Jim Hinsch said:
I was told that once married, you will need to apply for a different type of visa vs. the fiance visa which is a visa for the purpose of relocating and marring in the USA, and that the fiance visa (not already married) is faster than the one when you are already married (3-6 months vs. 1 year).
Jim
You are correct to a point. The K-1 (fiance) will take 3-6 depending on the INS service center the USC is using. Right now Vermont is the quickest with approvals running about 21 days. The whole process is like 4 months.
Before last year the only way the spouse could enter the US was through the I-130 immediate relative immigrant visa. Once again service center makes a big difference. As of 1 Aug Vermont was process applications received in April 2002, while Texas is processing application received in May 2001. After this it goes to the National Visa Center and finally to the Consulate. About 18-36 months total time.
Last year with the LIFE ACT, the INS introduced a new visa called the K-3 (spouse). What this does is allows the spouse wait in the US while the normal spouse visa goes through the system.
Prior to June of this year it was taking only about 3 weeks longer then the K-1. There is only 1 center that handles these visas and that is Missouri. However, in June they came to stop and have just recently started issuing approvals again. So the spouse can be in the States in about 6-9 months.
On a side note, the K-3s are getting approved faster then the K-1s out of Nebraska.
Jerry