K1 Visa Requirements - How to Apply for a US Fiance Visa?

Are you planning to bring your fiancé to the United States? If so, you'll need to apply for a K1 visa. A K1 visa allows your fiancé to come to the US and get married within 90 days. This guide will provide a step-by-step overview of the K1 visa requirements and how to apply for a US Fiance Visa.

US IMMIGRATION Feb 7, 2023 0 3246 Add to Reading List

K1 Visa Requirements - How to Apply for a US Fiance Visa?

Visas are one of the essential tools for international couples to marry. A U.S. fiance visa is a relatively new visa category that allows a couple to get married in the United States without first getting a green card. But does your U.S. fiance need a visa? And if so, how can you get one? Here’s what you need to know about getting married in the United States with a fiancé or an international partner and obtaining a US fiance visa:
A K1 visa is a US immigrant visa awarded to a US citizen's fiancée or fiancé so that they can marry the US citizen within 90 days of arriving in the US. It is the first visa a foreign person who marries a US citizen must obtain to change their status to Legal Permanent Resident (LPR).

What is a U.S. Fiance Visa?

A US Fiance Visa is a legal marriage license that can be applied for by a foreign national whose marriage to a US citizen or the US government has approved permanent residency. The visa can be applied for by a foreign national who is the lawful holder of a fiancé visa, or it can be applied for by a foreign national who is the fiancé of a US citizen. The visa is not issued by the U.S. government but by the Department of Homeland Security. It is separate from the Green Card issued to the foreigner’s spouse and any other visa the foreigner may have.

K1 Visa Eligibility Criteria

To get the K1 visa, you must fulfill the following criteria:

Be engaged to a US citizen.
Have the intention to marry within 90 days of them entering the US.
Have proof of your relationship before the engagement.
Get married according to US law while you are in the United States on a K1 visa.
You and the US citizen must have met in person at least once in the past two years.
Exceptions to this requirement will be granted if you can prove that the US citizen faced extreme hardship to come and visit the citizen'seign citizen fiancé.
Conditions of culture, customs, or other factors can prove extreme hardship.
Any previous marriages that either of you has had are legally terminated.

What Are the Documents Required for a K1 Visa Application?

Here are the documents that you should submit when applying for a K1 visa:

Valid passport for more than six months after your intended stay in the US.
Two recent US visa photographs according to the Photo Requirements.
Form DS-160 confirmation page and code.
Interview schedule letter.
Approved Form I-129F.
Criminal background documents.
Divorce or death certificates in case of a previous marriage.
Evidence of the relationship with the US citizen.
Medical examination documents (and optional vaccination documents).
Proof of payments of fees.
Proof of health insurance coverage
K1 Visa Application Process

You can begin your K1 visa application once Form I-129F has been approved. This must be accomplished in a US Embassy or Consulate in the foreign citizen's country of residence by completing the steps below:

Complete Form DS-160.
Schedule the US Fiance visa interview.
Complete medical examinations.
Compile your document file.
Attend visa interview.

How to Apply for the K1 Visa?

The fiancé visa application has a few steps that both fiances must follow. A US citizen must first initiate it. Then, the US citizen must obtain permission from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to bring and sponsor their foreign citizen fiancé to the US.

If USCIS grants this permission, the foreign citizen fiancé must apply for the K1 visa.
File Petition for Alien Fiance

To get a petition approved by USCIS, you must go through these steps:

File Form I-129F. The US citizen will first need permission from USCIS for the foreign citizen's fiancé to visit the US. This permission is obtained by filing Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiance, to USCIS. The petition must be filed from within the US and cannot be filed from abroad.
Next, send the petition to USCIS. When the petition arrives at USCIS, the officials will go through it and review the evidence of the relationship, whether the parties intend to get married, and whether they fulfill the eligibility criteria. If both the US citizen and the foreign citizen fiancé satisfy the requirements, then USCIS will approve the petition and send it to the National Visa Center (NVC).
Could you wait for an answer from the NVC? The NVC will then inform the couple and forward the documents to the US Embassy or Consulate, where the foreign citizen will apply for the K1 visa. The approved petition is identified with its NVC case number. The foreign citizen can only apply for the K1 visa after obtaining the approval of Form I-129F.

How to Apply for a US Fiance Visa?

You can apply for a US Fiance Visa at a U.S. consulate, embassy abroad, or online at the website. The application process is relatively straightforward. You'll need to have the required documentation - You'll need to provide a valid passport with valid entry and exit stamps and the necessary documentation for the intended country of travel. Certification that the marriage is legal and binding in the intended region. A copy of the marriage contract. Any other documentation may be required by the consulate or embassy location where you apply.

Who can apply for a US Fiance Visa?

The visa category for foreign nationals whose marriage to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident has been approved by the US government applies to people of any ethnicity, race, or national origin. People with a fiancé or fiancée visa need to meet all the requirements of the following categories: Foreign national who is the spouse or the parent of a US citizen or permanent resident. Foreign national who is the fiancé or the fiancée of a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Travelers with a fiancé or a fiancée visa can enter the U.S. as tourists, business visitors, or students. However, they cannot apply for a green card until they are physically present in the U.S. for at least six months.

Requirements for a US Fiance Visa

The consular or embassy where you apply for a US Fiance Visa will require you to provide proof that the marriage is legitimate. The marriage is legal in the intended country. If the marriage is not recognized in the country where the couple lives or if the couple lives in a different city, the embassy may require additional documentation. You also need to ensure that you can support the person you are marrying. You may have to prove that you can financially sustain the person you are marrying.

FAQs: Does my U.S. fiance need a Visa?

Yes. Your U.S. fiancé or foreign partner will need a US Fiance Visa, which is different from a US Green Card. A Green Card is a special permission-issuable visa that lets people travel abroad for up to 90 days without a passport. Getting married without a Green Card is not valid enough to get a US Fiance Visa, as the government requires proof of ability to support yourself financially. A Green Card does not count as proof of legally binding marriage in the eyes of the government. Getting married without a Green Card does not mean you are eligible for a US Fiance Visa. There are many situations where a foreign national without a Green Card can’t marry a U.S. citizen, including if: The foreigner is an illegal immigrant, The relationship is polygamous The foreigner and US citizen are related by blood.

Why Does a K1 Visa Application Get Rejected?

There are various reasons that this could happen, and some of them might be:

Involvement in criminal activities in the past (e,x. drug trafficking).
You have submitted falsified documents.
You have overstayed in the US on a previous visa or broken other visa rules.

If you fulfill these conditions, you can be notified that you are eligible for the K1 visa.

How Much Does it Cost to Apply for a K1 Visa?

It costs $265 to apply for a K1 visa. The amounts vary by year as well as by country due to different relationships that the US has with other countries, but the main categories for which you will be asked to pay fees are as follows:

Petition fee for Form I-129F.
Form DS-160 submission fee.
Medical examination fees.
Other costs related to filing documentation and translation.

As If it is not Enough >>>

You can get more guides on this list of official links below for easy understanding during and after the Application for easy approval.

Final Words: Getting married in the United States with an international partner

The wait is over if you’re planning to get married in the United States or an international partner looking to get married in the U.S. The U.S. government recently changed the rules and started letting people apply for a fiancee visa. There’s no official deadline for when the visa will be issued, but it usually takes about a year from the date of application to the date of issue. If you’re in the United States on a fiancé or fiancée visa, don’t expect your next visit to be your wedding day. There are stringent rules and requirements for getting married in the U.S., and getting a US Fiance visa is no different. The wait is over if you’re planning to get married in the United States or an international partner looking to get married in the U.S. The U.S. government recently changed the rules and started letting people apply for a fiancee visa. Again, there’s no official deadline for when the visa will be issued, but it usually takes about a year from the date of application to the date of issue. If you’re in the United States on a fiancé or fiancée visa, don’t expect your next visit to be your wedding day. There are stringent rules and requirements for getting married in the United States, and getting a US Fiance visa is no different.

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