Comment by mindwork
12 hours ago
Hi Peter,
Few months ago I've applied for F2A visa for my spouse from Russia. Official sources state processing times in California at 4 years plus. I am 2 years away from obtaining a citizenship in US by which I then can do K1.
Would you advice to convert F2A to K1 visa in the future? How do I do that? Is there a way to speed up the process at all?
The conversion is from an F2A to an immediate relative green card application. This will be the fastest path. You would want to notify the U.S. Consulate in Russia when you become a U.S. citizen. The K-1 is for fiances of U.S. citizens, not spouses of U.S. citizens. Has the I-130 already been approved?
I-130 has not been approved yet. Only 3 months passed since we applied.
As Peter says, K1 is not a option for you because you're married. F2A will convert to immediate relative (either CR1 or IR1) once you become a US citizen.
CR1/IR1 is generally superior from the perspective of the immigrant spouse. However, CR1/IR1 does not allow derivatives, unlike F2A. If you have any children or stepchildren that don't have US citizenship or a green card, you will need to file a separate I-130 for them if you become a US citizen.