Ukrainian Tourist (or K-3), chances?

[Jalan 1]

Hello All.

   I'm a U.S. citizen.  My fiance is Ukrainian but living (1+ years) in Portugal with Temporary Protected Status (TPS).  She is stable, employed, safe from the war, 6yr old in school.

   We will be getting married next month in Portugal and eventually filing the CR-1.  I would love for her to visit and meet my family and spend a couple weeks here in the U.S.  

   I see the K-3 is for this exact purpose but it takes nearly as long as the CR-1.  One lawyer told me no way any Ukrainian will get a tourist visa, but she isn't in Ukraine in danger with a high chance to overstay.

   I'm mostly just not wanting to waste the fee if there is really no chance?

   Anyone have any info or thoughts on this matter?  We sincerely plan to follow the rules to not risk the CR-1.  

   Thoughts?

Thank you all

[Boiler 45,659]

U4U is much much quicker and then adjust.

[Jalan 1]

6 minutes ago, Boiler said:

U4U is much much quicker and then adjust.

Hmm. Thanks, interesting.  I thought maybe they would deny this thinking it's our way to circumvent the CR-1?  So you're saying don't report the marriage and simply sponsor U4U?

   Problem is; she's not in Ukraine she has TPS in Portugal.  That said, I didn't think much chance for U4U?

 

Thank you for the help

[Boiler 45,659]

1 minute ago, Jalan said:

 So you're saying don't report the marriage and simply sponsor U4U?

Where did I say that, where did I even imply that.

[Jalan 1]

4 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Where did I say that, where did I even imply that.

I'm sorry, I misunderstood.  I'm so new to all this I messed up.

Please accept apologies, I know you're just trying to help.

[JeanneAdil 6,553]

k3 is obsolete

 

[SteveInBostonI130 3,467]

58 minutes ago, Jalan said:

Hello All.

   I'm a U.S. citizen.  My fiance is Ukrainian but living (1+ years) in Portugal with Temporary Protected Status (TPS).  She is stable, employed, safe from the war, 6yr old in school.

   We will be getting married next month in Portugal and eventually filing the CR-1.  I would love for her to visit and meet my family and spend a couple weeks here in the U.S.  

   I see the K-3 is for this exact purpose but it takes nearly as long as the CR-1.  One lawyer told me no way any Ukrainian will get a tourist visa, but she isn't in Ukraine in danger with a high chance to overstay.

   I'm mostly just not wanting to waste the fee if there is really no chance?

   Anyone have any info or thoughts on this matter?  We sincerely plan to follow the rules to not risk the CR-1.  

   Thoughts?

Thank you all

 

1.  Ukrainians can easily get tourist visas to the US.  In January, my nephew got his 10 yrs B2 visa approved at Bratislava with just verifying his name to the interviewer.  Your lawyer has out of date information.  If you just want them to visit, this is the fastest method.

 

2.  U4U will allow them to enter the US and you can marry and adjust.  Or you can marry there first.  You will need to file the I-134A for each - mom and son.  A while ago this form took a few weeks to approve.  Now with other Humanitarian parole eligible countries, it is taking longer to process.

 

3.  K3 is obsolete.

 

 

[SalishSea 17,927]

48 minutes ago, Jalan said:

Hmm. Thanks, interesting.  I thought maybe they would deny this thinking it's our way to circumvent the CR-1?  So you're saying don't report the marriage and simply sponsor U4U?

   Problem is; she's not in Ukraine she has TPS in Portugal.  That said, I didn't think much chance for U4U?

 

Thank you for the help

Very much doubt U4U applies to Ukrainians who are safely resettled in other countries.   The literal intention of the program is to aid war refugees, and other countries (like Portugal) are doing that.

 

Since she’s a legal resident of Portugal, she can interview at the consulate (I believe it’s Paris) for a B visa, like everyone else seeking to visit the US.

[Boiler 45,659]

Most U4U I have seen even from the beginning had already left Ukraine. And that was when U4U was much quicker to get. U4U came in after the EU opened their border.

[SteveInBostonI130 3,467]

4 hours ago, SalishSea said:

Very much doubt U4U applies to Ukrainians who are safely resettled in other countries.   The literal intention of the program is to aid war refugees, and other countries (like Portugal) are doing that.

 

Since she’s a legal resident of Portugal, she can interview at the consulate (I believe it’s Paris) for a B visa, like everyone else seeking to visit the US.

 

I would estimate 75% or more U4U recipients are outside Ukraine.  6 people I met sponsored by my wife's friends were residing in Poland and Germany.

[SalishSea 17,927]

54 minutes ago, SteveInBostonI130 said:

 

I would estimate 75% or more U4U recipients are outside Ukraine.  6 people I met sponsored by my wife's friends were residing in Poland and Germany.

Oh wow.   I figured it would be more like asylum cases, where if settled first in other safe countries, they are ineligible.

[Boiler 45,659]

5 minutes ago, SalishSea said:

Oh wow.   I figured it would be more like asylum cases, where if settled first in other safe countries, they are ineligible.

Asylum is not like that but I seem to remember they say you have to be a Ukrainian resident when things kicked off but do not define what resident means. One of the first cases I remember was someone who had been living in Turkey for years, no problem