K1 VISA HELP PLEASE

[Scaret_e 14]

Good evening everyone. I’m at the phillipines as I’m typing right now spending time with my fiancé and our daughter. Short story anyway my daughter was born out of wedlock she got her USA passport and crba certification earlier this year. Also my fiancé got her anullment and red ribbon. 

 

I need to know step by step to process a k1 visa

i thought about doing rapidvisa but unfortunately I’m in a tight budget. Friend of my told me to just process it my self and it will cost me about 1k-1500$ due to fees and application process. 

 

So therfore visa-journey people’s can you please share your thoughts and help me out?

i really appreciate it!!

 

thank you 

[DakotaKid 38]

No need to use a service.  All they do is take the information you provide them and fill out the paperwork.  The guides here are super helpful.  I'd venture to say that 90% of us here didn't use a service.

 

Having said all of that, as a K1 filer, I would recommend getting married and going the CR1 visa route.  While it is true that it takes longer to get the visa, your wife would arrive in the USA with a green card, work authorization, and no need for advance parole.  The upfront cost is higher, but the overall cost is lower.  After marrying, you will need to file all of the paperwork for AOS, EA, and AP.  That's another $1225 + the $540 that you spent for the K1 filing.

 

My wife is going stir crazy not being able to work.  She did just sign up to take ESL classes and that helps her boredom.

[Scaret_e 14]

15 minutes ago, DakotaKid said:

No need to use a service.  All they do is take the information you provide them and fill out the paperwork.  The guides here are super helpful.  I'd venture to say that 90% of us here didn't use a service.

 

Having said all of that, as a K1 filer, I would recommend getting married and going the CR1 visa route.  While it is true that it takes longer to get the visa, your wife would arrive in the USA with a green card, work authorization, and no need for advance parole.  The upfront cost is higher, but the overall cost is lower.  After marrying, you will need to file all of the paperwork for AOS, EA, and AP.  That's another $1225 + the $540 that you spent for the K1 filing.

 

My wife is going stir crazy not being able to work.  She did just sign up to take ESL classes and that helps her boredom.

 

 

Dakotakid thanks for your time to reading and giving me suggestion. My fiancé and I both agree to just file for a k1 visa due to the process is much quicker and rather then jus gettin married it will take awhile. Friend of my told me it to his fiancé 4-7 months for him to go to the states and they didn’t do the service either. 

[Roel 7,191]

Fiance visa currently takes about 10 months. 

Spouse visa 12 months. 

 

I wouldn't call it "much quicker". 

[Unlockable 7,306]

17 minutes ago, Scaret_e said:

 

 

Dakotakid thanks for your time to reading and giving me suggestion. My fiancé and I both agree to just file for a k1 visa due to the process is much quicker and rather then jus gettin married it will take awhile. Friend of my told me it to his fiancé 4-7 months for him to go to the states and they didn’t do the service either. 

Be careful with that information. Your friend may have had the K1 visa during a time when it was faster. It is now taking closer to year or more for a K1 applicant to arrive to the US. This is the common mistake people make when they hear from others and their experience with the process. The timelines may have drastically changed since. 

 

This is why @DakotaKid suggested the CR1 is better. Because now, the CR1 is only a few months longer than a K1. Your fiance may not even be able to arrive to the US until this time next year.

 

ETA: You asked about steps for the K1 visa process. Here are some helpful links.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/family-immigration/nonimmigrant-visa-for-a-fiance-k-1.html

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1flow

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1tips

 

Edited September 14, 2018 by NuestraUnion

[Roel 7,191]

You also said you're on the tight budget and yet you're picking k1 which is more expensive and then you have AOS process and your fiance will not receive work permit for a good 4 - 6 months after you start AOS  

 

With spouse Visa, she can start work asap.  

[LeesaMarie 206]

With regards to timelines, I filed in November 2017 with no issues, got my K1 visa August 2018 - There are still people who filed in November 2017 that have not been approved for their K1 application. Recent reports are suggesting the timeline is now longer. So yes as others have said, do research both.  

 

When I filed the original petition the advance parole was taking roughly 3 months, and now it's between 4 and 6, something I did not plan for so I am not happy about not being able to work as quickly as I wanted to, but it is what it is.

 

 

 

 

[DakotaKid 38]

This is a friends timeline, no red flags or RFE's

As you can see, it was nearly 10 months from filing to visa issue.  The CR1 will take 12-14 months, it's cheaper, and no AOS afterwords.  Take it from me, if I could do it over again, I would do the CR1 visa. 

I'm telling you from experience, there were many days when my wife was depressed and missing home and wanting to go back to Thailand.  Not being able to work for her creates boredom.  We married in mid August, and I took my time, and filled out the AOS, EA, AP and financial forms carefully.  I sent the paperwork to the lockbox on 30 Aug.  With a little luck, things will be approved by the first of the year.  I'm not holding my breath.  I'm looking at 18-20 months for Green Card. EA, & AP approval,  versus 12-14 months had we married in Thailand and filed for the CR visa. 

 

Choose wisely

[Ben&Zian 4,397]

1 hour ago, Scaret_e said:

Good evening everyone. I’m at the phillipines as I’m typing right now spending time with my fiancé and our daughter. Short story anyway my daughter was born out of wedlock she got her USA passport and crba certification earlier this year. Also my fiancé got her anullment and red ribbon. 

 

I need to know step by step to process a k1 visa

i thought about doing rapidvisa but unfortunately I’m in a tight budget. Friend of my told me to just process it my self and it will cost me about 1k-1500$ due to fees and application process. 

 

So therfore visa-journey people’s can you please share your thoughts and help me out?

i really appreciate it!!

 

thank you 

 

Like others said, we used a different service to prepare our paperwork... now wishing I hadn't, would have saved some good money; but we did do our own AOS paperwork...

 

Now as for cost... yes for the I-129f and K-1 visa and all... by time your done with airfare from the Philippines after wards and all, yes probably 1.5-2k in cost.... then AOS is $1225.

 

So depends how "tight budgeted" you are. Other have said go for CR-1 as it's cheaper overally, so decision is yours.

[stacyt 209]

1 hour ago, Roel said:

Fiance visa currently takes about 10 months. 

Spouse visa 12 months. 

 

I wouldn't call it "much quicker". 

my fiance visa took exactly 8 months from the say of NOA-1 to the day I'm boarding the plane (next Wednesday), 10 is more like considering RFE, long embassy wait times or issues at NVC. If the process goes smoothly it takes about 8.

[JFH 12,189]

If you’re on a tight budget and there now, get married there and file a spousal visa. It’s cheaper and your wife will be able to work immediately. If you’re on a tight budget now, have you considered how you can support a family of 3 for 6 months or so until your wife can work plus the AOS fees?

Edited September 14, 2018 by JFH

[VNN 147]

15 minutes ago, stacyt said:

my fiance visa took exactly 8 months from the say of NOA-1 to the day I'm boarding the plane (next Wednesday), 10 is more like considering RFE, long embassy wait times or issues at NVC. If the process goes smoothly it takes about 8.

It really depends - I filed K-1 several years ago and it took less than 3 weeks to get petition approved.  I sent paperwork on late of Oct and got approved on early Nov and was able to schedule the interview in December  however, I do recently see the trends that it takes longer:  9-10 months.

 

Ex-wife and I separated and this time I have gone with CR-1 Visa for my wife. 

Edited September 14, 2018 by RTLE

[Scaret_e 14]

18 minutes ago, JFH said:

If you’re on a tight budget and there now, get married there and file a spousal visa. It’s cheaper and your wife will be able to work immediately. If you’re on a tight budget now, have you considered how you can support a family of 3 for 6 months or so until your wife can work plus the AOS fees?

 

Well my daughter jus turned one and living wise will be at my parents so that helps me out 

 

[Scaret_e 14]

Thanks everyone for giving me your advice and all. Only thing is here in the phillipines you can’t jus get married right away it takes couple weeks to set everything up.🤦🏻‍♂️ Otherwise I would of went that route but unfortunately I go back to the states soon 😣

[Jeanne Adil 1,651]

3 hours ago, Scaret_e said:

 

 

Dakotakid thanks for your time to reading and giving me suggestion. My fiancé and I both agree to just file for a k1 visa due to the process is much quicker and rather then jus gettin married it will take awhile. Friend of my told me it to his fiancé 4-7 months for him to go to the states and they didn’t do the service either. 

in 2009 it took from July application to november interview

now expect almost a year

go to the top of the VJ homepage and click on guides

follow the guide for immigation for K1

not sure why u would not marry not marry now  while u r there

CR1 is cheaper in the long run and K1 is  no longer  the fastest way to go

Edited September 14, 2018 by adil-rafa