits from friends and family, copies of cards, photographs, a copy of him as beneficiary on my life insurance, a copy of marriage certificate, copies of hotel slips and airline tickets from trips together. We also had wedding pictures etc but were never even asked for all of the evidence we gathered.

We are now waiting for the 10 yr GC and removal of conditions but this time we are waiting together. Feel free to contact me or my hubby (Scotinmass)if you have any questions.

[earthwormgym 1]

We have gone through the CR1 process and can tell you it will all be worth it in the end. You can visit and so can she during the time you are apart. Bring proof of a reason to return to UK as well as proof of a return ticket. Be honest and answer any questions the POE officer asks when you come for visits. We also met up in Heathrow and spent several days in London when he had his interview. You will also be going to London so you could do that as well.

Use the Guides as others have suggested. They are very helpful. The process is pretty simple but we definitely found it helpful to come on here and chat with others who were going through the same journey.

Plan to spend a lot of time using IM chat, Skype, phone calls and sending cards, letters etc. He had to sell cars, a house and a caravan as well as keep working until the visa came through. I worked and prepared the house here for his arrival.

We wed in Scotland and I went home to the USA a few days later. We submitted affidavits from friends and family, copies of cards, photographs, a copy of him as beneficiary on my life insurance, a copy of marriage certificate, copies of hotel slips and airline tickets from trips together. We also had wedding pictures etc but were never even asked for all of the evidence we gathered.

We are now waiting for the 10 yr GC and removal of conditions but this time we are waiting together. Feel free to contact me or my hubby (Scotinmass)if you have any questions.

Hi,

Thanks so much for this response- really good to hear from people who have gone through the same thing.

One of the factors about the I-130 that worries us the most, is the "affidavits" section, providing proof of relationship. Since we have both just gradated from university, we don't have that many joint records, and the banks won't even let us open a joint account without proof of address with both our names on it (kinda like a vicious circle in that respect)- we do however have call records from Skype, Facebook and mobile phone, as well as photos from the start of our relationship way back when. So I'm hoping this will suffice- thoughts?

Thanks again for a great response!

[pushbrk 12,246]

Hi,

Thanks so much for this response- really good to hear from people who have gone through the same thing.

One of the factors about the I-130 that worries us the most, is the "affidavits" section, providing proof of relationship. Since we have both just gradated from university, we don't have that many joint records, and the banks won't even let us open a joint account without proof of address with both our names on it (kinda like a vicious circle in that respect)- we do however have call records from Skype, Facebook and mobile phone, as well as photos from the start of our relationship way back when. So I'm hoping this will suffice- thoughts?

Thanks again for a great response!

Read those instructions again carefully. Anything that appears AFTER the words, "in addition to the required...." is NOT REQUIRED.

[dwheels76 5,463]

Hi,

Thanks so much for this response- really good to hear from people who have gone through the same thing.

One of the factors about the I-130 that worries us the most, is the "affidavits" section, providing proof of relationship. Since we have both just gradated from university, we don't have that many joint records, and the banks won't even let us open a joint account without proof of address with both our names on it (kinda like a vicious circle in that respect)- we do however have call records from Skype, Facebook and mobile phone, as well as photos from the start of our relationship way back when. So I'm hoping this will suffice- thoughts?

Thanks again for a great response!

Let me calm your nerves you are blessed to be immigrating from a country that is low fraud on Visa waivers and well you don't have to produce a whole lot at petition or interview time. When you read people who are going to be interviewing at Embassies like my husband in Lagos or Islamabad, India the MENA's we have to bring our arsenal of evidence to prove a Bonafide relationship.

You are aso blessed to be able to MAYBE visit your love during all this wait which is a good thing. So please don't feel you need to print every chat, IM, phone record.Listen to Puskbrk for real.

[squirrelisan 23]

Take a look at the processing times also, so that you can plan when to start this process. Processing times are cyclical, as well as location dependent. Once you start the CR-1, having the beneficiary (I guess that's you) visit the U.S. is a tricky matter. Many people have been turned away at the border and told to go back home, but many others get through without issue. Trying to figure out the exact criteria myself, but seems to be all anecdotal.

The time it takes for your CR-1 to get processed also depends on where the petitioner lives in the U.S. If you're lucky enough to (for the time being it seems) live in a jurisdiction where your I-130 goes to the California svc cntr...your time apart will be much shorter than if you live in a jurisdiction that goes to the Vermont svc centr for example (currently, but that could change next year). Processing time also depends on what embassy your interview will be scheduled at also.