Not sure why a K3 when the IR-1 CR-1 seems faster

[supranatural 1]

In going through the guides, in regards to marrying my fiancee in her country, that the IR-1/CR-1 should be faster since you file just the I130, whereas the K3 you must file the I130, get that approved then file the I-129F. So it seems like the IR-1/CR-1 should be the preferred route...and I know it can't be as simple as that. Is there something I'm missing here in my logic?

[YuAndDan 153]

AND LESS EXPENSIVE!

CR-1 has no status adjustment.

K-3 does and it costs $1010 to do.

Also K-3 cannot work until they have EAD which can take up to 90 days to get, CR-1 gets green-card upon entry and can immediately seek employment.

[gogo 6]

Yet most people come on a K3 visa (I-129F)... because it is "supposedly" faster than processing the I-130 alone.. even you, YuandDan came that way (according to your timeline)..

Edited October 26, 2007 by gogo

[edp333 9]

In going through the guides, in regards to marrying my fiancee in her country, that the IR-1/CR-1 should be faster since you file just the I130, whereas the K3 you must file the I130, get that approved then file the I-129F. So it seems like the IR-1/CR-1 should be the preferred route...and I know it can't be as simple as that. Is there something I'm missing here in my logic?

What you may have overlooked is the amount of time the IR-1/CR-1 takes to be processed at the National Visa Center (NVC). The k3 usually passes through the NVC in 5 to 10 days, whereas the IR-1/CR-1 takes 3 to 6 monhs. With the long wait for the NOA1 to be sent for the K3 and using Jamses' shortcuts, there is probably only a couple months difference at this point in time.

[YuAndDan 153]

Yet most people come on a K3 visa (I-129F)... because it is "supposedly" faster than processing the I-130 alone.. even you, YuandDan came that way (according to your timeline)..

K-1 for US, at the time AOS was $395, and the I-129F was less too.

If we were to do it now it would be CR-1 all the way.

[calamitka 0]

K3 -1010 $ (with AOS) in USA

IR-1/CR-1 - 335 $ Immigrant visa application processing fee (per person) + 85 $ U.S. visa fingerprinting. At the embassy

So the difference between them is 590$.

At NVC there are still pending May approved forms I – 130. And for approval you need 6 m.

[gogo 6]

sorry, my fault... didn't read it carefully

[Dakine 26]

K3 [LIFE ACT] was implemented when it was taking a LONG time to process CR/IRs so families could be together sooner.

However things have changed and the CR/IRs process has been speeded up and the K3 still may be a bit faster but the time saved with a K3 isn't worth the hassle and cost to most peopleanymore.

Yeah I did a K3 but at that time CRs were still slow.

We went thru hell adjusting status.

Some K3s that have been here a couple years are still waiting for GC approval!

Actually I think the best way is to do both and get her/him here and not adjust status for the K3 and go back and get the CR/IR when the interview comes up.

You would have to go back and have the CR/IR interview or wait for it to happen in your country tho.

[AGarcia 0]

This also depends on where you are appling. For Mexico it is faster to apply for K3. CR/IR takes about 1 year to get an interview in mexico after NVC processing while K3 takes about 3 months.

[pushbrk 12,280]

In going through the guides, in regards to marrying my fiancee in her country, that the IR-1/CR-1 should be faster since you file just the I130, whereas the K3 you must file the I130, get that approved then file the I-129F. So it seems like the IR-1/CR-1 should be the preferred route...and I know it can't be as simple as that. Is there something I'm missing here in my logic?

Let's keep our heads on straight. CR1 is probably a better choice but not because it's faster.

You don't wait for the I-130 to be approved before filing the I-129F. The old method was to wait for a notice of USCIS receiving the I-130. Now, you can simply file the two petitions together.

There's more to getting a visa than getting a petition approved. Where the CR1 process slows down is after approval, during the NVC part of the process and, in some countries, it slows again after leaving NVC.

K3 is the fast expensive way, good for those not concerned about the fees or working right away. CR1 is for the rest.

[LvivLovers 39]

In going through the guides, in regards to marrying my fiancee in her country, that the IR-1/CR-1 should be faster since you file just the I130, whereas the K3 you must file the I130, get that approved then file the I-129F. So it seems like the IR-1/CR-1 should be the preferred route...and I know it can't be as simple as that. Is there something I'm missing here in my logic?

Let's keep our heads on straight. CR1 is probably a better choice but not because it's faster.

You don't wait for the I-130 to be approved before filing the I-129F. The old method was to wait for a notice of USCIS receiving the I-130. Now, you can simply file the two petitions together.

There's more to getting a visa than getting a petition approved. Where the CR1 process slows down is after approval, during the NVC part of the process and, in some countries, it slows again after leaving NVC.

K3 is the fast expensive way, good for those not concerned about the fees or working right away. CR1 is for the rest.

The other point I'd like to make on this, is what seems obvious today may be completely different tomorrow. The "rules" and timelines change often in this immigration process. I certainly wouldn't want to place a bet on which type of visa will be the fastest 6 months from now! For example, suppose now, tons of people file for CR1 and the "line" for K3 visas becomes very short. That could certainly impact the timelines and make K3 more attractive. Only God and the USCIS know for sure...on second thought only God knows for sure because as we all know USCIS can't estimate their way out of a paper sack! hahaha

[pawfectchis 0]

Poeticaly put LvivLovers. To funny.

[MissStacey 1]

K3 was our best option for many reasons:

We had to file an I 824 in order for our I 130 to be sent to the NVC. That alone can take up to 6 months. Ours actually took about 9. The I 824 was approved after I was back in US with a K3.

With a K3- I interviewed in Vancouver. The Vancouver Consulate is much quicker than Montreal. Montreal is the only Consulate that would handle a CR1/IR1 Visa in Canada and can take several months to get in for an interview. With Vancouver- I got in 9 days after I sent my package 3.

My K3 took 5 months from start to finish and I was back in the US and had the AOS and EAD filed before the fee increase.

In our case, K3 was a blessing.

[Reba 2]

And, don't even bother to look at any timelines here for couples who have been around more than probably 6 months. Its all changed and what happened 8 months ago is moot. My timeline, to someone who is trying to figure out how long all this will take today, is moot.

I honestly think that all the old timelines for anyone who has completed their journey should be purged, just so there may be more accurate reporting.