Can I file an I-130 and apply for a C/1D at the same time?

[SimonSailor 4]

Hello, I am a cruise ship crew member with a C/1D visa that is up for renewal in July. My US citizen wife and I have been married for almost 2 years now. We married in the UK, she obtained the appropriate visa to come to England to get married, so all is above board there. My main question is should we wait until after my C/1D renewal interview to file our I-130? Am I likely to encounter problems if I file the I-130 first?

As a brief background we have a 4 month old daughter together, I work 12 weeks on the ship, then I have 8 weeks vacation. I spend approximately 7 weeks of each vacation with my wife in the US before returning to the UK and then I go back to work from there. My wife frequently sails with me on my ship. In my 10 year career on cruise ships I have never overstayed my ESTA allowance, nor have I overstayed on my C/1D. We have finally settled on living permanently in the US which is why it has taken us a while to file the I-130.

Thanks!

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Pending I-130 won't matter for C/D. Good luck.