American Visas From Southeast Asia

The following article was written for those researching American family immigration issues for the first time. Those thinking about petitioning for a U.S. visa on behalf of a foreign loved one are well advised to conduct thorough research prior to making an informed decision.

Those researching American immigration matters for the first time are likely to come upon both the K-1 visa and the CR-1 visa. The K-1 visa is an US fiance visa which was designed, by statute, to provide a short term visa benefit to the alien fiance of an American Citizen. Foreign nationals admitted to the United States in K-1 visa status are generally required to subject themselves to the adjustment of status process before being able to take up lawful permanent residence in the USA. Simultaneously, the CR-1 visa was statutorily created for the alien husband or wife of a United States Citizen. It should be noted that the CR-1 visa is meant for those who have been married for less than 2 years at the time of the foreign spouse's lawful admission to the USA. Alien spouses admitted to the USA in CR-1 status are usually accorded conditional lawful permanent residence. Those who are married for more than 2 years at the time of lawful entry to the United States pursuant to an I-130 petition are generally accorded unconditional lawful permanent residence upon admission.

Under current visa processing conditions it may behoove prospective visa petitioners and beneficiaries to undertake a thorough investigation of all visa options as visas which may look more efficient may ultimately prove less than optimal. For instance, the visa process may, at first blush, seem daunting and many who conduct research initially feel that the K-1 visa is the best route. However, upon further inspection, some couples decide to marry and then apply for an American Immigrant visa such as the IR-1 visa or the CR-1 visa because such travel documents do not require adjustment of status in the USA. With this in mind, those reading this piece should be informed that the unique facts of a given case may force one couple to make different decisions versus another couple. For this reason, it may prove beneficial for bi-national couples to consult an American attorney in order to ascertain all of the relevant information regarding United States immigration law in an effort to make an informed decision. Those seeking legal consultation regarding these matters are encouraged to check the credentials of anyone claiming expertise in such matters as only a licensed American attorney is permitted to practice American immigration law under virtually all circumstances.