Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ahab...]

Hey I figure *someone* around here would know the answer to this:

how long, on average, does it take for a marriage visa to get approved for a Korean spouse, so she can at least enter the US with me?

if youve done this, or happen to know a bit about it, i'de appreciate any info/advice you've got to offer

[sineface]

Well, I've done this myself, but I'm British and not Korean. However, my good friend, who is Korean, did it just around the same time as me, so I might be able to offer some help.

Obviously, the actual visa getting approved (you mean an Immigrant Visa right?) takes no time at all. It's all the hullaballo beforehand that takes a while. You'll have to get your paperwork in order, and by the time you do that, get your (her) medical and vaccinations done, get a police check etc( there are some things I didn't have to do, but my Korean friend did. The Family Registry, for example), it could take a few months. I'd say it takes people about 5 or 6 months, on average, although I'm sure it could take less than that. You need to have two interviews with them, the first is to be allowed to apply for the IV, the second actually applies for it. That second one will be over in a matter of 10 minutes or less (it's just a lot of sitting in the waiting room before that). They'll tell you at the end of the whether it's accepted or declined, and then it will be in that mail to you withing 3 or 4 business days.

Hope this helps.

[T-J]

Took eight months to process my wife's visa.

That was eleven years ago, so I'm sure things could be very different now.

[belovedkang]

It took a little less than 6 months for my Korean husband to get his visa to the U.S. We'd been married for 3 years when he applied, and it was almost 7 years ago.

Good luck!

[quercus]

howdy,
there are several stages.

see:
http://seoul.usembassy.gov/spouse_of_american.html

realize this is for an immigrant visa. your wife may not want to become a citizen. but, as best as i have found so far, this is the way to go and once you obtain a green card/visa you can sort of hold the process in limbo indefinetly- retain korean nationality, but live and work legally in the US.

so, go and file an application. follow the links. they will approve or disapprove your expensive application. wait for packet if approved. fill it out, do health check, etc. i think 8 mos is a little long, but they say it will be several.

good luck.

and if you have kids, or will, and want them to be US citizens realize you may need to give various documents (passport, ID, etc) to different places so time your plans accordingly so you dont have two places asking for your passport at the same time.