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Headxforce07

I-130 Petition. Filing from abroad vs. USA

By Headxforce07 in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures

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Headxforce07 Newbie

Headxforce07   0

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: South Korea
 Timeline
Posted

Hey all!  

My fiance and I will be getting married in a couple weeks and will then file a petition for an I-130.  She is Korean and I am American.  Currently, we both live in Seoul and will file our petition from here, but I will return to the USA for work once we have submitted the petition. 

I've heard that filing from Korea (or abroad) makes the process go much faster, as opposed to filing from the USA.  Is there any truth to this?

 

Also, our plan right now is to have me move back to the USA in March and she will come when the process and her interview are completed.  After we file for the I-130 Petition, do I have to be in Korea for any more of the process? Or can I return to America without having to come back to Korea?

 

Any advice is appreciated!

Patient Enthusiast

Patient   57

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Switzerland
 Timeline
Posted
59 minutes ago, Headxforce07 said:

Hey all!  

My fiance and I will be getting married in a couple weeks and will then file a petition for an I-130.  She is Korean and I am American.  Currently, we both live in Seoul and will file our petition from here, but I will return to the USA for work once we have submitted the petition. 

I've heard that filing from Korea (or abroad) makes the process go much faster, as opposed to filing from the USA.  Is there any truth to this?

 

Also, our plan right now is to have me move back to the USA in March and she will come when the process and her interview are completed.  After we file for the I-130 Petition, do I have to be in Korea for any more of the process? Or can I return to America without having to come back to Korea?

 

Any advice is appreciated!

Define fast ... review the timelines of others from Korea (use country and visa CR-1 filter).

An option is to return back to the USA and use your Senator to "expedite" ... take a read of his actions,  http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=148941

 

 

Hypnos Grand Master

Hypnos   6,576

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: United Kingdom
 Timeline
Posted

Filling DCF in South Korea directly with the embassy would likely put the visa in your wife's hands in ~2-3 months from when you file. 

Widow/er AoS Guide | Have AoS questions? Read (some) answers here

 

AoS

Day 0 (4/23/12) Petitions mailed (I-360, I-485, I-765)
2 (4/25/12) Petitions delivered to Chicago Lockbox
11 (5/3/12) Received 3 paper NOAs
13 (5/5/12) Received biometrics appointment for 5/23
15 (5/7/12) Did an unpleasant walk-in biometrics in Fort Worth, TX
45 (6/7/12) Received email & text notification of an interview on 7/10
67 (6/29/12) EAD production ordered
77 (7/9/12) Received EAD
78 (7/10/12) Interview
100 (8/1/12) I-485 transferred to Vermont Service Centre
143 (9/13/12) Contacted DHS Ombudsman
268 (1/16/13) I-360, I-485 consolidated and transferred to Dallas
299 (2/16/13) Received second interview letter for 3/8
319 (3/8/13) Approved at interview
345 (4/3/13) I-360, I-485 formally approved; green card production ordered
353 (4/11/13) Received green card

 

Naturalisation

Day 0 (1/3/18) N-400 filed online

Day 6 (1/9/18) Walk-in biometrics in Fort Worth, TX

Day 341 (12/10/18) Interview was scheduled for 1/14/19

Day 376 (1/14/19) Interview

Day 385 (1/23/19) Denied

Day 400 (2/7/19) Denial revoked; N-400 approved; oath ceremony set for 2/14/19

Day 407 (2/14/19) Oath ceremony in Dallas, TX

AstroCanada Community Regular

AstroCanada   206

Posted
Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted
7 hours ago, Hypnos said:

Filling DCF in South Korea directly with the embassy would likely put the visa in your wife's hands in ~2-3 months from when you file. 

Precisely, DCF is way faster if you live in a country where it's available.  The general expedites for petitioners filing from abroad at USCIS seem to have gone away.  

I-130

May 14, 2016: Sent I-130 Package to Chicago Lockbox

Oct 21, 2016: NOA2 Notice by App (LIN)

 

NVC

Nov 8, 2016: NVC Received

Nov 16, 2016: Case Number Assigned

Nov 18, 2016: DS-261 submitted and AOS fee paid

Dec 5, 2016: NVC Scan Date

Dec 6, 2016: NVC 3 N/A and Case Complete on Phone [1 day later!]

Dec 13, 2016: NVC CC e-mail

Jan 23, 2017: Interview...Approved!

 

Removing Conditions

Nov 2, 2018: Sent I-751 to Arizona Lockbox 

March 3, 2020: Approved by CSC

 

N-400

Feb 2, 2020: File N-400 online

Feb 25, 2020: Biometrics

 

 

Ryan H Grand Master

Ryan H   3,813

Posted
Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
 Timeline
Posted

File your petition at the field office in Korea and return to the US as you plan.  The other suggestion regarding asking your Senator to expedite is not likely to land you the result you want. Just because it worked for one person in one instance does not mean it will work every time.

Our journey:

Spoiler

September 2007: Met online via social networking site (MySpace); began exchanging messages.
March 26, 2009: We become a couple!
September 10, 2009: Arrived for first meeting in-person!
June 17, 2010: Arrived for second in-person meeting and start of travel together to other areas of China!
June 21, 2010: Engaged!!!
September 1, 2010: Switched course from K1 to CR-1
December 8, 2010: Wedding date set; it will be on February 18, 2011!
February 9, 2011: Depart for China
February 11, 2011: Registered for marriage in Wuhan, officially married!!!
February 18, 2011: Wedding ceremony in Shiyan!!!
April 22, 2011: Mailed I-130 to Chicago
April 28, 2011: Received NOA1 via text/email, file routed to CSC (priority date April 25th)
April 29, 2011: Updated
May 3, 2011: Received NOA1 hardcopy in mail
July 26, 2011: Received NOA2 via text/email!!!
July 30, 2011: Received NOA2 hardcopy in mail
August 8, 2011: NVC received file
September 1, 2011: NVC case number assigned
September 2, 2011: AOS invoice received, OPTIN email for EP sent
September 7, 2011: Paid AOS bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 9, 2011)
September 8, 2011: OPTIN email accepted, GZO number assigned
September 10, 2011: Emailed AOS package
September 12, 2011: IV bill invoiced
September 13, 2011: Paid IV bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 14, 2011)
September 14, 2011: Emailed IV package
October 3, 2011: Emailed checklist response (checklist generated due to typo on Form DS-230)
October 6, 2011: Case complete at NVC
November 10, 2011: Interview - APPROVED!!!
December 7, 2011: POE - Sea-Tac Airport

September 17, 2013: Mailed I-751 to CSC

September 23, 2013: Received NOA1 in mail (receipt date September 19th)

October 16, 2013: Biometrics Appointment

January 28, 2014: Production of new Green Card ordered

February 3, 2014: New Green Card received; done with USCIS until fall of 2023*

December 18, 2023:  Filed I-90 to renew Green Card

December 21, 2023:  Production of new Green Card ordered - will be seeing USCIS again every 10 years for renewal

 

 
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Ask our VJ Immigration Lawyers.

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