The Speed of K3

[dmaddox74]

I read many memos in Visa Journey and A Candle for Love however K3 and K1 topics tend to blur in my mind. I'm married and so I assumed when I filed the I-129f that I was applying for the K3 visa. My questions to you all:

 

1, Which one processed faster, K3 or K1?

 

2, Are there any other disadvantages or advantages in terms of the application processed?

 

3, Which form will I have to submit for financial support? I think there is a 186 and 134....

 

Thanks,

[Orrin]

From all that I have been able to gather, a K1 might be a bit faster than a K3 if you are living in the US. I filed an I-130 in China after Kellee and I had been married for about 18 months. Had I been more timely in filing the appropriate documents with the consulate, our total time from initial application to visa approval would have been only about 6 mos. As it turned out, our total waiting time was about 9 mos. .......I think

[Bryan_Qunying]

Hi Dave,

 

Now that you are married, you can only file K3. The K1 is strictly for the Fiancé.

 

1, Which one processed faster, K3 or K1?

 

2, Are there any other disadvantages or advantages in terms of the application processed?

 

You will need the I-134 but not until she has received P4 and an interview date. She should get the blank form with her P3, but I got it from a post here on CFL and completed it and sent it to my wife a few weeks before she got her P3. She will take this completed form by you, to the interview with her.

 

3, Which form will I have to submit for financial support?  I think there is a 186 and 134....

 

Thanks,

 

Good luck and speed. Also don't forget the patience. The process is an average of 6 to 9 months with several having to wait over 1 year. This is both K1 and K3.

 

Bryan

[keelec]

Dave,

 

From observing timelines, I haven't seen a great difference between the K1 and K3 applications. Although a couple of notes include:

 

One of the biggest differences you will encounter is the speed of the various Visa Service Centers:

 

Vermont Service Center (K1, CR1) ---- Fastest

Missouri Service Center (K3) --- Halfway between Vermont and the rest.

California, Texas, Nebraska (K1) ---- Distant tie for 3rd.... Very slow with CR1.

 

If you are from the Northeast, or somewhere that can send the application to Vermont, K1 is definately faster. However, those from the Northeast might also consider just doing a straight CR1 without the K3 (probably taking an extra few months). You should carefully analyse timelines if you want this option.

 

Everyone else may find it slightly faster for a K3 as I believe the Missouri Service Center may be a bit faster than the other ones. However, applicants typically loose a month or so between submitting the I-130 and the I-129 so perhaps the difference is a wash.

 

A couple of other things to consider would be the differences in fees (which have just gone up) and a few other details.

 

K3 gives your wife a multiple entry visa.

 

K1 is a single entry visa. Generally applicants must apply for Advanced Parole if they plan on returning for a visit to China. The ability to travel without AP could be as long as 2 years.

 

I haven't tried to make a side-by-side fee comparison, but I believe that K3 may be somewhat cheaper than K1. And, for those from the Northeast, going straight CR1 might save a lot of money and aggrivation.

 

Ummm, another economic issue.... If you go K3, you can deduct your wife on your taxes (2004). I am not sure about actually deducting her vs filing "married filing jointly". With a K1 fiancee application, that is not an option until you actually get married (likely in 2005, but could be as late as 2006). That minor detail would have saved me on the order of $3,000 this spring.

 

------------

 

Now, putting all of the time and economic details aside, you and your fiancee have to decide what is appropriate for you.

 

I felt that it would be appropriate for Irina to come to the USA, meet my family, and for us to live together here for a while before marriage. Other couples feel it is best to start with a firm committment early. Other couples start working on "munchkins" early....

 

Good Luck, and I wish you a speedy process,

 

Clifford

[keelec]

Oh,

 

Dave,

 

Reading your other posts..... You are already married.

 

You only have a couple of options....

 

-- NO K1 (this is only for unmarried couples).

 

-- K3 - this is the equivalent of a K1, but for married couples. It gives your wife a "nonimmigrant visa" which must be changed with the Adjustment of Status process.

 

-- CR1 - This gives your wife an immigrant visa. It is very slow if processed through Nebraska, Texas, or California (approx 2 years). It is reasonably fast if processed through Vermont.

 

-- Direct Consular Filing (of CR1?). This can be extremely fast (relatively speaking). However, GZ will only allow you to do it if you meet certain condititions including a work visa in China.

 

-- I think there were other options available depending on how long you have been married. (2 years?).

 

One final note (doesn't really apply in your case). You should have a K3 interview in the country where you have gotten married. Hong Kong is MUCH faster with their paperwork than GZ. But, you must be reasonably certain that your wife will be able to return to Hong Kong to do the interview.

 

----- Clifford ------

[dmaddox74]

Thanks Clifford,

 

 

I read your letter to Oprah, what's the latest on that?

 

What is a CR1?

 

So...since I have applied for the K3 my wife will autmatically get a multiple visa or do I have to request?

[keelec]

CR1 is what you will get when the I-130 is finished.

 

K3 is what you will get when the I-129F is finished.

 

Where did you send the I-130?

 

Yes, the K3 automatically gives her a multiple entry visa. There may be some other minor differences between the K3 and K1 (other than being married).

 

----- Clifford ------

[dmaddox74]

I filed in Texas

[otter5535]

Hello David,

 

My name is David too and I also live in KY (Louisville).

 

From what I have read, K1 and K3 take about the same time. K1 may be a little faster due to a supposedly more in-depth background check for K3. But this point is null because you are married so you must go the K3 route (same as me).

 

I'm going through Texas with my I-130 too. Texas is the worst, but the I-129 should go smooth>>> that is your K3 visa.

 

I am waiting on the Guangzhou Consulate to start scheduling interviews again... the last step (P4). I mailed the first forms at the end of July 2003 and things have worked smoothly up until this interview scheduling fiasco.

 

***Do the I-134 for the financial support.

 

FUN FUN FUN!!!

 

Enjoy the BBQ down there!!!

[keelec]

I filed in Texas

Dave,

 

By filing in Texas, expect about 2 years for the I-130/CR1 to complete.

 

Your I-129 / K3 should be finished somewhere around 9 - 11 months after you started (assuming all goes reasonably well).

 

---- Clifford -----

[hypoclear]

Hi Dave;

 

The CR1 which Bea and I are doing is the Conditional Residency Visa, for married couples. What you end up with is a Green card unpon or some weeks after coming to the states and a social security card as well.

 

I believe when she hits the port of entry for the first time her visa is stamped?, (can anyone help me out here on this bit of info) and from than on she more or less has her green card.

 

This means she can leave the states for up to 1 year with out losing her residency, she does not have to file the ED or AOS, etc or really many other visa related documents.

 

With in 90 days of having been in the states for 2 years she will have to file for permenant residency. During this 2 year period all you will have to do is inform by form the gov if she moves.

 

From what others have said about the fiancee visa this one may be a little longer to get but once you have it, less issues and problems.

 

Best of luck and a speedy process

 

Mark and Bea

[dmaddox74]

Thanks everyone for responding!

 

Hey David,

 

That's cool you live in Louisville. If you have MSN chat send me an instant messge, dmaddox74@hotmail.com

[kurisu]

I also am currently trying to decide whether to apply for a K-3 or CR-1 visa. But I can't find how long CR-1 visas take--aside from approximately 2 years in Texas. Anyone know about how long it would take going through Vermont?

 

Also, we were married in Japan (he's Chinese, I'm the American). Does this means that, if a K-3 is applied for, it has to be applied for in Japan? Is CR-1 the same?

[hypoclear]

Vermont is usually the fastest but don'yt think that applies to the CR1. But for bea and i we started feb 6 and by june or july they had finished their part and had also asked us to give them a copy of her birth cert, notorized. we had already sent that info in the first time around.

 

We had other mishapes?? which added months to our total time line..

 

As of today we are at the P3 stage.. with all of our info at GZ and just waiting for the P4 packet and interview date. so it has been 15 months less say 3 months of snags and that brings you back to around 1 year to complete it...

 

Mark and Bea

[sylinchinastill]

Vermont is the fastest center but I had to go through Texas and it didn't take two years- I applied on July 10th and we were sent to Guangzhou in January- got packet three in March and packet four in April and our interview is May 19th- so a bit more than 10 months if all continues to go well.