What's going on with K-1?

[kaitousai 3]

I was reading different topics about K-1 and got confused because I'm not sure what's going on.

 

As far as I could understand K-1 is not officially suspended but embassies are not doing the K-1 interviews. 

Is it correct? 

And why is USCIS proceeding so slow with K-1?

 

I'd appreciate if someone would explain me the actual situation

 

Thanks!  

 

[NoMansLand2020 298]

8 minutes ago, kaitousai said:

I was reading different topics about K-1 and got confused because I'm not sure what's going on.

 

As far as I could understand K-1 is not officially suspended but embassies are not doing the K-1 interviews. 

Is it correct? 

And why is USCIS proceeding so slow with K-1?

 

I'd appreciate if someone would explain me the actual situation

 

Thanks!  

 

Embassies have suspended most visas services. This is because of the pandemic. 

 

USCIS is working with a skeleton crew since March. Less workers, slower processing. 

 

Even if you get approved tomorrow, you will still be waiting for nvc to receive your case and provide you with a case number. This takes close to six weeks or more. Then you will be waiting until the embassy in Japan starts processing K1 visas 

Edited August 18, 2020 by NoMansLand2020

[kaitousai 3]

 

1 hour ago, NoMansLand2020 said:

Embassies have suspended most visas services. This is because of the pandemic. 

 

USCIS is working with a skeleton crew since March. Less workers, slower processing. 

 

Even if you get approved tomorrow, you will still be waiting for nvc to receive your case and provide you with a case number. This takes close to six weeks or more. Then you will be waiting until the embassy in Japan starts processing K1 visas 

Thank you for your reply! 

 

I was just wondering about USCIS and embassies because IR-1/CR-1 visas are still procceeded at a nice pace.

 

I have an option of going back to Moscow and waiting for my visa there, 

so I'm trying to understand what is the best option right now. 

1. Wait patiently in Tokyo 

2. Wait in Moscow 

3. Get married and apply for IR-1

[Dmitry S 4]

1 hour ago, NoMansLand2020 said:

Embassies have suspended most visas services. This is because of the pandemic.

US embassy in Croatia has announced they will start issuing visitors visas B1/B2 but not K1s. Clearly pandemic is not the issue. Something else is.

Quote

Resumption of Visa Services for B1 and B2 Categories of Nonimmigrant Visas

The U.S. Embassy in Zagreb is pleased to announce as of August 18, 2020, the resumption of limited B1/B2 visa appointments intended for business or tourism travel purposes for Croatian nationals only. This is in addition to current processing of certain categories of nonimmigrant visas such as: F, J (with an exception for aliens participating in an intern, trainee, teacher, camp counselor, au pair, or summer work travel program), M, I, O, P and E.

 

[kaitousai 3]

4 hours ago, Dmitry S said:

US embassy in Croatia has announced they will start issuing visitors visas B1/B2 but not K1s. Clearly pandemic is not the issue. Something else is.

 

That’s what I’m trying to figure out. 
Because according to VJ timelines some embassies are proceeding K-1 visas

[Babaloo 12]

5 hours ago, Dmitry S said:

US embassy in Croatia has announced they will start issuing visitors visas B1/B2 but not K1s. Clearly pandemic is not the issue. Something else is.

 

WoW, shocking. 

[Greenbaum 12,258]

48 minutes ago, kaitousai said:

That’s what I’m trying to figure out. 
Because according to VJ timelines some embassies are proceeding K-1 visas

Concisely, embassies are trying to reunite CR1 with their husbands/wives. Other visas that are processing are those for students who need to return to school. K-1 at this point are considered unmarried couples and therefore they will be further down the interviewing stages. Currently, the K-1's that you are seeing approved are those that have been expedited due to an emergency or are marrying a service member that is being transferred from the US to an oversees duty station or their ship is leaving for an extended deployment.

 

If you are employed where you are living now it's best to stay put and process there as you will only get put to the back of the line and it may take a month or two for your record to be transferred to your new embassy. As far as doing the CR-1 in the place of your K-1 you only get sent to the back of the line, pay new fees, and have to recreate the new forms. Good luck on your decision.

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

10 hours ago, Dmitry S said:

US embassy in Croatia has announced they will start issuing visitors visas B1/B2 but not K1s. Clearly pandemic is not the issue. Something else is.

 

Very interesting. My only thought is that because k1 is such a “complex” visa in terms of work that USCIS has to do and they are already significantly backlogged never mind the pending furlough. A k1 ultimately encompasses the k1 and adjustment of status plus the majority of people submit docs for AP and EAD.

[Jennifer0220 31]

4 hours ago, Greenbaum said:

Concisely, embassies are trying to reunite CR1 with their husbands/wives. Other visas that are processing are those for students who need to return to school. K-1 at this point are considered unmarried couples and therefore they will be further down the interviewing stages. Currently, the K-1's that you are seeing approved are those that have been expedited due to an emergency or are marrying a service member that is being transferred from the US to an oversees duty station or their ship is leaving for an extended deployment.

 

I'm not sure if anyone would know this, but if they're trying to reunite married couples, would they give any kind of priority to couples with children as well?  We're not married but we have a three-month-old baby, and in my opinion, this is just as important.  

[Derek Scheyer 83]

5 hours ago, Greenbaum said:

Concisely, embassies are trying to reunite CR1 with their husbands/wives. Other visas that are processing are those for students who need to return to school. K-1 at this point are considered unmarried couples and therefore they will be further down the interviewing stages. Currently, the K-1's that you are seeing approved are those that have been expedited due to an emergency or are marrying a service member that is being transferred from the US to an oversees duty station or their ship is leaving for an extended deployment.

 

If you are employed where you are living now it's best to stay put and process there as you will only get put to the back of the line and it may take a month or two for your record to be transferred to your new embassy. As far as doing the CR-1 in the place of your K-1 you only get sent to the back of the line, pay new fees, and have to recreate the new forms. Good luck on your decision.

A very large majority of k1 are dying to get married and would have already been married if it wasn't for the unexpected delays. We may be "unmarried" but it's not by choice and the process preventing us from doing so shouldn't be judging on that considering it's the very thing keeping us from doing it. I've wanted to marry my fiance for months now and it's wrong we are being considered low priority just because we aren't allowed to marry yet.

[Jennifer0220 31]

15 minutes ago, Derek Scheyer said:

A very large majority of k1 are dying to get married and would have already been married if it wasn't for the unexpected delays. We may be "unmarried" but it's not by choice and the process preventing us from doing so shouldn't be judging on that considering it's the very thing keeping us from doing it. I've wanted to marry my fiance for months now and it's wrong we are being considered low priority just because we aren't allowed to marry yet.

Exactly!!

[Beenwaitingforeva 9]

50 minutes ago, Derek Scheyer said:

A very large majority of k1 are dying to get married and would have already been married if it wasn't for the unexpected delays. We may be "unmarried" but it's not by choice and the process preventing us from doing so shouldn't be judging on that considering it's the very thing keeping us from doing it. I've wanted to marry my fiance for months now and it's wrong we are being considered low priority just because we aren't allowed to marry yet.

Yea... What you said 👍👌

 

[Greenbaum 12,258]

1 hour ago, Jennifer0220 said:

I'm not sure if anyone would know this, but if they're trying to reunite married couples, would they give any kind of priority to couples with children as well?  We're not married but we have a three-month-old baby, and in my opinion, this is just as important.  

I'm not trying to be brash but unfortunately USCIS doesn't see your way. Simply put "they have the gold so they get to make the rules". Embassies are needing too open so it may not be long for you. 

[Jennifer0220 31]

2 minutes ago, Greenbaum said:

I'm not trying to be brash but unfortunately USCIS doesn't see your way. Simply put "they have the gold so they get to make the rules". Embassies are needing too open so it may not be long for you. 

I agree.  I'm positive they're not thinking about every possible scenario when they make these decisions.  Still sucks though.

[K_W_K_2020 9]

2 hours ago, Jennifer0220 said:

I'm not sure if anyone would know this, but if they're trying to reunite married couples, would they give any kind of priority to couples with children as well?  We're not married but we have a three-month-old baby, and in my opinion, this is just as important.  

I completely agree and understand; we have a baby due end of October and that’s same level of importance with family ties as a married couple— if not more. If it weren’t for the pandemic things would not be so back logged and slow creating these scenarios. I believe you’d need to request an expedite to get it in front of them and consider the specifics case given the # of other cases there are. Good luck to you and me and anyone else in a similar situation.