mclayto

Got the NOA1 dated Nov 12 from CSC

Good luck to everyone

I'm putting mine together today and hoping to send it off tomorrow. I'm suddenly worried about little things like how to put it together.

Do I really need to use ACCO fasteners? Can I just use a paper clip if it isn't too big?

Is there any reason sending all pages of my passport is better than just a single page birth certificate (smaller, related to the previous question)?

Should I include pictures with the application? In fact, how do I know if I have enough evidence?

I have statements from my bank accounts she was recently added to and a copy of the cards my medical insurance sent. I made an affidavit explaining our relationship. I got 3 other affidavits. Is that enough? We don't have many things that are on the list (children, bills, etc)

Anyone else scrambling as they try to pull it all together?

Wow - that sounds almost exactly like my situation. We met when I was in Mexico for work. She quit her job and came in the country as a visitor. We weren't sure for how long. She ended up staying the 6 months they gave her. She came back again only a few weeks later. They gave her a lot of trouble at the border this time. I think they came close to turning her back but they called me and eventually they let her in. We got married here but she is leaving again and will stay in Mexico while we wait for the CR1. We're expecting at least about 6 months apart. I don't know if we did it the best way but we're in the middle of it now. Good luck with yours. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

-Clayton

I want to thank everyone for all the help. We made the decision. We're going to skip the K3 and go straight for the CR1 and hope for the best.

Thanks

-Clayton

Just to keep things interesting, it looks like we get a different consulate depending on the path we choose. She's in Monterrey but the consulate there doesn't do K visas.

"The United States Consulate General in Monterrey, DOES NOT process V or K visa types. These visas are processed in the United States Consulate in Ciudad Juarez."

So, we can't even compare times within the same consulate. I'm drifting farther and farther from the K3...

Oh - I take that back. I just found this:

"All immigrant visa cases in Mexico are currently processed at the U.S. Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez."

Just to keep things interesting, it looks like we get a different consulate depending on the path we choose. She's in Monterrey but the consulate there doesn't do K visas.

"The United States Consulate General in Monterrey, DOES NOT process V or K visa types. These visas are processed in the United States Consulate in Ciudad Juarez."

So, we can't even compare times within the same consulate. I'm drifting farther and farther from the K3...

No, you dont' automatically apply for both. After the NOA-1 comes for the I-130 you must file the I-129F. Your I-130 gets taken out of line, matched up with the I-130 and put at the back on the line. Then both petitions are approved at the same time. When we filed, I-129Fs were being approved 6-8 weeks after the stand alone I-130s. So no, it does not save time at all. Plus, it is almost twice as expensive as the cr-1

Good luck.

Hi Canadian Wife,

This is interesting. I didn't know that it pulls the I-130 to the back of the line. Can you tell me where you got this info? I was actually thinking that I would file the I-129F anyway since its free and then see which one happens sooner. However, if this is true then it might actually cost me time.

Thanks

No, you dont' automatically apply for both. After the NOA-1 comes for the I-130 you must file the I-129F. Your I-130 gets taken out of line, matched up with the I-130 and put at the back on the line. Then both petitions are approved at the same time. When we filed, I-129Fs were being approved 6-8 weeks after the stand alone I-130s. So no, it does not save time at all. Plus, it is almost twice as expensive as the cr-1

Good luck.

When doing DCF in Turkey you don't file the I-129f. You send in the I-130, DS230, G325, I864 and all supporting documents at once. Then they schedule your interview and tell you to bring passport, etc. so I don't know what is even on the I-129f. I just noticed that right under the title for the k3 forum it says:

People who file for a K-3 have automatically also filed for a IR1/CR1 Visa (I-130) and can persue that visa if it is approved faster than the K-3.

And under the title for the CR1 forum it says:

Please note that all K-3 applicants have already filed for this visa by default (the I-130 you filed). If this option is faster than the K-3 then you can abandon your K-3 Visa and get this one instead.

Right - so to file an I-129F for a K3, you must have already filed the I-130 for the CR/IR-1 but not the other way around.

You have to apply for K3 once you receive your NOA2 for I130

I think its just the NOA1

I keep seeing it mentioned here and there, on this site and others, that the K3 is no longer useful. The speed is no better than normal CR/IR-1 process.

However, I don't get the feeling that everyone agrees. Even the processing time statistics on this site seem to show that the K3 would get my wife into the country sooner or at least have less chance of taking longer.

Note: She's in Mexico and I'm in North Carolina

So the question to the VJ community is: Is it worth it for me to start down the K3 path or just a waste of time and effort?

Thanks - I'm new here and loving the site

-Clayton