Visa, which way is better???

[jskr1us]

A related question: Anyone have any idea about the situation where once you are on the list for processing of a visa from the DR, how many people do they process on average per month? We are about 2,500 on a list of 16,000 waiting for an appointment date this month. This is after already waiting for 10 months.[/quote]

This answer was given to a similar question and was posted on the K1 DR group Yahoo site - From: "Orozco, Julia"
Date: Thu Mar 31, 2005 8:47 pm
Subject: RE: K-1 Group Appointment Waiting List Updated 3/31 by the Consulate candela_viajera
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Okay, MonkeyPawn….I am going to share my theory. Assuming that everyone is either on the appointment list or on the waiting list, I counted the number of cases interviewed in March and April. It was about 2,994 in March and 3,200 in April. That means that if they don’t have any other cases on some other list not posted and kept interviewing at the same average rate, number 17,000 on the list should be seen in about 5.6 months from April. I know, that’s a long time. I sure hope they interview more people per month to shorten the wait. I miss my Hector dearly. I share your pain, we’re number 16,838. L

Hope it helps!


-----Original Message-----
From: MonkeyPawn
Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2005 3:28 PM
To: K-1visa_DR@yahoogroups.com
Subject: K-1 Group Appointment Waiting List Updated 3/31 by the Consulate

[tanya78]

Wow!! all of this information is very useful, Thank you everybody

[J D Sauser]

As somebody mentioned, I also think that you should take an immigration lawyer.
Here is one I used when I lived in the States:
www.immigrationflorida.com
His name is Larry J. BEHAR. He is expensive but effective.
If you choose him, you may tell him "Hi" form Jean David SAUSER (he used to call me the "Swiss cowboy"). About 10 years ago I came into the States on a visa waiver with my Ecuatorian (back then) wife (on a tourist visa) and he turned the whole thing into a US residency... which is something you usually can't (with a visa waiver).

Choosing a lawyer is a personal choice and you chould never do it only based on somebody's recomendation or referral.

... J-D.

[rellosk]

Originally Posted by stewart

THat may be. It has been a few years since I went through the process with my wife. We actually opted to get her a tourist visa. Then change the status once she was here. We went from her having no passport at all to flying to Utah in a 2 week time frame. I think they are cracking down on that now.

A tourist visa is the fastest way to go. Unfortunately they are very difficult to obtain. The IP asked " Is it better to Marry in the DR and bring them here or to file for a fiancé visa?". I'm guessing they already tried the tourist visa route.

[kelly2]

ANy info on what happens after you are approved? How long does the person have to live in the US? FOr how much time out of the year?

[rellosk]

Originally Posted by kelly2

ANy info on what happens after you are approved? How long does the person have to live in the US? FOr how much time out of the year?

Assuming your referring to the K1 visa: Once approved the couple has 90 days after arriving in the US to get married. During the 90 days the immigrant needs to remain in the US. Once married, the immigrant needs to remain in the US until the "green" card is issued. This used to take about 6 months, but it may take longer now. The above information is old (like the poster) and may has changed.

BTW, how did your novio's vistor visa renewal go?

[kelly2]

But then after that, how long do they have to stay to remain residents?

I ask this because it didn't go well... the man didn't look at anything, asked if we planned on getting married ever then told him to apply for a K1. He didn't realize that this was an immigrant visa. He told him that you can't apply twice for a visa to visit someone's family. THen denied it without looking at anything or a reason. So he called and has a new date in July. Hopefully this time they will even look at his papers.

WHat doesn't make sense is that he has more proof of returning this time, as I have a contract here to work next year, more money in the bank, etc...

ANd really, if he was a flight risk, you think he would have returned the first time and chanced not getting another visa.

The most frustrating part is that a K1 is not an option because I am living here... that is why I ask what you have to do to maintain residency if you get it. I can't seem to find this info on the websites.

Originally Posted by rellosk

Assuming your referring to the K1 visa: Once approved the couple has 90 days after arriving in the US to get married. During the 90 days the immigrant needs to remain in the US. Once married, the immigrant needs to remain in the US until the "green" card is issued. This used to take about 6 months, but it may take longer now. The above information is old (like the poster) and may has changed.

BTW, how did your novio's vistor visa renewal go?

[windeguy]

Originally Posted by kelly2

ANy info on what happens after you are approved? How long does the person have to live in the US? FOr how much time out of the year?

Now you have asked a question that opens a giant can of worms for those that finally have gotten legal permanent residency (aka Green Cards) . I will guess your reason for asking this is that once you have a residency visa, you don't want to lose it. For that, the USA will make sure you really want to live and work in the USA. If you leave the country frequently or for long periods of time, upon returning immigration can at any time decide you may not re-enter under the residency visa (green card) and send you home. This can get very dicey if you want to split the time you live in the DR and USA.

If you are like me, you will not find a clear answer as to how "they" decide to do this. Six months seems to be a time out of the US that will certainly raise eyebrows. But, shorter times may also cause problems. Has anyone had experience with people that had legal permanent resident status in the US and then lost it because they stayed out of the US for more than 6 months, for example? Any other subtle reasons why people have lost green cards?

[SafireDream]

I understand that the K-1 is supposed to be faster but what percentage of K-1 visas are actually approved. My fiance and I are struggling with which visa to decide on - the K-1 or the CR-1. I have heard many positive and negative thigns about both. I am very fearful. The time apart is difficult and it is getting quite expensive to travel to see him every 2-3 months. Visa requests for the area that I live in are processed by Vermont and they seem to be pretty up-to-date. Does anyone know of a website for information on the CR-1?

[Snuffy]

My brother used the K1 visa process to take his girlfriend to the USA from Peru. I thought it was quiet easy. Of course your success will depend on your finances. There is a lot of paperwork involved but if you take your time and do it right the process should flow smoothly. It took him about three months to get her into the USA. Once in the USA they were married. At that point you have to apply for a Change of Status. That is a process in itself and requires more photos, fingerprinting, and interviews. She received her green card after about four months in the USA. You have to hold onto all your paperwork...don't throw anything away...not a scrap. He misplaced a response from HomeSecurity that delayed the process and caused quiet a scare. Do know that processing times depend upon the country your friend is coming from.

I married here in DR and have a been going through the process of taking my wife to USA. This, so far, has been a very smooth process. On track and almost completed. Much easier than I expected judging from information I received on internet. Of course we are not finished. If all is straight up then you should have no problems. If you can prove you have a financial situation to support your spouse in USA then all should go well.