For U.S. citizens with fiancees in Vietnam, it’s often a difficult decision trying to decide whether to bring the fiancee to the U.S. on a fiancee visa or to travel to Vietnam and marry her there.

According to the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam, the answer is… It depends (sorry, I know that’s not that helpful). Here are the reasons to consider:

If you already got married, an IR-1 visa allows your spouse to immigrate to the U.S.  It is conditional for two years, after which your spouse is eligible to become a legal permanent resident (”Green Card” holder).
 
A K-1 is a nonimmigrant visa that allows you to bring your fiancée/fiancé to the United States to marry there.  Your fiancée/fiancé must marry you within 90 days of arrival in the United States or return to Vietnam.
 
Which one to choose depends on your personal preference of the petition.  If it is important to you to get married in Vietnam, you will need to apply for an IR-1 visa and/or K-3 visa AFTER you are married. 

However, if you would like to marry in the United States, there are advantages to a K-1 fiancée/fiancé visa such as:

- Generally shorter waiting period for K-1 than IR-1 (The total approximate processing time for K1 visa applicants, from the date the I-129 petition is filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to the date the visa is issued at the Consulate is typically 9 to 12 months.  A spouse visa petition (I-130) will take approximately 3 months longer than a fiancée visa petition).

- Unmarried minor children may be included without a separate visa petition.

Visit [1] www.myfianceevisa.com to discuss with an attorney your options.