K-1 visa timeline and tips for how to speed up the process

[emmajuly2013 0]

I am living in Guatemala where my fiance currently is. I have about 6 months left here in Guatemala until I return home to the States as my service term as a Peace Corps volunteer will be finished. My fiance (a Guatemalan) and I want to get married in the States as soon as my service is over, in late July of 2013. We are barely turning in the I-129F initial Petition for Alien Finance Visa. We thought we were good for time but in looking at timelines here on this site we maybe 2 to 3 months behind already.

Help!

All tips on how to speed up this process?

We really want to have this wedding for the end of July 2013.

Realistically, is 6 months enough time to complete the fiance visa application process?

Thank you so much for any help/warnings/words of wisdom/etc. you can provide us.

sincerely,

EmmaJuly2013

[Benediction 15]

Honestly 6 months for the total process is not likely at all. At most 7 to 8. Good luck on your Journey!!!

[Darnell 8,478]

There is only 1 tip for speeding up the process.

When the packet 3 docs are submitted into the IV unit, ask for an earlier interview date.

OR

once an interview date is assigned, ask the IV unit for an earlier date.

That'll only shave on 3 weeks, at most.

Edited December 28, 2012 by Darnell

[baron555 934]

I am living in Guatemala where my fiance currently is. I have about 6 months left here in Guatemala until I return home to the States as my service term as a Peace Corps volunteer will be finished. My fiance (a Guatemalan) and I want to get married in the States as soon as my service is over, in late July of 2013. We are barely turning in the I-129F initial Petition for Alien Finance Visa. We thought we were good for time but in looking at timelines here on this site we maybe 2 to 3 months behind already.

Help!

All tips on how to speed up this process?

Can not be done, unless you enlist and head for the front lines.

We really want to have this wedding for the end of July 2013.

Ain't gonna happen.

Realistically, is 6 months enough time to complete the fiance visa application process?

No, 9-12 months is more realistic.

Thank you so much for any help/warnings/words of wisdom/etc. you can provide us.

sincerely,

EmmaJuly2013

[aws&ndd 103]

Unfortunately you can't speed up the process. You can only hope that the process moves fast. It is what it is.

[jkelly07 120]

it will be close,there is no guarintee you be in the united states by july ,there can be any to go wrong a rfe, for example,...see if GUATEMALA, has DCF, if they do you say you was there over 6 months then you can get married there file at the consulate in thre or four months you should be approved,and less money, green card,and have a wedding ceremoney in the united states, check it out.

[LeftCoastLady 441]

If you really want to have the wedding on a specific date, get married first and then file the petition for a spouse. Otherwise, file the fiancé(e) petition and plan on the wedding happening once the visa is in your fiancé's hands.

[Penguin_ie 5,984]

It is not impossible, but very unlikely to get it all done in 6 months.

Why is July so important? If you tell us more, we may be able to offer solutions. For example:

- if you want to travel to the USA together, see if you can get a tourist visa to stay in Guatemala until he has his visa, or come back for him when he has it.

- If there is a sentimental reason attached to July, either get married in Guatemala in July 2013, then file for a CR-1 spousal visa (which is also cheaper and means he can work as soon as he gets to the USA), or do a quickly legal wedding once he has his K1, then plan the big wedding reception and religious blessing for July 2014.

[Darnell 8,478]

I'm gonna guess that she's got her head wrapped around her airticket departure date, somehow.

[Enigma11561 336]

I'm gonna guess that she's got her head wrapped around her airticket departure date, somehow.

Good perception. But I hope they did not make any airline reservations yet.

[emmajuly2013 0]

thank you so much for your replies. I guess we were little naive to think we could get this paperwork completed with this time frame. The desire to have the wedding in July has little to do with tickets or even sentimental reasons and more to do with practicality for our family members. A brother on my side of the family and a sister on his side both have many work conflicts in the autumn and winter months, leaving us with July as the ideal month for them. Plus I will be finishing a good here in Guatemala, which is my livelihood here in this country, thus "in theory" it would be great to be able to finish that and start up a new chapter right away. We have not put money down on anything yet, tickets or otherwise wedding related things. We felt it unwise to do this with this visa process business. However both sides of our families are anxious and somewhat pressuring us to set dates and make plans because it would be easier for them and for those whom we will invite to celebrate with us.

Perhaps we should just start and see how long it takes us then do as Penguin_ie said and have a small legal wedding and give us time to plan a big party for some time the following year.

[kate&javi 26]

You could get married in Guatemala, then file the I-130 for the spousal visa, then have a ceremony in the USA for all of your family and friends (vow renewal, of sorts). The plus side of the CR-1 visa is that he gets his green card when he gets to the USA and doesn't have to adjust status. If I had to go back and redo my husband's visa, I would have filed for the CR-1 instead of the K-1.

[emmajuly2013 0]

I meant to say. "Plus I will be finishing a job here in Guatemala." haha (international development worker, volunteer for the U.S. Peace Corps)

[agrabs 237]

You could get married in Guatemala, then file the I-130 for the spousal visa, then have a ceremony in the USA for all of your family and friends (vow renewal, of sorts). The plus side of the CR-1 visa is that he gets his green card when he gets to the USA and doesn't have to adjust status. If I had to go back and redo my husband's visa, I would have filed for the CR-1 instead of the K-1.

:thumbs: :thumbs:

I agree completely!

If you go the K1 route do not pick a date or make plans until you have the visa in hand! We filed in November and had our wedding in August and that was with no RFE or big delays.

If we had it to do all over again we would also go the CR-1 route instead of K1 only because your spouse will get their green card when they enter - which allows them to work and get a driver's license, travel out of the country etc... Waiting on the AOS and not being able to work or get a driver's license until EAD was issued was tough on my hubby.

[bigdog 376]

No speeding here for this, don't make solid plans for anything.