cruise couple trying to figure it out...we need help, please! :)

[d&kcruise 0]

Hello everyone!!

My fiance and I met while working for cruise ships. We still currently do, but would like to get married in between our work contracts. The problem is...we don't know which visa we should apply for, or if we should wait to even begin applying. We'd like to get married next summer, so we could maybe apply for the K1 visa, but our contract is scheduled for Asia (December-June), so we have no idea how he could do an interview. We also don't know if he is allowed to visit the US on his B1/B2 visa while working on the ship...so maybe he couldn't do the contract (or we shouldn't apply right now).

Also, if we get married earlier, apply for the CR1 visa (have it approved and then be able to live and work in the states as soon as we finish with ships), I believe he still can't touch US soil with work until it is approved, and also, we will be very difficult to reach for any interviews while sailing.

Any helpful tips?? If we get married this summer in the US, do we have to begin the process for visas right away (K1 before, or CR1 after), or should we wait until we are actually ready to settle down on US land? Do we even need to apply for a visa if we are not planning to live in the US right away? I have a fear that the immigration officers will seriously frown on us for not having traditional lives. We'd only like to be working for ships for a year or so more to save money for a home (which also, we do not have), but we don't want to settle down on US land without him being able to work or without going through a proper process. Help please!!

[stevie b 141]

Help please!!

It sounds like you have done your research and have a good understanding of this process

the k1 if filed now appears to have an approval horizon these days in less than 6 months which sounds too tight for you.

the cr1 if filed now is running up to a year total process, but that will decrease quickly with the new center

personally, I would file the cr1 for many reasons after you get married. read the guides to ensure you have all your documentation that you will need. this paperwork can be mailed from anywhere. it is always good to have a us mailing address.. international post doesn't always fly with uscis in terms of receiving a hard copy nor do email or the online case status check.

once cr1 is approved your file will process at nvc and then off to the embassy for interview

after you file each and every stage can be delayed by either of you for up to a year

[Darnell 8,478]

whichever visa you choose,

if'n the interview is to be in Croatia -

time the filing so the interview is during the 'dead time' from his work.

[TBoneTX 43,413]

*** Thread moved from CR-1 Process forum to the "What Visa Do I Need" forum -- OP is weighing visa paths. ***

[d&kcruise 0]

Thanks for the suggestions and fast responses!!

I heard that if we get approved for the CR1 visa and he gets his green card, it is frowned upon for him to leave the country for 6 months or more.

Should we wait until we are planning to settle down to start applying? We still plan to work abroad and don't want to go through the process if the green card could be revoked. Thoughts??

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

[Julie O 5]

If you're not ready to settled in the US right away, I would wait before applying for the visa. My husband and I got married in June 2009 but only applied this year for a visa for me. After getting married, we moved to Japan and then Australia.

You could apply for the visa about a year before you're ready to settle in the US if the two of you don't want to spend too much time apart. We applied a month before he moved back to the US and I haven't seen my husband in almost 7 months now. He wasn't supposed to move to the US that quickly after we applied for the visa but a great job opportunity came up so he left.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Obtaining Greencards for spouses is for living in the US. If you don't want to live in the US, then there is no need to pursue any greencard.

[d&kcruise 0]

Awesome. Thanks for all the info! I think maybe we'll hold off for now, since we aren't planning on landing in the states yet. The whole wedding planning process is so daunting because of this...I just want to make sure we do everything legally.

I guess for now we are planning to maybe get married in the states, but not file because we won't be living in the states. I'm planning to do a lot of asking at an immigration center when I finally go home, but we will see.

Thank you to everyone for your feedback! The resources here have been SOOOO tremendously helpful!