consular processing, K3 or immigrant visa?

[Gerrit van Doornik]

I have a question whether I should apply for an immigrant visa or a K3 visa.

At this moment both me and my wife live in the UK, we've started the application for a visa in February and submitted I130 to the consulate in London. I have received a notice of approval from USCIS that says I should receive a case number within 8 weeks. However, as of today I have not yet received this (8 weeks was last week). We asked the embassy for an update but they told us to wait.

As my wife is starting a new job in the US in September, she will have to move in the next two months, and clearly I would like to move with her.

My question is, should I wait for my case number from the American Embassy in London and continue to apply for an immigrant visa or would it be quicker to apply for a K3 visa via form I-129F? How long would it take to get approval to work in the US if I get a K-3 visa? Although it has my preference to not be apart from my wife, I'd deal with it if that means I'd be allowed to work in the states much quicker.

We're under consular processing with the embassy in London.

thanks

[inadmissible]

They are not processing K-3 applications. They will take your filing fee and just sit on the app, and then declare it moot when they issue the immigrant visa. Kind of rude, as far as I'm concerned.