Post is to document my journey and hopefully shed some light to future applicants:

I am preparing my documents to apply for (PIP). Initially, we were going in the route of I-130/ 601A hardship waiver, but we decided to try this out. It's almost like stars aligning considering that we just got married last year. I was very skeptical about 601A waiver and leaving to my home country in South Korea. First 601A hardship is very difficult process to approve, and South Korea has military mandate for all males under 35 years of age possibly triggering detainment when I'm in the process of 601A.

Married: 05/05/2023
Filed I-130: 08/02/2024
PIP filing pending: 08/19/2024