JamieCO

My son's F was also working in the US when the couple met, so she has SSN and prior work visa - that hasn't come up as an issue at all. They both lived and worked in Italy after her job here ended, had a beautiful baby boy, and decided to return to the US when the economy in Italy hit the Covid wall. Had we known how long the process would be, they would have either married in Italy or had him stay there until the Visa was ready. For visiting - fortunately, Italy does not raise a lot of eyebrows, and the family has been able to visit and stay connected through this very long process. The impact has been on her ability to work in Italy - they aren't fond of temporary or gig work. Wishing your family the very best luck on your journey!

The longest stay was 2 1/2 months - the last one was just 3 weeks.

My son's Italian fiancée has visited 3 times with ESTA in the 1 1/2 years since filing K1. She always brings proof of intent to return including the paid account at Rapid Visa. She has never been denied entry. They have a 3 year old who is a a US citizen via CBRA, we are never sure if that helps of is the officer just doesn't want to risk a 3 year old tantrum!

The only valid reason for expediting is if you are in danger of aging out. And you cannot expedite - it must be the sponsor. The whole process is a bear and is denied far more often than approved. Good luck!

The truth is no one knows. Right now, CR1s are faster, however, USCIS is hiring quickly and we should see backlogs easing over the next year. Most embassies are improving their backlog, and I don't believe the UK has significant waits. Our NOA2 took 16 months, well past the 5-7 months quoted when we started. Had we know the actual duration, we would have made very different decisions (such as staying in Italy together for several more months). Unfortunately, we were at 11 months before USCIS actually started correcting the estimated wait time. Fortunately, you and your F will be able to visit via ESTA. Many couples from other countries cannot easily. We were fortunate to be able to visit here in the US 3 times for a month or more at a time. The last year was very hard on our family, and unfortunately, you cannot do anything to speed up the process with K1 or CR1. So, knowing the long list of possible unknowns, make the decision that is best for you and your F. I wish you both the very best!