F2A now vs waiting for IR after spouse becomes a US citizen — what would you do?
Hi everyone, I’m looking for advice from people who have recently gone through F2A/IR consular processing from India.
My situation:
- My girlfriend is expected to receive her US Green Card in September 2026.
- I currently live in India.
- We plan to marry around late 2026.
- After marriage, she can file I-130 for me under F2A.
- If she later becomes a US citizen, my case could potentially convert from F2A to Immediate Relative (IR).
I’m confused about whether I should:
Option 1: Marry and file F2A immediately, then continue with F2A/consular processing.
Option 2: Wait until she becomes a US citizen and proceed as IR.
Current F2A timelines seem to vary significantly, especially for applicants in India.
Questions:
What is the realistic current timeline for F2A consular processing from India (I-130 → NVC → interview → US entry)?
If we file F2A and she later naturalizes, how smoothly does the F2A → IR conversion happen?
Does filing F2A now give me any significant advantage compared with waiting?
Would really appreciate experiences from people who have actually gone through F2A from India recently.