Fiancee Visa Vs Spouse Visa

[bnayak 1]

Hello everyone, I hope you’re all doing well. I’m a U.S. citizen planning to get married in my home country, Nepal. I’m trying to decide which option is faster — the Fiancée Visa or the Spouse Visa.

Could anyone please share their insights or experiences to help me choose between the two?

 

Thanks

[TBoneTX 48,215]

Thread is moved to the "What Visa?" forum.

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See the comparison, as compiled by our fine member Crazy Cat:
K-1 
  More expensive than CR-1
  Requires Adjustment of Status after marriage (expensive and requires a lot of paperwork)
  Spouse cannot leave the US until she/he receives approved Advance Parole (up to 9 months)
  Spouse cannot work until she/he receives EAD (up to 9 months)
  Some people have had problems with driver licenses, Social Security cards, leases, and bank accounts during this period
  Spouse will not receive Green Card for many months after Adjustment of Status is filed
  A K-1 might be a better choice when 18-21 year old children are immigrating also
  In some situations, marriage can affect certain home-country benefits, making a K-1 a better choice
  A denied K-1 is sent back to USCIS to expire
  K-1 entrant cannot file for citizenship until after having Green Card for 3 years
  Once an I-129F has been approved, delaying the case is difficult to impossible if the need arises
  If US spouse declines to participate in Adjustment of Status, the foreign spouse will have a very difficult avenue to legally remain in the US
  Current Presidential executive order (travel bans) don't allow K-1 visa holders from some countries to enter the US

CR-1/IR-1
  Less expensive than K-1
  No Adjustment of Status(I-485, I-131, I-765) required
  Spouse can immediately travel outside the US
  Spouse is authorized to work immediately upon arrival
  Spouse receives Social Security Card and Green Card within 2 or 3 weeks after entering the US
  Opening a bank account, getting a driver license, etc. are very easily accomplished with GC, SS card, and passport
  Spouse has legal permanent Resident status IMMEDIATELY upon entry to US
  The clock for citizenship filing starts immediately upon entry to the US
  A CR-1/IR-1 case can be delayed indefinitely at NVC if the need arises
  Current Presidential executive order (travel bans) exempt immediate relatives of US citizens

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Whether you think that the processing-time of the CR-1 is slower, the benefits of it are faster.

[Crazy Cat 45,554]

5 hours ago, bnayak said:

I’m a U.S. citizen planning to get married in my home country, Nepal.

Be aware that, with a Fiance Visa, you must marry inside the US.

[W199 504]

Have you even met in person or know who your fiancee will be? (A lot of Indian co-workers here go back and meet with several eligible choices chosen by their parents) 

[JeanneAdil 7,297]

you plan to marry in nepal so you must file for spouse visa 

many a K1 is denied as CO says too married for K1 

 

u r looking at just the timeframe to bring the bene here

consider the expense and timeframe for AOS after a K1 against timeframe of green card for CR1 

[bnayak 1]

1 hour ago, W199 said:

Have you even met in person or know who your fiancee will be? (A lot of Indian co-workers here go back and meet with several eligible choices chosen by their parents) 

I am madly in love with her. We met online and decided to get married. I am planning to go see her this October. I would love to know your insights on this because I need her close to my heart as soon as I can. 

Thanks 

[SalishSea 18,591]

1 hour ago, bnayak said:

I am madly in love with her. We met online and decided to get married. I am planning to go see her this October. I would love to know your insights on this because I need her close to my heart as soon as I can. 

Thanks 

No part of US immigration is fast.  As you are from a high-fraud country, you will need plenty of time spent in person before petitioning for any type of visa.

[JeanneAdil 7,297]

19 hours ago, bnayak said:

I am madly in love with her. We met online and decided to get married. I am planning to go see her this October. I would love to know your insights on this because I need her close to my heart as soon as I can. 

Thanks 

We all know this dilemma 

We all know the separation is hard

We all know when you are successful , its worth it

when you say met online and see her in October,  have you met in person yet?

for high fraud countries it is important to spend as much quality time as possible together

 

and if marrying in October (1st visit ) can be a red flag

not to discourage u , but if you do ,  add her to 2025 tax returns following the IRS site for alien spouse getting ITID  number as that will help prove marriage is bona fide 

the best to u both!!!!

[appleblossom 5,132]

18 hours ago, SalishSea said:

As you are from a high-fraud country

 

Is Nepal a high fraud country? It isn't one of the obvious ones I'd think of as such. 

[OldUser 10,747]

2 minutes ago, appleblossom said:

 

Is Nepal a high fraud country? It isn't one of the obvious ones I'd think of as such. 

India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh - all of them neighboring countries are pretty heavily scrutinized IMHO

Edited 23 hours ago by OldUser

[appleblossom 5,132]

9 minutes ago, OldUser said:

India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh - all of them neighboring countries are pretty heavily scrutinized IMHO

 

India, Pakistan and Bangladesh I knew about, Nepal applications don't seem to face the same scrutiny or backlog for AP though. But I agree, the OP needs to plan on several trips together (but I'd say the same of anybody considering marriage tbh). 

[JeanneAdil 7,297]

2 hours ago, appleblossom said:

 

Is Nepal a high fraud country? It isn't one of the obvious ones I'd think of as such. 

not according to the high risk map /it ranks 51 on that site for corruption but that is in country not a immigration list

https://risk-indexes.com/global-corruption-index

there is not a list -per say - of the countries for immigration but several attorneys post a list and the list seems to differ from one office to another

[TBoneTX 48,215]

10 hours ago, appleblossom said:

Is Nepal a high fraud country?

Back in the day, I asked an immigration attorney (who had also been a CO), "What's the definition of a high-fraud country?"  He said, emphasizing every word, "Any poor country."  And that's most of them.