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Are online marriages valid or even worth it?

Hello community,

I'm hoping to get guidance from others who may have experienced similar situations, especially those dealing with K-1 administrative processing and subsequent CR-1 applications.

My fianc e and I originally filed for a K-1 visa (I-129F) on August 30, 2024, which was approved on February 4, 2025. We attended the interview at the London embassy on April, 2025, where we received a 221g refusal requesting my CV and publications (I studied Artificial Intelligence at a UK university and was on student visa). The case status showed "Refused" and went into administrative processing, with the CEAC status updating periodically until June 5, 2025, when updates stopped completely.

The situation became more complicated when the new travel restrictions were announced in June 2025, which affected K-1 visas for Afghan nationals like myself. However, we learned that spousal visas were exempt from these restrictions. As a result, we decided to get married and filed an I-130 petition (CR-1) and this was approved on August 5, 2025.

Now I'm facing several important questions that I hope the community can help with: First, since my K-1 application is still technically pending in 221g status at the same London embassy, could this delay the processing of my new CR-1 case? I'm particularly concerned about whether the background checks from the K-1 application will need to be repeated for the CR-1, or if they can carry over.

Second, I'm unsure whether I should formally withdraw the K-1 application and if yes how to WITHDRAW at this point. On one hand, I don't want it to interfere with the CR-1 process, but on the other hand, if the administrative processing is nearly complete maybe complete soon, withdrawing might mean wasted time and effort may be they can use that background checks result for CR1 interview at London

To sum this up, I'm worried that my CR-1 application might face similar scrutiny to the K-1, particularly regarding my academic background in AI and my Afghan nationality. Has anyone with similar circumstances been able to successfully navigate this situation?

I would greatly appreciate any advice from those who have gone through comparable experiences, especially if you've transitioned from a K-1 to CR-1 visa or have dealt with administrative processing in London.

Cheers

Hello, we have already sent the I-130 form to USCIS. My spouse lives with me in Turkey and has a legal residence permit card here. He will soon undergo gastric bypass surgery here, which is a complicated procedure.

We can document this with a report signed by the doctor, stating that it is a surgery that requires personal family support and follow-up. In light of all this, is my spouse eligible for DCF?

Because my wife wants to return to the US as soon as possible after the surgery and continue her follow-up treatment in her own country. She doesn't want to be away from her family.

Are we eligible for DCF? What are our chances of getting approval by submitting a signed report from the doctor, my wife's petition, and a petition from one of her relatives? Does our situation allow for this?

In addition, the consulate in Turkey states in its detailed instructions that we should not have previously completed the I-130 form with USCIS, but this situation has only recently arisen. We have already completed the I-130 form with USCIS and would like to reapply for DCF because this new situation has arisen; otherwise, we would have waited.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and recommendations.

Opening up the topic for August 2025 filers.

08/01/2025 - Mailed to USCIS Eligin, IL Lockbox via UPS

08/04/2025 - UPS Tracking says package was delivered

I sent the G-1145 E-Notification form with my package so now I wait for text messages or some sort of notification, aside from the receipt they should hopefully mail me soon.

I am posting this topic due to recent refusal of the I-130 petitions filed on behalf of my spouse and children under INA Section 221(g), due to the request for Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) documentation for my children (refusal notice attached).

I became a U.S. citizen in 1993, but was unable to fulfill the requirement of five years of continuous residence in the United States after naturalization. Hence I do not meet the criteria to apply for CRBAs for my children, now I am confused on how to appeal for a CRBA requirement be waived, as my primary objective was to establish immigrant visa status for my spouse and the children, and not to claim birthright citizenship for the children alone. I have an attorney who helped me file these petitions, the attorney and me we have emailed the Concerned Embassy but still waiting for a response from them. Can some one here guide me who should I email or contact for appealing to reconsider the refusal.