K1 vs CR1

[Tahoma 2,291]

12 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

And neither option should be a realistic part of anyone's plan in the event of an emergency.  

In the event of an emergency, advance parole is a very good option.  It allows the K1’er to attend to the emergency without jeopardizing their K1 process.

[SalishSea 16,828]

9 minutes ago, Tahoma said:

In the event of an emergency, advance parole is a very good option.  It allows the K1’er to attend to the emergency without jeopardizing their K1 process.

Right.  But, leaving without it is not a good option, and the wait times for AP currently are much, much greater than they used to be.

[Tahoma 2,291]

12 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

Right.  But, leaving without it is not a good option, and the wait times for AP currently are much, much greater than they used to be.

Where did I say that a K1’er leaving the U.S. without advance parole is a good option?

[SalishSea 16,828]

1 hour ago, Tahoma said:

Advance parole is available for K1’ers regardless of whether they have married or not.  It’s not an uncommon procedure.  You can read about it on the USCIS website.  
 

Also, visa re-validation is possible in cases where K1’ers leave the U.S. without advance parole, but that’s a risky strategy. 
 

I was reiterating that no one should rely on this.

 

And stating that in the overall "CRI-1 vs K-1" argument, CR-1 remains the best option due to the long processing times for AP.

[Tahoma 2,291]

21 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

I was reiterating that no one should rely on this.

 

And stating that in the overall "CRI-1 vs K-1" argument, CR-1 remains the best option due to the long processing times for AP.

Why should a K1’er not rely on it?  Over the years, there have been several K1’ers on this board who have successfully relied on it.  I’ve never seen one who was refused reentry into the U.S.  

 

Anyway, I’m glad that you finally acknowledge that the process exists.

[SalishSea 16,828]

2 hours ago, Tahoma said:

Why should a K1’er not rely on it?  Over the years, there have been several K1’ers on this board who have successfully relied on it.  I’ve never seen one who was refused reentry into the U.S.  

 

Anyway, I’m glad that you finally acknowledge that the process exists.

Are you talking about re-validation of a K visa if someone leaves the US without AP? 

[Tahoma 2,291]

20 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

Are you talking about re-validation of a K visa if someone leaves the US without AP? 

Yes, it has happened, but rarely.  I’ve seen it once or twice on this board, but I can’t remember which Embassy it involved.

 

Also, it must have happened on “90 Day Fiancée” when Murcel returned to Turkey and then reentered the U.S.

[jg121783 3,908]

On 8/12/2021 at 2:41 PM, Tahoma said:

Sorry for this off-topic post, but it’s important:

 

Guys, you will save yourself a lot of trouble if you do this one thing: hire a driving instructor.

 

We had threads about this in the past, and the overwhelming opinion was to hire a driving instructor.  
 

I wish I had done so!

 

~ Tahoma

I agree 100%. I attempted to teach my wife how to drive. For about a day. A lot of "reprogramming" for a lack of a better term that a Filipino has to go through learning how driving and traffic differ in the Philippines and the US. She is a good driver now but 4+ years later she is still scared to drive on the highway or round abouts. Anyways I second your opinion that driving lessons are money well spent.

[Chancy 6,233]

On 8/21/2021 at 12:25 AM, Tahoma said:

Why should a K1’er not rely on it?  Over the years, there have been several K1’ers on this board who have successfully relied on it.  I’ve never seen one who was refused reentry into the U.S.  

 

Anyway, I’m glad that you finally acknowledge that the process exists.

 

No one denies that AP is available to K1 who apply for it.  @Jorgedig couple also went through K1 AOS and have first-hand experience with the AP process.  Plus, it's all over the VJ guides and forums.  Emergency AP is also possible and well-known here.  The point that seems to not have been clear is that it is not guaranteed now to be available in time for real emergencies, like needing to be with a dying family member in the Philippines.  The uncertainty is not about the existence of the AP process; it's about the timeliness of getting AP in this COVID era.

 

If I recall correctly, you mentioned you've only recently returned to VJ.  This past year the average wait time for non-emergency AP processing is around 6 to 8 months.  As for emergency AP, if you hang out at the AOS sub-forums, you'll see that getting an InfoPass appointment or even walking in without appointment is hit-or-miss now because of COVID restrictions.  The average wait time and the current uncertainty around getting an InfoPass for AP make it an unreliable option for people who are truly worried about sudden family emergencies.

 

Of course, not everyone has low tolerance for risk or low optimism for USCIS consideration.  For people who can accept that they might need to abandon AOS if they can't get AP in time to be with their loved ones in an emergency, the current level of uncertainty around AP may be perfectly fine.