tennisFL

4 minutes ago, Daphne . said:

where are you seeing a processing time of 9 months? I checked the processing times for all the USCIS centers and they are at least 10 months, but that is only the first part of the process. After USCIS, the case will go to the NVC and after that to the embassy. 
 

Expedites are of course free to request, but with the high number of expedite requests currently, USCIS is extra strict so please don’t expect an approved expedite. 

Thanks @Daphne . - So are you saying it could be easily more than 10 months for even a travel permission to get approved on the CR1 route? How long will that wait be do you think?

My friend told me it took 9 months for him and he applied in jan 2022.

20 minutes ago, beloved_dingo said:

 

From the travel.state.gov website: 

 

You should schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you live. You may schedule your interview at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but be aware that it may be more difficult to qualify for a visa outside of the country where you live. 

 

Canada wait times:

Interview Required Visitors (B1/B2)

422 Calendar Days (Ottawa)

 

Interview Required Visitors (B1/B2)

358 Calendar Days (Calgary)

 

Interview Required Visitors (B1/B2)

296 Calendar Days (Halifax)

 

Interview Required Visitors (B1/B2)

Emergency Appointments Only (Montreal)

 

Interview Required Visitors (B1/B2)

296 Calendar Days (Quebec)

 

Interview Required Visitors (B1/B2)

456 Calendar Days (Toronto)

 

Interview Required Visitors (B1/B2)

342 Calendar Days (Vancouver)

 

This is not a viable plan. 

Thanks @beloved_dingo - So it does that maybe difficult outside the country but doesn't say impossible. If they put me infront of a consular i could explain the need/intent of a visitor visa because it would be technically a visit since the i-130 is in process...

14 minutes ago, Daphne . said:

@tennisFL : I know this is not really what you want to hear, and trust me, most of us have gone through the exact same roller coaster of emotions when we just started the process so we know how you feel, but there really is no way to get her to the US any faster than already mentioned. The fact that she doesn't have a visitor visa yet makes it so much harder for you to see each other during the process. The only option to continue to visit each other would be in her home country or a 3rd country.

Thanks @Daphne . - These are helpful information to devise a plan for me. So far I have come to know that CR1 is what I want. It will help and it is quick, saying 9 months currently in India. Some good news the CR1 can be expedited.
Also, now i know that visitor visa in hand would be nice once CR1 process kicks in.  

Thanks for this thread this info is helpful for me.

You also mentioned that we can use a third country to meetup or home country as well... I did buy a new home in India and I can always go there and stay and also i have lot of family there. The issue is my work wants me to be in US and I also have two daughters here in US who I don't want to leave them for long period of time... 

1 minute ago, Marieke H said:

What makes you think that she will easily be approved for all these visas you are going to have her apply for?

 

The spousal visa application will not give her a visitor visa.

 

There are no shortcut or loopholes.

Thanks @Marieke H - Getting a visitor visa to canada is not an issue as I have family members in india who get it in a week without hassle. US is at a different level due to the volume of people traveling to US from India.

I am planning to do Spousal after I get married. But I feel having a visitor visa backup now would help to reduce the separation. Just doing some initial research to make my life easier later....

7 minutes ago, beloved_dingo said:

As someone already mentioned, to get a US visitor visa through Canada, she would have to be a resident of Canada. She can't just show up in Canada and apply for a U.S. visa like she's a Canadian. Additionally, she'd have to get a visitor visa to Canada first as well. So this will not work.

 

@TBoneTX was saying that spouses are allowed to visit (as in, come to the U.S. for a short time and then return to their country) during the spousal visa process. But if your partner doesn't already have a valid U.S. visa, that becomes harder.

Thanks @beloved_dingo - It takes 10 days to get a canadian visitor visa, but 2 years to US from India lol
I was of the assumption that while in transit in Canada, we can visit the US embassy to get a visitor visa to US...

Will an application to spousal visa automatically give her temporary visitor visa to the US even for short term? 
Please advise...

7 minutes ago, Daphne . said:

In general, people who already have a visitor visa, can visit their spouse or SO. I also did the same.
 

But your spouse doesn’t have a visitor visa yet, and will most likely have a difficult time getting one approved. 

That's why I wanted to get the visitor visa to US first (via canada route instead of the long wait from India) before I did the i-130....

1 minute ago, Daphne . said:

I don’t think anybody here told you that. No, there is no way to bring her here while it is processing. She will very likely not get a visitor (or any other non-immigrant) visa approved as she clearly has immigrant intent. 

@Daphne . - this one 

Just now, Daphne . said:

She cannot come to the US with you until the CR1 is approved. 

Thank you @Daphne . - I see some comments (by i thinkTboneTX ) saying there are ways to bring her to US while processing. Is that the case? I need to read the other threads in depth. Thanks

28 minutes ago, Marieke H said:

Yeah... good luck.

 

Just accept that separation is part of the process and go through the legal process instead of trying to fraud her way into the US.

Thank you @Marieke H - I am fine with separation just see that there are options to expedite I130 (spousal visa), which is good. Thanks

24 minutes ago, Marieke H said:

 

There are so many things wrong with your assumptions, that I don't even know where to start...

 

How will you be able to "take her to Canada"? Why would it be quicker for her to get a tourist visa as an Indian national while visiting Canada? She is still an Indian national, and she will not easily get a visitor visa to the US. To get a visitor visa, she will need to be able to show that she plans to return to her home country, which she clearly does not.

And then... Even if she would get a tourist visa to VISIT the US, she would be committing visa fraud if she would use her non-immigrant visa to immigrate to the US.

 

You want her to immigrate. You apply for an immigrant visa. It will take a while.

@Marieke H - I will "take her to canada" on a visitor visa. Then apply for a visitor visa at the US embassy in canada. The only reasoning is, getting an appointment in india for visitor visa is backed up due to a long line and i don't think that will be the issue in canada or any other european country or mexico.

21 minutes ago, iwannaplay54 said:

If you continue to try to plan ways to violate immigration laws you’re gonna get tossed off the site bro.  This isn’t India and this isn’t funny.  
When we got married and applied for a tourist visa to visit the CO laughed at us.

You want to work in the US while your application is pending you’re gonna be separated.  That’s how it works.  You can apply for a tourist visa like we did (twice) but your chances of getting one are close to zero since you’re married. 

@iwannaplay54 - Thank you for that. I don't want to violate any laws but was just wondering what was available on legal grounds to do in this position. Definitely not trying to break any law. Thank you!

12 minutes ago, powerpuff said:

If there were ways around that, none of us here would be separated from our US citizen husbands/wives/fiancés. Your case isn’t special , sorry. We were all separated from our significant others for an extended period of time.

Thank you, I understand the separation and so was trying to find alternate legal ways, that's all.

Just now, iwannaplay54 said:

No

Are there ways around this at all? I am sure there are exceptions for everything

1 minute ago, iwannaplay54 said:

That’s how the legal immigration process works. You can always stay with your spouse and sponsor her on assets. 

@iwannaplay54 - Thanks, I didn't understand this `sponsor her on assets`? what do you mean by that?

3 minutes ago, Marieke H said:

You will be separated for a while, like most couples here. If she has a valid tourist visa, she may be able to come for short visits during the process. And you can visit her as well.

@Marieke H - That is why I was thinking of the canada route since if I take her to canada and then get her the visitor visa then it would be quick since getting visitor visas from india takes too long. My assumption is from Canada it would be quicker to get a visitor visa even though I have applied for i130 back in India. Please advise.

58 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

There is no “quickest.”   The process will take a couple of years.  She cannot legally live in the US while waiting out the process.

@Jorgedig - Thanks. Can she stay here as soon as I file? I am not sure how long the appointments take in India.

3 hours ago, iwannaplay54 said:

You’re really planning, in the open, to bring a spouse in on a visit visa?

 

Meet in person, file a K1 petition

Marry, file an I130 petition for spouse

 

Are your options

 

Then wait in line like everyone else.  

@iwannaplay54 - i130 is fine by me. Just worried we will be separated since my work needs for me to be in the US.

6 hours ago, Daphne . said:

None of them are fast, you need to look at the options you have. It is the K1 or the CR1 (that is the spousal visa and these take anywhere  around 18-24 months).

 

The visitor visa is not an option because that is not an immigrant visa. 

Thanks @Daphne . - I will do the CR1. As soon that is filed, can she travel to US or no?

14 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

The processing times are what they are.  There are no shortcuts.  Yes, it's possible that she can enter the U.S. during processing; see the "Yes, You Can Visit" pinned threads.

--------

Thread is moved from the K-1 Process forum to the "What Visa Do I Need" forum.

@TBoneTX - Thank you for the responses, Looks like CR-1 visa suits my needs. I have met her when I was there for two months and we have been talking after I came back to the US. I plan to go in Feb and marry her but my biggest fear is that after i marry here i can't bring her for 2 years or so. But if I can bring her while the CR-1 is processing then I am fine. Is that the case? Please advise.

7 hours ago, Rocio0010 said:

Coming here on a visitor visa with the preconceived intent to stay is fraud. 
As others have said, there are no shortcuts. It’s either the K1 or the CR1. 

I am fine to do the CR1, just don't want to be separated from her during the processing time. That was why I was thinking at alternative options. 

13 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

No.

 

Go about it the right way and petition her for the proper visa.

 

The petition phase for the K-1 is 15.5 months currently.  Either fiance or spousal visa will take two years.

 

There is nothing fast, or cheap about US immigration, and she can't come here on a visitor visa to live permanently anyway.

Thanks @Jorgedig

What would be the quickest way to get her to the US? If I do the spousal visa, can she enter US during the visa processing time? please advise.

29 minutes ago, Daphne . said:

Or you can go visit her, get married there and start the spousal visa process. 

Why are you looking into a visitor visa if the plan is to have her move to the US? 

Thanks @Daphne . - How long is the waiting time for the spousal visa? Is it shorter?
I was only looking at visitor visa since the waiting times were higher for K1. Please advise.

Hello!

I am a naturalized USC and wants to marry a lady who is abroad (in India).

Looking at options -

• I  can get her to the US on the K1 Visa but the wait time is 9-15 months
• I can get her to the US on a visitor visa but the waiting time to get a visa is almost in 2024!

I am thinking of getting her a visitor visa to Canada and from there getting a visitor visa to US since it will be quick? will this work?

Please advise.