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K-1 Fiancée Fiancé Visa
Overview of the Application Process for a K-1 Fiancée Fiancé Visa
| Procedure Name: | K-1 Fiancée/Fiancé Visa Application, Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e). |
| Purpose: | The K-1 Visa (also known as K-1 Fiancée/Fiancé Visa) allows the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) to travel to the United States and marry his or her U.S. citizen sponsor within 90 days of arrival. Once the couple marries, the foreign citizen can adjust status to become a lawful permanent resident of the United States (Green Card holder). K-1 visa is legally classified as a non-immigrant visa. |
| Eligible Applicants: | A U.S. resident (the petitioner) and the fiancé(e) who is considered a non-immigrant. A non-immigrant is a foreign national who seeks to enter the United States temporarily for a specific purpose. |
| Validity/Expiration: | K-1 Visa is valid usually for 6 months from date of issue or as specified in the 'Valid until field'. The only requirement is once a person is in the USA he/she must get married within 90 days. If the person does not marry within 90 days, the Fiancé(e) status automatically expires. |
| Where to Apply: | The petition along with the appropriate fees can be filed using Form I-129F with the USCIS Service Center serving the area of residence of the U.S. citizen in the United States and then once the petition is approved the foreign national Fiancée should visit the nearest U.S. consulate in the place of residency to apply for the Fiancée visa. Order this guide to learn more details about the application process and to learn how to start K-1 Visa application. |
Overview: What Is a K-1 Visa?
The K-1 non-immigrant visa is for the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) of a United States citizen. The K-1 Fiancée or Fiancé Visa allows a boyfriend or girlfriend of an American citizen to travel to the United States to spend a short time together in the U.S. and decide if they want to get married. In general, both fiancées must have met in person at least once within two years prior to filing the visa petition. This requirement may be waived by the Department of Homeland Security, but only for cases with strong cultural or religious traditions which preclude such a meeting.
A U.S. citizen who wishes to marry a foreign national may sponsor their future spouse to come and live in the U.S.; If the foreign national and the American citizen are not yet married and have intention to get married and live together in the U.S., then the American boyfriend or girlfriend can file a petition for his foreign fiancé/fiancée to obtain a temporary K1 fiancé/fiancée visa.
After entering the U.S. the K1 visa holder can get married with the American citizen and then apply for a work permit and for a Green Card to stay and live permanently in the U.S., however if the K-1 visa holder doesn’t get married then he must leave the U.S. and return to his country after a specific period of time.
What Is a “Fiancé(e)”?
Individuals can sometimes get confused with the French terms like “Fiancée” and “Fiancé”. The K-1 Visa refers to both Fiancée and Fiancé of United States citizens. Fiancée is a woman to whom a man is engaged to be married. Fiancé is a man to whom a woman is engaged to be married.
Related visa categories: K-2 and K-3 visas
The unmarried children, under 21 years old, of a K-1 visa beneficiary can also immigrate with their parent. Because such children derive their immigration status through a parent, they are known as derivative applicants, and are issued a K-2 visa. Derivative children may either immigrate at the same time as their parent, or may follow to join the parent up to one year after the issuance of the parent’s K-1 visa.
The K-3 visa is for the spouse of a U.S. citizen. It was created to allow a foreign spouse of the U.S. citizen the opportunity to enter the U.S. as a non-immigrant and adjust status to a lawful permanent resident by filling out the I-485 form to the USCIS. The K-3 visa is a non-immigrant visa, thus the foreign spouse must adjust to immigrant status after arrival in the U.S.
How to apply for a K-1 Fiancée Fiancé Visa?
The process to obtain this visa is divided into 2 parts: The Petition and The Visa application.
- Filing the Petition
The U.S. citizen sponsor must fill in the Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e), with the USCIS office that serves the area where she/he lives. Form I-129F cannot be filed at a U.S. Embassy, Consulate, or USCIS office abroad.
After USCIS approves the petition, it is sent to the National Visa Center (NVC), which in turn forwards it to the Embassy or Consulate nearest the foreign fiancé(e).
- Applying for a Visa
The Embassy or Consulate will notify the foreign fiancé(e) that a petition has been received, and provide information about how to schedule a medical exam with the panel physician, how to schedule an appointment for a visa interview at the Embassy, and the required documentation to bring with the foreign fiancé(e) to the interview. Prior to the interview, the foreign fiancé(e) will have to apply for the K1 visa.
Eligible children of K-1 visa applicants may apply for K-2 visas. Separate applications must be submitted for each K visa applicant, and each K visa applicant must pay the visa application fee.
At the visa interview a Consular officer reviews the documents that both the American petitioner and the foreign fiancé(e) have submitted. The Consular officer looks for evidence of a relationship (photographs together, evidence of remittances to the fiancé(e), phone bills showing calls to each other) and asks the foreign fiancé(e) questions to determine that a genuine relationship exists.
Required Documentation
The process of applying for K-1 Fiancée Fiancé Visa is very complicated, the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) will be required to bring the following forms and documents to the visa interview:
- Completed Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application and printed the DS-160 confirmation page.
- A passport valid for travel to the United States and with a validity date at least six months beyond the intended period of stay in the U.S.
- Divorce or death certificate(s) of any previous spouse(s) for both fiancé(e) and the U.S. citizen sponsor
- Police certificates from the present country of residence and all countries where fiancé(e) has lived for six months or more since age 16 (Police certificates are also required for accompanying children age 16 or older)
- Medical examination(vaccinations are optional)
- Evidence of financial support(Form I-134, Affidavit of Support, may be requested)
- Two (2) 2×2 photographs.
- Evidence of relationshipwith U.S. citizen fiancé(e)
- Payment of fees
This page can be found on: https://www.usimmigrationapplication.org/visas/k1-fiancee-visa
Information and Instructions about the K-1 Fiancée Fiancé Visa included in this immigration guide:
- What is the K-1 Fiancée or Fiancé Visa?
- We are a couple planning to get married in the U.S. but only one of us is American, can we get a visa for the non American fiancé?
- For how long can I stay in the US with a fiancé visa?
- Can I work with a fiancé visa?
- Does my U.S. citizen Fiancé(e) need to file separate petitions for my children?
- Can my children also obtain a Fiancée or Fiancé Visa to travel with me to America?
- If we decided not to get married can I still keep my fiancé visa and stay in the U.S.?
- Do I need to make an appointment with the US embassy or consulate?
- How to find, fill and file official visa application forms?
- How long should I wait to get my K-1 Visa?
- What is Medical Examination and Vaccination Requirements?
- Can I extend my expired petition?
- What are the ineligibilities for visas?
- What should I do after obtaining a K-1 Fiancé(e) Visa?
- How can I provide Proof of Financial Support and Affidavit of Support Forms?
K-1 Fiancée Fiancé Visa Application Related Forms
- Description of K-1 Fiancée Fiancé Visa
- K-1 Fiancée Fiancé Visa Application forms and instructions
- Visa Requirements for K-1 Fiancée Fiancé Visa
- Benefits of K-1 Visa
- Disadvantages of K-1 Visa
- Eligibility Information for K-1 Fiancée Fiancé Visa
- Applying for a K-1 Fiancée Fiancé Visa
- Application Forms Instructions for K-1 Visa
- K-1 Fiancée Fiancé Visa application processing time
- National list of USCIS offices in the United States
- Contact information and list of U.S. embassies and consulates abroad
- Helpful immigration related information
- USCIS contact information and forms
Disclaimer: We are not affiliated with the government, we are a private publisher of information guides. This product only includes instructions, it does not include filing fees, or any other charges to submit your application.