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1 minute ago, dledingham said:

YES! USCIS and Travel.state.gov have been the least bit helpful in all of this. as of right now I havent been able to find anything about the CR-1/IR-1 on the USCIS website

CR-1 and IR-1 are visas. USCIS does not handle visas. DOS does: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/family-immigration/immigrant-visa-for-a-spouse-or-fiance-of-a-us-citizen.html

Timelines:

ROC:

Spoiler

7/27/20: Sent forms to Dallas lockbox, 7/30/20: Received by USCIS, 8/10 NOA1 electronic notification received, 8/1/ NOA1 hard copy received

AOS:

Spoiler

AOS (I-485 + I-131 + I-765):

9/25/17: sent forms to Chicago, 9/27/17: received by USCIS, 10/4/17: NOA1 electronic notification received, 10/10/17: NOA1 hard copy received. Social Security card being issued in married name (3rd attempt!)

10/14/17: Biometrics appointment notice received, 10/25/17: Biometrics

1/2/18: EAD + AP approved (no website update), 1/5/18: EAD + AP mailed, 1/8/18: EAD + AP approval notice hardcopies received, 1/10/18: EAD + AP received

9/5/18: Interview scheduled notice, 10/17/18: Interview

10/24/18: Green card produced notice, 10/25/18: Formal approval, 10/31/18: Green card received

K-1:

Spoiler

I-129F

12/1/16: sent, 12/14/16: NOA1 hard copy received, 3/10/17: RFE (IMB verification), 3/22/17: RFE response received

3/24/17: Approved! , 3/30/17: NOA2 hard copy received

 

NVC

4/6/2017: Received, 4/12/2017: Sent to Riyadh embassy, 4/16/2017: Case received at Riyadh embassy, 4/21/2017: Request case transfer to Manila, approved 4/24/2017

 

K-1

5/1/2017: Case received by Manila (1 week embassy transfer??? Lucky~)

7/13/2017: Interview: APPROVED!!!

7/19/2017: Visa in hand

8/15/2017: POE

 

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Just now, dledingham said:

YES! USCIS and Travel.state.gov have been the least bit helpful in all of this. as of right now I havent been able to find anything about the CR-1/IR-1 on the USCIS website

You won't find much on the uscis website because it is a Visa and uscis doesn't issue visas.   Search for the i130 on the uscis website if you feel the need 

YMMV

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Canada
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Just now, Jorgedig said:

Well, that is because USCIS deals with petitions, not visas.  You should read the guides here at length.

I am starting to now. I never knew that. If you don't mind me asking, whats the difference between visas and petitions? Also, where else should I go for information about Visas then (if any)?

2 minutes ago, geowrian said:


This link is very helpful thank you so so much

Still we rise, here and now

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3 minutes ago, payxibka said:

You won't find much on the uscis website because it is a Visa and uscis doesn't issue visas.   Search for the i130 on the uscis website if you feel the need 

Thank you for this. I did not know this and I thought they were the same thing.

Still we rise, here and now

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8 minutes ago, dledingham said:

I am starting to now. I never knew that. If you don't mind me asking, whats the difference between visas and petitions? Also, where else should I go for information about Visas then (if any)?

A visa is a document used to apply for entry into the country.

 

A petition is just a form to qualify for a benefit. In this case, an I-129F (for a fiance) or an I-130 (for a spouse) petition is needed to establish the legal relationship to qualify for the K-1 or CR-1/IR-1 visa.

 

The process is:

Petition Filed -> Petition Approved -> NVC processing -> Embassy/Consulate -> Interview -> AP -> Visa issued -> POE.

Blue = USCIS (part of DHS)

Red = DOS

Black = CBP (also part of DHS)

 

With a K-1, the NVC step is pass-through only (to get a case number), but then there's the added AOS process:

Marry within 90 days -> File AOS -> Wait ~4-18+ months -> Interview -> AOS Approved (green card will be issued)

Edited by geowrian

Timelines:

ROC:

Spoiler

7/27/20: Sent forms to Dallas lockbox, 7/30/20: Received by USCIS, 8/10 NOA1 electronic notification received, 8/1/ NOA1 hard copy received

AOS:

Spoiler

AOS (I-485 + I-131 + I-765):

9/25/17: sent forms to Chicago, 9/27/17: received by USCIS, 10/4/17: NOA1 electronic notification received, 10/10/17: NOA1 hard copy received. Social Security card being issued in married name (3rd attempt!)

10/14/17: Biometrics appointment notice received, 10/25/17: Biometrics

1/2/18: EAD + AP approved (no website update), 1/5/18: EAD + AP mailed, 1/8/18: EAD + AP approval notice hardcopies received, 1/10/18: EAD + AP received

9/5/18: Interview scheduled notice, 10/17/18: Interview

10/24/18: Green card produced notice, 10/25/18: Formal approval, 10/31/18: Green card received

K-1:

Spoiler

I-129F

12/1/16: sent, 12/14/16: NOA1 hard copy received, 3/10/17: RFE (IMB verification), 3/22/17: RFE response received

3/24/17: Approved! , 3/30/17: NOA2 hard copy received

 

NVC

4/6/2017: Received, 4/12/2017: Sent to Riyadh embassy, 4/16/2017: Case received at Riyadh embassy, 4/21/2017: Request case transfer to Manila, approved 4/24/2017

 

K-1

5/1/2017: Case received by Manila (1 week embassy transfer??? Lucky~)

7/13/2017: Interview: APPROVED!!!

7/19/2017: Visa in hand

8/15/2017: POE

 

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1 minute ago, dledingham said:

Thank you for this. I did not know this and I thought they were the same thing.

You're now just learning that the USCIS and DOS are two separate departments of the government.  That fact can cause incredible confusion in the process

YMMV

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2 minutes ago, payxibka said:

You're now just learning that the USCIS and DOS are two separate departments of the government.  That fact can cause incredible confusion in the process

I apologize, I did not know. We have not filed for anything at all yet. I've not been exposed to much relating the process of immigration in my lifetime and I have not found anything online saying that they were so different. I am sorry for I am still learning.

Still we rise, here and now

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1 minute ago, dledingham said:

I apologize, I did not know. We have not filed for anything at all yet. I've not been exposed to much relating the process of immigration in my lifetime and I have not found anything online saying that they were so different. I am sorry for I am still learning.

No need for sorry,  it's a learning curve 

YMMV

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5 minutes ago, geowrian said:

A visa is a document used to apply for entry into the country.

 

A petition is just a form to qualify for a benefit. In this case, an I-129F (for a fiance) or an I-130 (for a spouse) petition is needed to establish the legal relationship to qualify for the K-1 or CR-1/IR-1 visa.

 

The process is:

Petition Filed -> Petition Approved -> NVC processing -> Embassy/Consulate -> Interview -> AP -> Visa issued -> POE.

Blue = USCIS (part of DHS)

Red = DOS

Black = CBP (also part of DHS)

 

With a K-1, the NVC step is pass-through only (to get a case number), but then there's the added AOS process:

Marry within 90 days -> File AOS -> Wait ~4-18+ months -> Interview -> AOS Approved (green card will be issued)

This guild is extremely helpful and I thank you for it. Would you say the CR-1/IR-1 is quicker? Thank you also or helping me with all of this.

Still we rise, here and now

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1 minute ago, dledingham said:

This guild is extremely helpful and I thank you for it. Would you say the CR-1/IR-1 is quicker? Thank you also or helping me with all of this.

Quicker for what? To entry? No.  To green card?  Most likely yes but processing times change all the time 

 

 

Edited by payxibka

YMMV

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1 minute ago, payxibka said:

No need for sorry,  it's a learning curve 

My significant other and I have tried many times to talk to someone that works in immigration for answers but over email they've not been helpful. I am visiting him in Minneapolis in October and I am considering seeing if i can make an appointment with an immigration office to see if we can ask them more question there in person.

Still we rise, here and now

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2 minutes ago, payxibka said:

Quicker for what? To entry? No.  To green card?  Most likely yes but processing times change all the time 

 

 

Okay. Just trying to get a general idea. We are filing in February of next year (2020) and I'm trying to keep in mind that so much can change between now and then.

Still we rise, here and now

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1 minute ago, dledingham said:

My significant other and I have tried many times to talk to someone that works in immigration for answers but over email they've not been helpful. I am visiting him in Minneapolis in October and I am considering seeing if i can make an appointment with an immigration office to see if we can ask them more question there in person.

Good luck on that one.   Minneapolis is one of the busiest offices in the country.   You cannot just walk in.   As an aside,  no real reason to go there,  all information is available here if you are patient and willing to read and learn

YMMV

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1 minute ago, payxibka said:

Good luck on that one.   Minneapolis is one of the busiest offices in the country.   You cannot just walk in.   As an aside,  no real reason to go there,  all information is available here if you are patient and willing to read and learn

I am going to take a lot of time to read here as well! This site has a lot of valuable information and I was unaware that it existed until today when I made this exact post on Reddit and someone mentioned I should post here too. I just wanted to perhaps talk to someone in person. I was unaware that MN was so busy. I wasn't counting on just walking in either I was planning on making an appointment if I could.

Still we rise, here and now

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13 minutes ago, dledingham said:

This guild is extremely helpful and I thank you for it. Would you say the CR-1/IR-1 is quicker? Thank you also or helping me with all of this.

CR-1 would likely be a couple to few months longer for the visa to be issued.

Unless you have a very, very quick local field office for AOS, a CR-1 would be faster to a green card and eligibility to work & travel abroad. Minneapolis appears to be on the longer side of things.

 

As for which is better, that's a very personal decision. Quicker is much different than better. The CR-1 is superior in virtually every way except that it takes a little longer. For some people, the extra time apart is worth it for the benefit. For others, being together ASAP trumps everything else. Just do some research on the drawbacks of a K-1 (inability to work, inability to travel abroad, and potentially unable to even drive for the first several months of entry). Those months prior to AP + EAD being issued are really tough both financially and emotionally, especially on a newly married couple.

 

Note: I'm dropping IR-1 in the references above as that's the same as CR-1 but for married couples of at least 2 years. The process is the same, except IR-1 avoids ROC later (which is something you'll almost certainly go through later with either the K-1 or CR-1 process).

Edited by geowrian

Timelines:

ROC:

Spoiler

7/27/20: Sent forms to Dallas lockbox, 7/30/20: Received by USCIS, 8/10 NOA1 electronic notification received, 8/1/ NOA1 hard copy received

AOS:

Spoiler

AOS (I-485 + I-131 + I-765):

9/25/17: sent forms to Chicago, 9/27/17: received by USCIS, 10/4/17: NOA1 electronic notification received, 10/10/17: NOA1 hard copy received. Social Security card being issued in married name (3rd attempt!)

10/14/17: Biometrics appointment notice received, 10/25/17: Biometrics

1/2/18: EAD + AP approved (no website update), 1/5/18: EAD + AP mailed, 1/8/18: EAD + AP approval notice hardcopies received, 1/10/18: EAD + AP received

9/5/18: Interview scheduled notice, 10/17/18: Interview

10/24/18: Green card produced notice, 10/25/18: Formal approval, 10/31/18: Green card received

K-1:

Spoiler

I-129F

12/1/16: sent, 12/14/16: NOA1 hard copy received, 3/10/17: RFE (IMB verification), 3/22/17: RFE response received

3/24/17: Approved! , 3/30/17: NOA2 hard copy received

 

NVC

4/6/2017: Received, 4/12/2017: Sent to Riyadh embassy, 4/16/2017: Case received at Riyadh embassy, 4/21/2017: Request case transfer to Manila, approved 4/24/2017

 

K-1

5/1/2017: Case received by Manila (1 week embassy transfer??? Lucky~)

7/13/2017: Interview: APPROVED!!!

7/19/2017: Visa in hand

8/15/2017: POE

 

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