Ketsuban

I encountered this scenario when I wanted to live with my then-boyfriend. It just wasn't possible via school or work for me. We ended up getting married and I got a spousal visa, but of course because there was no way for us to know each other properly prior to marriage, we did get to know each other post-marriage, and it didn't work out 😅
 
One of the drawbacks to international relationships, unfortunately. It's a risk you take. I don't regret the experience at all, though. 

I don’t think it will be a problem.  Paging @Redro.
 
She is supposed to obtain a police report for countries she’s resides in for >6 months.

Notify NVC now that you are interested in a visa but not this at this time. And send this notice every 6 months until you are ready.
 
For next two years meet with your wife at least 4 times a year, at least one week per meeting. Document each meeting. With photos, plane tix receipts, hotel receipts.
 
If at the end two years you both want to proceed, then pay NVC fees and upload papers. And continue to meet. 
 
On the day of your interview, she should be in Egypt and you should show the CO her U.S. passport to prove she is there providing moral support.
 
If your relationship is real, a competent CO will see that.

Yes , Sort of 

I am 99 percent certain no embassy will give you a spousal visa because you have not seen each other in 5 years.

I am not going to question the OP, I have seen too many examples of things that can not happen, do not happen, happening.
 
The safest route with no Joint Sponsor, no US sourced income and questionable savings is for the USC to head back first and get a job etc.
 
Otherwise you go with what you have and see.
 
The I 864 is a big ask from a Joint Sponsor perspective, I remember seeing why can there not be an an Insurer? being discusses a long time ago.  I think showing 3x assets would be cheaper than any Insurance premium.

No one but you is confused about this.   The issue at hand is not a K-1 or adjustment of status.   The OP is seeking an immigrant visa from outside the US and checked an incorrect box on the petition, and now must submit a separate form to correct that, which will take a year.

Your statement can be misleading because last time I checked, K1 visa holders (which does not apply in OP’s case I know) can enter the US with intent to adjust and can do so legally which is not fraud. 
please be clear and specific in the information you provide to people so people do not get the wrong information. 

Wow.  No, your visa was not approved.  The I-130 petition was approved.  Had you completed it properly to indicated a visa will be applied for (in Sydney, not Melbourne) the file would have been sent to NVC, and later to Sydney.  Because you said BOTH you wanted a visa AND to adjust status within the USA, you must now file an I-824 (with USCIS, not NVC) with its fee, and wait about another year, for the case to go to NVC.
 
NOT directed at you, but directed at all those who say, "If you have no complications, you do it yourself." I will say again, that's an incomplete (false) statement.  If you have the aptitude and motivation to do your homework, along with the necessary language skills including interpreting questions and instructions literally, and pay close attention to details, you PROBABLY can do it yourself, with some help from the members here.
 
Here is yet another example of how a simple mistake, can make one wish, well at least that they had done SOMETHING...."different".
 

NY says separated (not living together ) is not the same as legal separation
which is what u need 
if u or spouse has not filed for a legal separation ,  do so ASAP
the year will start when this is filed with the court

I think you will need to write to them and inform them you are filing for divorce and need to convert to divorce waiver, they will send an RFE for the decree (which you won't have due to the one year rule in NY) and then your ROC would be denied. You're in a pretty awkward situation here. You can't go through without telling them in case they approve you without interview, but if you tell them now, the RFE deadline would expire probably before you can even file for divorce.  
 
You can re-file after a denial but you do put yourself at risk of being deportable in between the denial and their acceptance of the new I-751. 

I think you will need to write to them and inform them you are filing for divorce and need to convert to divorce waiver, they will send an RFE for the decree (which you won't have due to the one year rule in NY) and then your ROC would be denied. You're in a pretty awkward situation here. You can't go through without telling them in case they approve you without interview, but if you tell them now, the RFE deadline would expire probably before you can even file for divorce.  
 
You can re-file after a denial but you do put yourself at risk of being deportable in between the denial and their acceptance of the new I-751. 

Incorrect.   You seem to be confusing K-1 with CR/IR-1.

This is not correct.  The I-864 is used for immigrant visas and for Adjustment of Status.  The I-134 is the affidavit of Support used for K-1 cases.  

The expiry date doesn’t seem to matter. My I-797 technically expired on the 3rd of this month and my interview isn’t until next week. I believe they’ll just automatically renew it since the recent delays with this whole process are completely out of the petitioner/beneficiary’s control. 

its not  $1,750
 
its still the old fee
Posted by Frank Gogol in Immigrants | Updated on June 20, 2023. At a Glance: The total cost to become a U.S. citizen through naturalization is $725, which includes a $640 application fee (N-400 fee) and an $85 biometrics services fee.Jun 20, 2023

From what I remember reading about it, the CRBA is easy and most of the process can even be done in the U.S. if the couple is married and the child is an infant. But for an unmarried father, you have to do more paperwork and DNA testing and waiting
 
why is that weird? In many countries a man can't even be at the hospital during delivery and afterwards. You never heard of a mid "husband". It's a woman's domain. 

*** Moved from K1 Process & Procedures to Effects of Major Family Changes on Immigration Benefits, where similar topics about I-864 obligation and divorce are discussed ***
 
 
Fill out the I-864 with what is accurate at the time you sign it.  If your child has already been born, then 3.  If not, then 2.  If your dependents increase before your spouse's Adjustment of Status (AOS) interview, bring an updated I-864 to the interview.
 
 
There is no 10-year limit.  You could be bound by the I-864 for your beneficiary's remaining lifetime, if they never work or naturalize, even if you divorce and they re-marry.
 
Note that the I-864 is a contract between the sponsor and the federal government for possible reimbursement of public benefits claimed by the immigrant.  It is not a contract between the sponsor and the immigrant, nor does it dictate how much financial support the immigrant should get, if any, from the sponsor.  Divorce settlements and alimony are matters for divorce lawyers and family court, and separate from the I-864, though some divorce lawyers may use the I-864 as ammunition to negotiate a better settlement for their immigrant clients.
 

FRAUD.

Could be suspected for divorce fraud, if USCIS finds out about this.  From the USCIS Adjudicator’s Field Manual -- https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/policy-manual-afm/afm21-external.pdf
 
Unmarried does not mean "never married" and a previously married son or daughter under age 21 is a "child." This raises the distinct possibility that someone might engage in divorce fraud in order to qualify for an immigration benefit. As we do not recognize a marriage which is contracted solely to circumvent immigration law, we also do not recognize a divorce which is obtained solely to circumvent immigration law.
 

The child cannot be born in U.S. then.
 
First principle is to protect the child. That means marrying before the child is born so that the child has an easier path to U.S. citizenship. Presumably through CRBA, but if necessary, through IR-2. Out of wedlock births to non gestational U.S. citizen parents sometimes  produce a nightmare for the child.
 
So K-1 is out. 
 
I am normally a Utah zoom advocate, but  it takes 2 years to get a CR-1 visa.  So follow the Thai process to get married, since the child will be in Thailand for at least 18 months, and you want to be certain the marriage is recognized under Thai law. Especially if the CR-1 is denied or goes into extended processing.
 
Fewer than 5 K-3 visas are issued per year. You can try, but you will have better luck playing slots in a casino. When Congress established K-1 and K-3, the intent was these would be fast turn around visas, end to end 90 days usually. So K-3 was superior to CR-1 and K-1. 
 
Over time, USCIS and DoS corrupted the intent of Congress to make K-3 take as long as CR-1, and then did the same with K-1. Indeed K-1 now takes longer than CR-1.
 
CR-1 is the superior visa, and your wife should wait until your 2 year marriage anniversary to enter on her CR-1 visa.  

At interview CO always assumes the intent is to stay in the US
to overcome this notion , she needs to prove she has the funds needed for the visit ,  a job to return to,  and owns property 

What happens when you search your ROC case number on the USCIS website? You can check the status two ways, through https://egov.uscis.gov/ and through your myUSCIS account.
 
I don't know who told you to apply for a replacement card, but that wasn't the right advice. USCIS will not replace an expired card. Your only option from now on is to keep getting stamps on your passport/delivered to you if your case is still active.
 
If you current ROC case was in fact denied, you will need to reapply ASAP (like tomorrow). This will give "your status back". With that you will be able to get the stamp I mentioned before. Leaving the country without it will result in abandoning your LPR status.
 
At the end of the day the choice is your: is traveling now and staying there for years until a new immigration case is filed more important?
 
 
 
 

You need to listen to the advice people are giving you. You have status. Getting the adit stamp will allow you to leave and come back. Read the links provided. Nothing can be changed the way you were told, there's more to know about your case, go find it.
 
Unless you want to just leave, give up and start from zero. Then no advice will help you.
 
You keep saying you can't work. Are you working right now, didn't you already have a job? Did you just stop going to work after a phone call?