Ivanov Andrei

I'm a US citizen.
This summer I'm going to Russia to marry my gf, then back to US. WHat
would be the best way to bring her to the US in the shortest amount of
time?
I'm thinking that I should file for her visa back in Russia (should it
be K-3) and then do the paperwork to change status when she's here.
How long will it take to bring her here?
Also, how long will she be stuck in the US unable to go anywhere (I've
read that while change of status is going on, person is unable to
leave the country unless they apply for a special petition/permit)?
Thanks,
Andrei

Rete

Definitely have all the wrong information. You cannot file for her K-3 while you are in Russia. You need to return to the US and file the I-130 for her relative visa first and then when you get the Notice of Action on that you file the I-129F for the start of the K-3.

As for not being able to leave the US while your adjustment of pending, that is not correct. If you don't have an overstay issue you can apply for advance parole so that you can leave and return without abandoning your pending petition.

However, that is the least of your problems at the moment. First you need to go to the USCIS website and read up on "how to bring your spouse to the US"

ian-mstm

I'm pretty sure that an airplane is the best way to bring her to the US in the shortest amount of time. If you're talking about a visa, they all take anywhere from 6 months to a year or more to get. Start here: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigra...ypes_2991.html.


Don't you think she'd like to spend some time exploring her new home? Do you think she'll want to leave as soon as she arrives? She can leave at any time... she isn't a prisoner. If, however, she wants to return to the US, she needs to apply for Advance Parole, form I-131.

Ian

Noorah101

Go to www.uscis.gov and look up "How do I bring my spouse to the USA?" You must first return to the USA and file form I-130. If this is all you file, it will eventually lead to her getting an immigrant visa, which is the better visa, because she will become a PR upon entry to the USA, and nothing further regarding her adjustment will be necessary. She will get the green card in a few weeks after arrival.

If you choose to file an I-129F to pursue the K-3 visa, you can do that, too, once you have the NOA from the I-130 in hand. However, the I-130 processing has sped up so that the K-3 process is not much (if at all) faster than the Immigrant visa. Also, be aware that if you start the K-3 process and change your mind at any point (and decide to go for the Immigrant Visa), there will be a fee of $200 to cancel the I-129F that you filed.

If you wife does arrive on the K-3 and you pursue her AOS in the USA, she can travel back home and return to the USA if you also file form I-131 for Advance Parole. It takes about 2 months to receive the AP, and she should NOT leave the USA before having the AP in hand.

You only have these two choices (Immigrant Visa or K-3), and they both take between 6 months to a year to process. So these ARE the quickest ways.

Best Wishes,
Rene

Ray

I though the K-3 visa was valid for a multiple entries for 2 years

Noorah101

Oops, you are right Ray. My bad. K-3 is a two year, multiple entry visa. Never mind the AP stuff, that's for K-1's.

Rene

Ivanov Andrei

On May 7, 9:22 pm, Noorah101 <[email protected]>
wrote:
> > I'm a US citizen.
> > This summer I'm going to Russia to marry my gf, then back to US. WHat
> > would be the best way to bring her to the US in the shortest amount of
> > time?
> > I'm thinking that I should file for her visa back in Russia (should it
> > be K-3) and then do the paperwork to change status when she's here.
> > How long will it take to bring her here?
> > Also, how long will she be stuck in the US unable to go anywhere (I've
> > read that while change of status is going on, person is unable to
> > leave the country unless they apply for a special petition/permit)?
> > Thanks,
> > Andrei
>
> Go towww.uscis.govand look up "How do I bring my spouse to the USA?"
> You must first return to the USA and file form I-130. If this is all
> you file, it will eventually lead to her getting an immigrant visa,
> which is the better visa, because she will become a PR upon entry to the
> USA, and nothing further regarding her adjustment will be necessary.
> She will get the green card in a few weeks after arrival.
>
> If you choose to file an I-129F to pursue the K-3 visa, you can do that,
> too, once you have the NOA from the I-130 in hand. However, the I-130
> processing has sped up so that the K-3 process is not much (if at all)
> faster than the Immigrant visa. Also, be aware that if you start the
> K-3 process and change your mind at any point (and decide to go for the
> Immigrant Visa), there will be a fee of $200 to cancel the I-129F that
> you filed.
>
> If you wife does arrive on the K-3 and you pursue her AOS in the USA,
> she can travel back home and return to the USA if you also file form I-
> 131 for Advance Parole. It takes about 2 months to receive the AP, and
> she should NOT leave the USA before having the AP in hand.
>
> You only have these two choices (Immigrant Visa or K-3), and they
> both take between 6 months to a year to process. So these ARE the
> quickest ways.
>
> Best Wishes,
> Rene
>
> --
> Posted viahttp://britishexpats.com


So if I understand you correctly....
If we get married there and I go back to US, she can't come here for 6
months to a year? I'll be a newly wed and not see her (except going
back there myself) for that long?
Did things change THAT badly since 2000? It used to be possible to do
in under 3 months..

Ivanov Andrei

On May 7, 9:22 pm, Noorah101 <[email protected]>
wrote:
> > I'm a US citizen.
> > This summer I'm going to Russia to marry my gf, then back to US. WHat
> > would be the best way to bring her to the US in the shortest amount of
> > time?
> > I'm thinking that I should file for her visa back in Russia (should it
> > be K-3) and then do the paperwork to change status when she's here.
> > How long will it take to bring her here?
> > Also, how long will she be stuck in the US unable to go anywhere (I've
> > read that while change of status is going on, person is unable to
> > leave the country unless they apply for a special petition/permit)?
> > Thanks,
> > Andrei
>
> Go towww.uscis.govand look up "How do I bring my spouse to the USA?"
> You must first return to the USA and file form I-130. If this is all
> you file, it will eventually lead to her getting an immigrant visa,
> which is the better visa, because she will become a PR upon entry to the
> USA, and nothing further regarding her adjustment will be necessary.
> She will get the green card in a few weeks after arrival.
>
> If you choose to file an I-129F to pursue the K-3 visa, you can do that,
> too, once you have the NOA from the I-130 in hand. However, the I-130
> processing has sped up so that the K-3 process is not much (if at all)
> faster than the Immigrant visa. Also, be aware that if you start the
> K-3 process and change your mind at any point (and decide to go for the
> Immigrant Visa), there will be a fee of $200 to cancel the I-129F that
> you filed.
>
> If you wife does arrive on the K-3 and you pursue her AOS in the USA,
> she can travel back home and return to the USA if you also file form I-
> 131 for Advance Parole. It takes about 2 months to receive the AP, and
> she should NOT leave the USA before having the AP in hand.
>
> You only have these two choices (Immigrant Visa or K-3), and they
> both take between 6 months to a year to process. So these ARE the
> quickest ways.
>
> Best Wishes,
> Rene
>
> --
> Posted viahttp://britishexpats.com


Also, another thought....I don't suppose something like this would
work?
While she's still in Russia
Apply and get her K-1
Go to Russia, get married.
She comes over here on a K-1 visa (to leave Russia, one only has to
show "foreigh passport" with visa, not internal passport)
Apply here for change of status as my wife.

Just looking for some way that won't leave newlyweds apart for a year.
Andrei

Ray

The K-i is for a fiancee visa, she arrived in the US on the K-1
then you get married here ...usually the quickest way ...

Noorah101

9-11 changed a lot of things. Security checks are a lot more extensive now, backlog at USCIS is a lot longer. Yes, even newlyweds have to spend 6 months or more apart, unless one can go visit the other in the meantime.

Rene

Noorah101

That won't work, because she has to be UNmarried to enter the USA as a fiancee on the K-1. If you apply for her K-1, you can't get married until she comes to the USA on her K-1 visa, then you have 90 days in which you MUST marry. And, to be honest, the K-1 is not THAT much faster. Might save a month or two at best.

Rene

Rete

Bet he is thinking about direct consular filing. Don't know if that is still available in Russia for non-resident US citizens.

ian-mstm

If you don't want to be apart for a year *after* you are married, you have two choices: 1) you go to Russia, get married, and live there; or 2) you file for a K-1 visa, she comes to the US, and gets married in the US.

Ian

meauxna

As of today, no non-resident DCF anywhere, any how.

Basic USCIS +DOS instruction is that the US citizen must be living in the country in question for 6+ months in order to file I-130 at the Consulate/Field Office.

(Welcome back, Rete!)

Ivanov Andrei

On May 8, 11:41 am, meauxna <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Bet he is thinking about direct consular filing. Don't know if that
> > is still available in Russia for non-resident US citizens.
>
> As of today, no non-resident DCF anywhere, any how.
>
> Basic USCIS +DOS instruction is that the US citizen must be living in
> the country in question for 6+ months in order to file I-130 at the
> Consulate/Field Office.
>
> (Welcome back, Rete!)
>
> --
> Posted viahttp://britishexpats.com


On the US embassy in Moscow page, they say that K-3 has to be applied
for in Russia.
If I understand the process correctly for K-3, I have to:
1. Get an approved I-129F petition (have to file for it here in the
US).
2. File for I-130 petition.
3. Go get married.
4. Then we apply for K-3.

This was taken from
http://moscow.usembassy.gov/consular...ord_id=ivspous
page.
Is this information not accurate anymore?
Thanks,
Andrei