How likely is this prediction

[Scandi 3,971]

There are several reasons for why people recommend applying for the CR-1 visa instead of the K-1 visa.

 

1. People used to go with the K-1 visa because it was significantly faster than the CR-1, that isn't the case anymore.

 

2. With the CR-1 visa you can choose whichever date you like to get married, any day of the year, anywhere in the world. You can plan as much and for as long as you want, make any preparations and invite family, friends, the whole shebang. With the K-1 visa there's no such thing as planning and preparations.

 

3. With the CR-1 you get a greencard upon arrival in the US and won't have to deal with any immigration for two years. With the K-1 you get a one-time entry and 90 - sometimes stressful - days. And obviously the joys of having to go through yet another year long immigration process before even getting a status in the country.

 

4. With the CR-1 you can start counting down towards citizenship from the very day you enter the US, with the K-1 you're in limbo for at least the first whole year of entering the US, that time counts for nothing.

 

5. With the CR-1 you can get yourself a state ID, drivers license etc from day one. With a K-1 you are likely to encounter issues with this and you will have to wait for your EAD to be able to do anything. That's about a 6 month wait atm.

 

6. With the CR-1 you can seek employment and start working from the day you enter the country, you can also leave and return to the US anytime you like. With the K-1 you first need to marry within 90 days, then file for AOS, EAD and AP. The EAD and AP are currently taking 6 months to get approved, that means 6 months from the date of filing until you can work or leave the country without abandoning the greencard process. 

 

There is A LOT of things to take into consideration when choosing which visa to apply for. A lot of reasearch is necessary, make the right choice for you.

Edited July 11, 2018 by Scandi

[Zumbadaddy 57]

Yes now looking back I think I'd have been better off applying for the CR-1.  I wish i had read about this at the time..

. but maybe I thought the      -K-1's     were being approved faster.  last year when I looked it up RapidVisa told me they were being approved in 4-6 months...Yawwwwwwnnnnn.

[Loren Y 2,732]

9 hours ago, Diane and Chris said:

@Loren Y Do you have a fiancée involved in this process?  Or is the K-1 Visa for you?  

Don't understand your question? How can I do a K1 for myself? and why would I, I unfortunately am a USC, like Lady Gaga said " I was born this way". LOL

[ImagineMe 35]

9 hours ago, Zumbadaddy said:

Yes now looking back I think I'd have been better off applying for the CR-1.  I wish i had read about this at the time..

. but maybe I thought the      -K-1's     were being approved faster.  last year when I looked it up RapidVisa told me they were being approved in 4-6 months...Yawwwwwwnnnnn.

My buddy filed for his Thailand fiance early 2017 and she was in the states in 5 months. By the time the summer came, the workload seemed to have tripled. That's how quickly the process can change.

[Dashinka 23,282]

On 7/11/2018 at 8:38 AM, Scandi said:

There are several reasons for why people recommend applying for the CR-1 visa instead of the K-1 visa.

 

1. People used to go with the K-1 visa because it was significantly faster than the CR-1, that isn't the case anymore.

 

2. With the CR-1 visa you can choose whichever date you like to get married, any day of the year, anywhere in the world. You can plan as much and for as long as you want, make any preparations and invite family, friends, the whole shebang. With the K-1 visa there's no such thing as planning and preparations.

 

3. With the CR-1 you get a greencard upon arrival in the US and won't have to deal with any immigration for two years. With the K-1 you get a one-time entry and 90 - sometimes stressful - days. And obviously the joys of having to go through yet another year long immigration process before even getting a status in the country.

 

4. With the CR-1 you can start counting down towards citizenship from the very day you enter the US, with the K-1 you're in limbo for at least the first whole year of entering the US, that time counts for nothing.

 

5. With the CR-1 you can get yourself a state ID, drivers license etc from day one. With a K-1 you are likely to encounter issues with this and you will have to wait for your EAD to be able to do anything. That's about a 6 month wait atm.

 

6. With the CR-1 you can seek employment and start working from the day you enter the country, you can also leave and return to the US anytime you like. With the K-1 you first need to marry within 90 days, then file for AOS, EAD and AP. The EAD and AP are currently taking 6 months to get approved, that means 6 months from the date of filing until you can work or leave the country without abandoning the greencard process. 

 

There is A LOT of things to take into consideration when choosing which visa to apply for. A lot of reasearch is necessary, make the right choice for you.

I agree the CR1 is a superior visa, but I do think your second point only really applies to couples from countries where getting a visitor visa is easy (i.e. VWP countries).  Sure a couple can get married anywhere else in the world, but if one cannot get an entry into the US as a visitor, they cannot marry there.

[Scandi 3,971]

53 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

I agree the CR1 is a superior visa, but I do think your second point only really applies to couples from countries where getting a visitor visa is easy (i.e. VWP countries).  Sure a couple can get married anywhere else in the world, but if one cannot get an entry into the US as a visitor, they cannot marry there.

With the CR-1 visa they can get married in the beneficiary's country and invite both the beneficiary's friends and family AND the US citizen's friends and family. US citizens can get into a ton of countries around the world even without visas.

 

That's another thing that sucks with the K-1 visa, because many beneficiaries and their families just cannot get into the US as tourists, which means they can't be there for the wedding.

 

So yes, my point still stand - CR-1 is a better visa even in point 2.