Fatgod

Hello all

I am a UKC and I wish to follow up on a promise and retire to the USA with my WIFE (a USC) to whom I have been married for 14 years, for all of that time we have been living together in the UK.
I know that the answers to these questions will be "how long is a piece of string", but I will put them out there anyway

• we are about to complete our I130 & I130A (just awaiting our neighbour to confirm we have been together for the 14 years at this address) can anyone tell me how long it takes to receive a notice of Action (Form I-797) receipt notice
• we are applying from UK so have to put London down as consulate if we move to the US on a K3 will I have to fly back for interviews medicals etc ?
• once I have applied for a K3 do they take long to come through ?

thank you in anticipation

tht

It sounds like you have the visa part in hand. Others on here know a lot more, but unless you have private health insurance already that will cover you in the US you should definitely investigate if your wife lived/worked in the US long enough to qualify for Medicare, and if you can get coverage through her as well.

Olly_

I thought the K3 was obsolete these days, everybody just got a CR1/IR1 (in this case) instead?

SanDiegogirl

Yes the K3 is obsolete.

In the past the CR1 (spouse) visa has taken anything from 12 to 15 months to complete processing. With Covid this is taking longer

If you are applying via the Consulate in London timescales could be shorter - although, as I understand it, they Consulate is only doing emergency visa processing?

https://uk.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visas/

Rete

He cannot file through the Consulate in London as they no longer do direct filing. He is correct that HIS WIFE needs to file the I-130 to the appropriate address in the US.

The K-3 is obsolete and will not get you to the US faster and is just a way to spend money unnecessarily.

Unless you are bringing a nice pile of money with you, retiring to the US will be very expensive for you as you will need to purchase private healthcare which can run 1K+ a month without including deductibles and co-pays.

S Folinsky

https://travel.state.gov/content/tra..._RhHqhrmPGgFtw

Tsk tsk. Should keep up with things, no?

SanDiegogirl

Oh get off your high horse.... you only had to say that immigrant visas are still being processed .......

S Folinsky

<sigh> The “tsk tsk” was meant to indicate tongue planted firmly in cheek inasmuch as the digital ink on the State Dept notice had yet to dry.

Rete

Yes, the K-3 is still being issued for citizens of such countries as India, etc. but for intended immigrants to the US who reside in most European cities and who are citizens thereof, i.e. the UK, the K-3 is a useless visa.

The wait for the processing times of the K-3 for such an intended immigrant would be virtually the same as the wait for the CR/IR visa. And quite frankly, there is absolutely no benefit to a K-3 visa for a married US/UK couple in terms of time or money.

SanDiegogirl

OK.... sorry not have taken the statement in the manner in which it was intended.....