Help on inviting my spouse to US

[salb]

Hello,

I am a US citizen and got married 2 years ago in Pakistan. I am still in Pakistan and intend to return to US next month. I would appreciate some help on the steps I need to take to file for my wife's green card. Some questions that come to my mind:

Is there anything I need to do while I'm in Pakistan?
Can I apply for I-130 and I-485 together upon my return to US?
Ways to reduce the time spent apart? Is there a high chance the K3 gets approved before I-130? Can I apply for a tourist visa so she can visit?
Processing timelines that I'm looking at altogether?

Thank you

[ember]

You should do Consular Processing. You will file the I-130, then when it is approved it will go to the NVC and your wife will be notified of next steps. She'll do a medical exam, submit relationship evidence, and have an interview. The I-485 is only for adjusting status in the US. The process takes about a year. She will receive her GC upon arrival in the US.

She can try to apply for a tourist visa but she may get denied because she is married and you would have an I-30 petition on file.

[salb]

Can I file I-130 and I-485 concurrently, given that my wife will be in Pakistan?

[Enub4]

No, you can't file I-485 for your wife if she is outside the USA.

[salb]

What's the typical time it takes for consular processing to be approved for her to travel to US after the I-130 gets approved? Also is it worth applying for K-3?

[Enub4]

K-3 visa is new to me, I found this: https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...pouse-k-3.html
I guess you can apply for both forms, but maybe they will approve I-130 first and will close the K-3 visa case.

From what I read, if they approve K-3 and she travel to USA, then she can file I-485. I think, if I were you, I will try to get K-3 visa for her, just to do everything in my hands to shorten the time apart. Good luck.