happyslappy

It will not be a DCF application, it will be mailed from overseas. I did not mean to imply the savings would be used to prove income, rather it would be used to live over there while filing.

I will not date the I-864 at time of signing, thank you for that tip.

Her family is fairly wealthy and her siblings (4 of them) make roughly 80-150k-p/mo as the entire family is in the upholstery business. My fiancee is the youngest of the bunch.

As far as maintaining a domicile back home here, I'm not sure how that will be accomplished or if indeed it's absolutely required, but as stated before, I lived there from June 7th until September 20.

I am greatly appreciative of the advice I have received and the best route I can see is moving there, marrying, filing CR-1 and living with her until all is said and done, at which point she'll return with me and I'll go back to work out of the state. (I, too, have family that's entirely willing to put me to work for well beyond the poverty line)

I do have the 125% but it's in savings which I plan to draw on to live there and file the paperwork.. God willing, my joint sponsor(s) will sign the papers before I head back to put things in motion.

I'm going to be filing out of the philippines and am going to be filing for a CR-1 soon.. Hoping I get sent to the CSC. (I'm a native californian, let's see if the good lord wills it.

Er, #######, really? I guess I'll have to get some things together and file backtaxes

I make below the filing-requirement and I haven't a clue how to go about listing working for someone else as self-employment.

Yeah, I've been reading this thread about accidental expedition and will stay the course as best I can, keeping my fingers crossed.

Though, my grandmother is deceased; It's actually my godmother who will (potentially) be co-sponsoring.

The advantage of fiancee visa is you can file it now. Disadvantage is the co-sponsor issue and then after arriving in the US because there are more paper work after getting married and your fiancee can't work until after the paperwork is submitted and after she gets either greencard or work permit. Usually, that also means waiting to get driver's license.

The advantage of spousal visa is that it costs less than the fiancee petition(the total cost) and that your fiance can work immediately after arriving in the US. There's no waiting around for adjusting status like there is with the fiancee visa. Another factor is by going the spousal route, you and a potential joint sponsor can submit an affidavit of support and it is accepted at the embassy. The disadvantage by doing it this way is you cannot file until you're married and have the marriage certificate in hand(a copy of it).

Those are the basics however. In the end, it's all up to you and what's best in your situation. Overall processing times are approx the same.

As far as I can tell, the CR-1 route would be best for us then. Thanks Moomin.

To the other posters; should read the thread in it's entirety as I stated previously that the working situation would not change at all until I either return with her, or she arrives to meet me here.

What I'm confused about is that you're engaged and you're thinking about filing an I130. That's for married couples. Are you considering filing a fiancee petition, or will you be married by the time you file a petition?

The petition is only to verify that you're eligible to file a petition for your fiancee. You need to submit no financial evidence at the time of submitting the petition. Financial information isn't needed until after the petition has been approved and sent to National Visa Center/embassy.

We're engaged but what we're trying to figure out is if the best course of action is to file a fiancee visa, or, marry and file an I-130 (CR-1). Given my situation in the OP, just trying to get a definitive direction to head.

Okay wait, now I'm confused. What financial evidence do I have to submit at the time of petition filing?

ie. I file I-130 now, at what time after that do I submit -anything- related to my finances and/or income?

I'll go dig through the Philippine forums now, but what do you mean by 'very very hard on co-sponsors'?

My joint sponsor makes upwards of 80k/year and that's only my godmother, that's not including her husband who makes even more. They're both roughly 50 years old, live on a massive 400acre chunk of land and have 3 sons all over 25 years of age.

Yeah, I'm aware of the long wait, which is why I'd like to go back to the Phils to live with her while we're waiting on the paperwork.

Sorry, I should have stated that above.

My area (northern california, redwoods, pathetically small town) is horribly depressed these last few years, under the table is all I can do (ie part timing construction, treefalling, etc) until take my cousin up on his offer and head off to the goldmine in Nevada and start working there.

I just don't want to wait until I've worked there a year+ before being able to see her again. (Wouldn't get much time off, miners never do) So ideally I'd like her here with me so she can go with me to Nevada when I start working.

Met the most amazing girl alive, swear to God. (Philippines, I'm US)

Went in early June, lived with her until the end of September, returned home for mother's health.

We talked and talked and I proposed. She said yes. <3 I have a few questions about where to go from here..

1.) I've been unemployed since 8/2008, only part-timing school and working under the table.

1a) I have not filed tax returns since 2008.

2.) I have a joint-sponsor (I think)

3.) Before leaving the Phils, when moving out, we destroyed all our receipts (like an idiot)

4.) I'm 27, she's 23.

5.) We do have 'some' chat history, but 90% of our conversations have been in Skype calls.

6.) I have employment/money-making opportunities waiting for me when I come back, I just want her here with me first.

7-10.) How do I get her here with me?

K-1 here, move there and file CR-1, K-3.. What do we do? I'm miserable here without her.

Alright so from what I read, I should fetch a drivers license when I return and cross my fingers that the officer I encounter will take that and my tourist ACR I-Card as suitable proof of residence. But like they said in that thread you linked, it's a blue moon event.

Unemployed part-time student with no tax returns to lean on. I have a (potential) joint sponsor who makes upwards of 6x the poverty guideline, hoping I can get a CR-1 and her here quickly as my mothers health is failing.

This is correct. Just attempting to clarify, DCF means filing with the USCIS office in Manila, correct? I do however have the ACR I-Card or whatever it's called, but it just says "Tourist" and "Temporary Visitor".

I hadn't fetched a permanent residence visa as I was not sure the best route to take in acquiring one.

Alright, thank you.

Trying to figure out if I can be exempted from the 6-month residency requirement due to my mothers health being exceptionally poor? Heart-attacks, extreme blood pressure, disability, unemployment, etc.

I lived there June 8 - September 20, and returned due to her health. I'm planning to return in November once she's capable of taking care of herself (on disability) again.

At the point I return, we're planning on marrying and trying DCF CR1 Visa.

Any help is appreciated, thank you.