Jump to content
RichardH

I-130 vs I-129f confusion

 Share

19 posts in this topic

Recommended Posts

Filed: Country: United Kingdom
Timeline

OK, I am somewhat confused.

My wife and I were married in August, in the US. We found out AFTER my return to the UK that it was an option to upgrade status while I was there, and not have to travel back here again at all. Unfortunately, we didn't do that.

I have filed my I-130, and received the I-797C. I have just sent my I-129f. I thought that the point of the I-129F was to get over there and working while my I-130 was processing, but I see that the processing time for both forms is 5 months. So I'm not sure what the point of the I-129f is at all.

My understanding of the process is this. One of those forms is approved, notice of this gets sent to London, I apply for my visa, go to an interview in London, get my visa, and move. I am able to work at this point. If it was the I-129f that came up first, I would still have to upgrade my status once the I-130 was approved. But seeing as they will come up at the same time, the I-129F becomes moot.

Is this correct? Am I missing something? Is there a way for me to be over in the US sooner (and working, visiting constantly is getting expensive!) Any other advice on getting this process through smoothly?

Thanks,

Rich

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi There

the I-129F is a fiance(e) K1 visa. Can't be used if you are already married I"m afraid.

Fiance visa

04/28/2011 - I-129F - DENIED

02/18/2012 - I-129F petition filed
02/24/2012 - NOA1
09/04/2012 - NOA2, 193 days

Interview:10/22/2012
POE: 10/26/2012 (245 days)

Removal of Conditions

Filed for ROC - 06/09/2015

NOA1 for ROC - 06/12/2015

Biometrics appointment - 07/17/2015

Approval for ROC - 04/20/2016 (316 days)

Naturalization Process

N-400 Filed 06/10/2016

N-400 NOA1 06/14/2016

N-400 biometrics 06/20/16

N-400 interview 01/23/2017

N-400 Oath ceremony 02/10/2017

Immigration Process took 2116 days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Nigeria
Timeline

The I-129 isnt an Option for u anymore since u r Married

Service Center : Vermont Service Center
Consulate : Nigeria
I-129F Sent : 2011-06-08
I-129F NOA1 : 2011-06-17
I-129F RFE(s) : No RFE
RFE Reply(s) : No RFE
I-129F NOA2 : 2011-09-27
Interview: 2nd Week of January

Immigrant Visa rescheduled for second week of February 2012

Visa Refused on Immigration Purpose February 2013

We Got Married and Filed Spouse Visa

dancin5hr.gif Visa Approved in May 2013dancin5hr.gif

POE was Easy in June 2013

USA Citizen July 2016

Who cares to know how long My Visajourney was???

SSN Arrives on 07/01/2013

492
498
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Mexico
Timeline

the i130 is the correct form to fill out if you are already married and the i129f is if you are trying to bring your fiance but the i129f to my understanding does not pertain to your case since you have already been married. if you have recieved a notice stating that your i130 has been approved then it will be forwarded to NVC (national visa center) where they will assign a case number and then you have to submit the ds230 and ds3032.. correct me if im wrong anyone

Edited by JesyNav
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since you are married already, you have to follow the process of filing for an I-130, Petition for an Alien Relative and not the I-129F which is the Petition for Alien Fiance(e).

We are just in the preparation stage of submitting our I-130, this is what I could share for now. Just search through the forums, VJ is such a big help. Hope all goes well!

CR-1 VISA

USCIS

06/20/2012 - I-130 mailed

06/27/2012 - NOA1 (SMS)
08/28/2012 - I-130 Approved (2 months after NOA1; No RFE)
09/01/2012 - NOA2 (Mail)

NVC
09/18/2012 - NVC Case number, I-864 invoice and DS-3032 received via e-mail (3 weeks after I-130 Approval)
09/18/2012 - I-864 fee paid; DS-3032 e-mailed(used DS-3032 e-mail template)
10/02/2012 - DS-3032 acknowledged(2 weeks after e-mailing DS-3032)
10/03/2012 - IV invoice received via e-mail
10/04/2012 - IV fee paid
10/22/2012 - I-864EZ packet delivered
11/05/2012 - I-864EZ accepted (No RFE)
11/09/2012 - IV packet delivered
11/27/2012 - Confirmed case complete via phone call; received NVC instruction letter with interview date via e-mail

US EMBASSY - MANILA
12/18 & 26/2012 - Medical
01/04/2013 - Interview @ 6:15 AM (APPROVED @ around 10:10 AM)
01/10/2013 - Passport and IV packet delivered (in 4 business days)


04/30/2013 - POE: SEATTLE, WA

05/14/2013 - SSN received

05/21/2013 - GC received

10/07/2013 - 1st Day @ 1st Job

ROC

02/21/2015 - I-751 mailed via USPS

02/27/2015 - Received NOA1 in the mail (Receipt date: 02/23/2015)

05/14/2015 - Biometrics appointment (Original 3/24)

08/28/2015 - GC ordered

Naturalization

05/16/2016 - N-400 mailed via USPS

05/23/2016 - Received NOA

06/15/2016 - Biometrics appointment

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Country: United Kingdom
Timeline

Wow, that's a lot of uneducated answers that ignore the point of my original post.

The I-129f is used to apply to bring a spouse to the US as well. The instructions for that form are full of references to using it that way. (not that they make much sense, but that's another story.)

So, no more "wrong form, dude" answers please. Can someone who knows what they're talking about and understands the original question help out at all?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline

OP, the visa you applied for is the K3. It used to be faster than the *R-1, but that's no longer the case. Now, usually what happens is the I130 is pulled from the queue and tied with the I-129f. Both get sent together to the NVC which closes the K3 path and leaves the *R-1 path open.

Now, I'm not sure where you got this K3 gets to work faster idea from. K3, like K1 has to adjust status once you arrive in the States. That's more money and leaves you kicking around for about 4 months while your paperwork processes. The CR-1 will give you a 2-year green card when you enter the country, which means you can work once you get your social security number in approximately a month.

Holding my nose and jumping off the cliff.. hope I don't hit any rocks in the water.

"All I want out of life is ice cream and cuddles. Is it too much to ask? Is it?" - Sleep Talkin' Man

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WithoutMusic-theidolhands.pngSquareOneIcon.pngMYV2avaruusvirta.pngCarmenSandiego-theidolhands.pngSuckIt-stellans.jpg

138 days from NOA1 - NOA2

14 days from CIS till NVC case number assigned.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Country: United Kingdom
Timeline

OP, the visa you applied for is the K3. It used to be faster than the *R-1, but that's no longer the case. Now, usually what happens is the I130 is pulled from the queue and tied with the I-129f. Both get sent together to the NVC which closes the K3 path and leaves the *R-1 path open.

Why do they still recommend that you follow the I-130 with the I-129F then? Is there any circumstances where this is actually helpful?

Now, I'm not sure where you got this K3 gets to work faster idea from. K3, like K1 has to adjust status once you arrive in the States. That's more money and leaves you kicking around for about 4 months while your paperwork processes. The CR-1 will give you a 2-year green card when you enter the country, which means you can work once you get your social security number in approximately a month.

So the I129F is a complete waste of time in parallell with the I-130? I feel like this process is purposefully wasting my time at this point, and I'm still at the beginning of it all...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ireland
Timeline

Why do they still recommend that you follow the I-130 with the I-129F then? Is there any circumstances where this is actually helpful?

Who recommends it? If a lawyer: because they can get mopre money that way, as there is more paperwork to do in the USA, IF you can even get a K3 visa.

So the I129F is a complete waste of time in parallell with the I-130?

Yes. IF yours doesn't get closed at NVC stage, you may save 2-4 weeks, but you need to offset that against not being able to work in the US for the first few months and higher fees/ more paperwork once you arrive.

Bye: Penguin

Me: Irish/ Swiss citizen, and now naturalised US citizen. Husband: USC; twin babies born Feb 08 in Ireland and a daughter in Feb 2010 in Arkansas who are all joint Irish/ USC. Did DCF (IR1) in 6 weeks via the Dublin, Ireland embassy and now living in Arkansas.

mod penguin.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, sorry we missed you're applying for a K-3 Visa. You actually got it right. You will need to apply for a work permit though once you get to the US while on a K-3 Visa, according to this link: http://www.visajourney.com/content/compare#dcf

K-3 Visa is costly plus waiting time is almost the same as that for an IR1/CR1 visa application so we opted to just follow the basic IR-1/CR-1 Visa route. I'm afraid these are the only options available in petitioning a non-USC spouse, either you file for a K3 Visa or the IR1/CR1 Visa.

CR-1 VISA

USCIS

06/20/2012 - I-130 mailed

06/27/2012 - NOA1 (SMS)
08/28/2012 - I-130 Approved (2 months after NOA1; No RFE)
09/01/2012 - NOA2 (Mail)

NVC
09/18/2012 - NVC Case number, I-864 invoice and DS-3032 received via e-mail (3 weeks after I-130 Approval)
09/18/2012 - I-864 fee paid; DS-3032 e-mailed(used DS-3032 e-mail template)
10/02/2012 - DS-3032 acknowledged(2 weeks after e-mailing DS-3032)
10/03/2012 - IV invoice received via e-mail
10/04/2012 - IV fee paid
10/22/2012 - I-864EZ packet delivered
11/05/2012 - I-864EZ accepted (No RFE)
11/09/2012 - IV packet delivered
11/27/2012 - Confirmed case complete via phone call; received NVC instruction letter with interview date via e-mail

US EMBASSY - MANILA
12/18 & 26/2012 - Medical
01/04/2013 - Interview @ 6:15 AM (APPROVED @ around 10:10 AM)
01/10/2013 - Passport and IV packet delivered (in 4 business days)


04/30/2013 - POE: SEATTLE, WA

05/14/2013 - SSN received

05/21/2013 - GC received

10/07/2013 - 1st Day @ 1st Job

ROC

02/21/2015 - I-751 mailed via USPS

02/27/2015 - Received NOA1 in the mail (Receipt date: 02/23/2015)

05/14/2015 - Biometrics appointment (Original 3/24)

08/28/2015 - GC ordered

Naturalization

05/16/2016 - N-400 mailed via USPS

05/23/2016 - Received NOA

06/15/2016 - Biometrics appointment

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline

Why do they still recommend that you follow the I-130 with the I-129F then? Is there any circumstances where this is actually helpful?

Not sure who 'they' is referring to; but no, no circumstance where it is helpful due to the usual administrative closing of the K3 pathway. Whoever/wherever you got your information from is.. not completely wrong, as the K3 /can/ be filed for, it just no longer is a faster option of getting you reunited with your wife.

So the I129F is a complete waste of time in parallell with the I-130? I feel like this process is purposefully wasting my time at this point, and I'm still at the beginning of it all...

Agreeing with Penguin here, it's a waste of time. It shouldn't set you back too far in the process though. If you can make it through the waiting of the USCIS stage, you'll be fine. :)

Holding my nose and jumping off the cliff.. hope I don't hit any rocks in the water.

"All I want out of life is ice cream and cuddles. Is it too much to ask? Is it?" - Sleep Talkin' Man

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WithoutMusic-theidolhands.pngSquareOneIcon.pngMYV2avaruusvirta.pngCarmenSandiego-theidolhands.pngSuckIt-stellans.jpg

138 days from NOA1 - NOA2

14 days from CIS till NVC case number assigned.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Nigeria
Timeline

Once upton a time long long ago , a normal petition for a spouse took years and the K3 was used to speed up the process. Now they take the same time and normally the K3 is closed.

This will not be over quickly. You will not enjoy this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, I am somewhat confused.

My wife and I were married in August, in the US. We found out AFTER my return to the UK that it was an option to upgrade status while I was there, and not have to travel back here again at all. Unfortunately, we didn't do that.

I have filed my I-130, and received the I-797C. I have just sent my I-129f. I thought that the point of the I-129F was to get over there and working while my I-130 was processing, but I see that the processing time for both forms is 5 months. So I'm not sure what the point of the I-129f is at all.

My understanding of the process is this. One of those forms is approved, notice of this gets sent to London, I apply for my visa, go to an interview in London, get my visa, and move. I am able to work at this point. If it was the I-129f that came up first, I would still have to upgrade my status once the I-130 was approved. But seeing as they will come up at the same time, the I-129F becomes moot.

Is this correct? Am I missing something? Is there a way for me to be over in the US sooner (and working, visiting constantly is getting expensive!) Any other advice on getting this process through smoothly?

Thanks,

Rich

Hi Rich,

Hope this helps as my hubby and I are pretty much on a similar journey.

1) We sent first the I-130 and got NOA1.

2) As soon as we got NOA1, we sent a copy of that with our I-129F.

When I-129F is sent after the I-130, that is a K3 route.

K3 means you go through the approx. 5months USCIS processing time (or hopefully less), which is the same time frame for CR-1 (meaning when you send only I-130.)

3)THEN, instead of National Visa Center (NVC) doing the their processing, your file just visits briefly NVC, but is then sent MUCH FASTER to the embassy, and you get your interview.

4) After successful interview, you can go to USA and apply for adjustment of status - which takes about 4 months I think - and then you get your green card and can start working etc. You can also apply for a work permit earlier, but it looks like it takes pretty long time to get that (3months?) so you might just want to wait for the adjustment of status getting approved and save some money as work permit is reasonably expensive.

Now, many times, including what happened in our case, the I-130 gets approved faster than I-129F, I-130 file gets sent to NVC and NVC closes I-129F. So bye, bye K3 option, the case gets modified to CR-1. Which means, dealing the process with NVC but after the interview you get your green card etc straight. Little bit longer route to be apart from your spouse, but that's just how it is unfortunately.

We wanted to try our luck with the K3 route as just wanted to be together faster, despite that it's much more expensive and you have to do the adjustment of status when in US. We sent the I-129F honestly immediately as soon as we got out NOA1 by mail (which was on Saturday), sent our I-129F file on Monday with express mail and it was at USCIS on tuesday (even though they finally registered it only few days later than that.) And still, our I-130 got approved in 4months, whilst our I-129F is still not approved after a month of our I-130 NOA2 date.

So what I would suggest is: 1)You can try your luck with K3, sometimes it is successful, but regarding work, you will most likely wait longer to be able to do that than in CR-1. But then again, if your I-130 gets approved sooner, and your case will be modified to CR-1, then you can work faster when in US. Doesn't hurt to try if you want to do the effort. OR 2) You just stick with the I-130 and forget the I-129F. And go the CR-1 route which will allow you to work as soon as your interview is approved and you get your greencard.

By the way, even though there are successful cases with getting married on VWP and adjusting your status, it is also risky. VWP has more strict rules than the other tourist visas etc You have to have clear, strong evidence that you had no intention to marry when you entered US with VWP. We considered this option too, but didn't want to take any chances and just took the CR-1 long route. Now, when on the CR-1 or K3 route, you can always visit your spouse with VWP, just remember to bring proof (like return ticket, reason to go back to UK etc.) I've done the visiting and had no problem at all (was also lucky as they didn't ask honestly nothing, even though I said my husband lives in US.) But yes, agree, it's MUCH more expensive to travel back and forth between europe and US, but hopefully you are together sooner than you can imagine!

Sorry, very long reply, but hope it helps even a bit! Good luck!! :thumbs:

USCIS
Our case accepted at USCIS 6/6/2011
NOA1 6/7/2011
NOA2 10/6/2011

NVC
Our case arrives finally to NVC 11/2/2011
NVC case number assigned 11/23/2011
NVC case complete 12/8/2011!!! smile.pngsmile.png

Interview
Interview first assigned for 1/4/2012, but then rescheduled to 2/22/2012 as my hubby and I went on vacation.
2/22/2012 interview done and approved smile.png
2/28/12 My visa pick up from the embassy.
3/25/12 POE JFK

ROC

1/10/14 Roc package sent

1/13/14 NOA1 date

1/15/14 check cashed by CSC

2/07/14 Biometrics appointment

6/17/14 Card production ordered (ROC approved)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Country: United Kingdom
Timeline

Thank you for the long reply, it was very helpful...

Just one question: If I send in the I129F as well, and the K3 comes up before the CR1, do I _HAVE_ to travel to the US on it at that point, or can I still stay in the UK until the CR1 is granted? IE is it a different route entirely, or just another option that becomes open to me?

My wife does most of the travelling back and forth for visiting, as I'm the breadwinner in the family. It does make awkward questions like that a little easier to answer! That does give rise to another question though - has anyone else had that situation? (Where the immigrant is the earner?) And how does it affect the means-based questionnaire? Will we still be ok at that point?

Rich

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Ask our VJ Immigration Lawyers.
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
- Back to Top -

Important Disclaimer: Please read carefully the Visajourney.com Terms of Service. If you do not agree to the Terms of Service you should not access or view any page (including this page) on VisaJourney.com. Answers and comments provided on Visajourney.com Forums are general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice. Visajourney.com does not endorse, and expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed in answers or comments. VisaJourney.com does not condone immigration fraud in any way, shape or manner. VisaJourney.com recommends that if any member or user knows directly of someone involved in fraudulent or illegal activity, that they report such activity directly to the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. You can contact ICE via email at Immigration.Reply@dhs.gov or you can telephone ICE at 1-866-347-2423. All reported threads/posts containing reference to immigration fraud or illegal activities will be removed from this board. If you feel that you have found inappropriate content, please let us know by contacting us here with a url link to that content. Thank you.
×
×
  • Create New...