Where are you in the process?

[TomFisher]

As many of you may remember I married an amazing Chines Woman (I know they're all amazing ::icon_biggrin:)back in May.  We have applied for a CR-1 VISA since the timeline is identical to the K3.  We are at NOA1 and waiting, and waiting, and waiting....

I was curious as to where the other happily married brothers and sisters were  in the process.

What are you doing to stay sane during this insane process?

Peace,

Tom

[TomFisher]

The CR-1 is for your spouse (wife).  The difference is with the CR-1 she will have  a "green card" that is good for two years which is renewed and good  for 10 years.   There is no additional cost from USCIS if you get the CR-1 once your wife comes to the states.  However, what nobody tells you is that if you apply for a K3 there is a PITA process to get her green card once she gets here and it will cost $1,000 in fees to the gov't.

The K3 visa was implemented when it was taking 2-3 years to get your spouse a visa, it was supposed to get them here in less time and then your could compete the process to make her a "permanent resident" aka green card.  At this time the processing for the CR-1, IR-1 (if you have been married over 2 years you can apply for an IR-1 which gives the spouse a 10 year green card upon entry to the US), and K3 are all about the same time.  But when they get her with the CR-1 that's it until the two year renewal.

I've done a lot of research and found all the above to be accurate.  If you have any other questions please shoot them to me.

Peace,

Tom

[maxx]

Tom Noa1 can tak anywhere from a week to a month.Before you will recieve Noa2

[Vince G]

I really get pissed off how we have to go all through this crap and waiting, when others can waltz right in with no problems or having any paperwork. Lets say the Cubans (also a Communist country) (plus other islands and South Amer. and Mexico) They make the beach and there is a caravan of cars and trucks there to pick them up. The cops/boarder patrol just asks name, Jose, I will be staying with my cousin Jose Sr., OK, Next? Russians, Indians (India) can walk right in too. though they need visa's but there's no waiting time. But here we are jumping hoops?

[Vince G]

Mike of course they are worth it. It's the process that is unfair. Even the Haitians have been protesting because the Cubans have it easier then them. The Mexicans don't protest but they hate the Cubans for having it easier and the line continues on. I had some friends from South Africa, S.A. gave them a hard time with the visa's but the US didn't. They live in Tenn. now. Next door to Jim B.

The whole system is screwy?

[Vince G]

I can understand they want to make sure it's all legit? but come on? Maybe I will write the White House about this? Can't make to much of a fuss or they'll lose the papers. They hate having their card game interrupted.

[David5o]

I don't know how many times I've told various people on here, ... This site needs to get on board, a Fixer in China, preferably in Beijing. These guys have got top of the range contacts at all the major embassy's and consulates, as well as all the government departments.

I'll tell you this much, i personally know of a NZ Guy, An American , a Couple of Aussies, and a number of Brits,
None took more than 3 or 4 months before taking there wife's home with them. How do you think i got Lucy here on an on-going work permit visa, and that took days, not weeks or months!!

The hold-up is always at the Embassy's and Consulate's, and there caused by mainly local employees that staff the visa sections, that seem hell bent on stopping there fellow countrymen from attaining visa's , or making them wait for them as long as possible....

David....

[Vince G]

There was a while when I was looking into how to get a job there at the Consulate. I figured I can whip them into shape from the inside. And I could too. That's my forte.

I don't know how many times I've told various people on here, ... This site needs to get on board, a Fixer in China, preferably in Beijing. These guys have got top of the range contacts at all the major embassy's and consulates, as well as all the government departments.

I'll tell you this much, i personally know of a NZ Guy, An American , a Couple of Aussies, and a number of Brits,
None took more than 3 or 4 months before taking there wife's home with them. How do you think i got Lucy here on an on-going work permit visa, and that took days, not weeks or months!!

The hold-up is always at the Embassy's and Consulate's, and there caused by mainly local employees that staff the visa sections, that seem hell bent on stopping there fellow countrymen from attaining visa's , or making them wait for them as long as possible....

David....

[David5o]

Vince,

You'll find that there are only one or two Sovereign Nationals in any visa department in any National Embassy or Consulate, and they would be senior immigration officers. All the embassies seem to know that the local staff try and restrict there fellow countrymen from gaining visa's too easily. Ask anyone that's been to there own embassy, while overseas. You'll walk in to the passport department, and you won't see a white face anywhere, ....bloody annoying when your arguing about a passport, with a citizen of another country in your own embassy!!!!!!!

David....

[MLM]

Vince, you can write to any one you can think of but it won't help, the U.S.of A. has set it up so that the consulates are seperate from the Government as far as who has any say in who gets a Visa  and who don't my friend wrote to his Govenor and this man said he could write to them and ask them to help with this matter but in the end they still said no and that was after waiting 8 months with a blue slip before they got the white slip all for a K-3 visa, they are now waiting for her new Visa to arrive at the post office in GZ, she got this after they filed for a CR-1.
Good luck and best wishes Tom

[David5o]

MM,

Your so right there, it's a privileged section of governments, that is unchanged/unaffected by changes of political parties. The governors or head of the embassy, is answerable only to there president or prime minister, That's what you call power!!   haha!!

David......

[TomFisher]

Hey Maxx, right now the USCIS is saying it may be more like 4 or 5 months between NOA1 and NOA2.

I agree with you guys, it really sucks that we try to do this legally and get kicked in the crotch.  I've been keeping in contact with folks on some other sites who are in the process and nobody is getting any where quickly.  I've talked to a few couples who have been waiting for 2 years.  Granted they had at least 1 RFE to address but the time frame is just too long.

Yes the Embassy has almost as much autonomy as a small country and they answer to nobody! If a VO is having a bad day he/she can take it out on us and our lovely wives with no fear of being held accountable.  it is not a good system and we are paying for it, in more ways than I want to think about.

Michael, if they rejected the CR-1 but accepted the K3 I would wonder if it was just a ploy to extortion, just another way to separate an honest taxpayer from an additional $1,000!!!

So far Obama is true to his word, change is here.  They changed the USCIS website and added some links.... WOW that will surely get our wives here with us much quicker than the old website....  BU HAO!!!!!  

Peace,

Tom

[MLM]

Hey Maxx, right now the USCIS is saying it may be more like 4 or 5 months between NOA1 and NOA2.

I agree with you guys, it really sucks that we try to do this legally and get kicked in the crotch.  I've been keeping in contact with folks on some other sites who are in the process and nobody is getting any where quickly.  I've talked to a few couples who have been waiting for 2 years.  Granted they had at least 1 RFE to address but the time frame is just too long.

Yes the Embassy has almost as much autonomy as a small country and they answer to nobody! If a VO is having a bad day he/she can take it out on us and our lovely wives with no fear of being held accountable.  it is not a good system and we are paying for it, in more ways than I want to think about.

Michael, if they rejected the CR-1 but accepted the K3 I would wonder if it was just a ploy to extortion, just another way to separate an honest taxpayer from an additional $1,000!!!

So far Obama is true to his word, change is here.  They changed the USCIS website and added some links.... WOW that will surely get our wives here with us much quicker than the old website....  BU HAO!!!!!  

Peace,

Tom

Tom I don't know if this is one of the other sites you go to but it's very good and full of info
WWW.Candleforlove.com
Good luck and best wishes brother.

[maxx]

sorry to hear that Tom it took Me and my wife about a month you can track your case on line at.USCIS CASE STATUS.Your reciept from Noa 1 is your case number.Tom who is your attourney?

 Like Michael said candleforlove is going to have more information on this

[TomFisher]

Maxx,

I track it each day... I have a Chinese guy from here in Florida.  I did all the work and gave it to him, he said it looked better than he expected. He asked if I wanted a job putting together VISA packages... I said  NO Thanks dealing with this one is enough.

There is lots of good info out there just takes lots of time to sort through it all and determine what is good and what is crap.

It is a pain waiting but it makes the bond stronger.  I will be going back for the Chinese New Year, my wife promised me it will be the best time I've ever had... :icon_cheesygrin:

Tom