If you're planning on marrying someone from another country and bringing them to live with you in the United States, you may need to apply for a fiancé visa, also known as a
K-1 visa. The fiancé visa process is complex, with many steps involved. In this blog, we'll walk you through the fiancé visa process and explain each step in detail.
Step 1: Meet the Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for a fiancé visa, you must meet certain criteria, including:
You and your fiancé must both be legally free to marry
You and your fiancé must have met in person within the last two years
You must be a U.S. citizen
You must be planning to marry within 90 days of your fiancé's arrival in the United States
Step 2: File Form I-129F
The next step is to file Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e), with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This form requires you to provide detailed information about yourself, your fiancé, and your relationship. You'll also need to provide evidence that you've met in person within the last two years.
Step 3: Wait for Approval
Once you've submitted your petition, you'll need to wait for USCIS to approve it. This can take several months, depending on how many petitions they're processing at the time.
Step 4: NVC Processing
If your petition is approved, it will be forwarded to the National Visa Center (NVC). The NVC will send you a packet of forms to fill out and return, along with supporting documents such as police certificates, birth certificates, and marriage certificates.
Step 5: Attend Consular Interview
After you've completed and submitted the required forms and documents, your fiancé will need to attend a consular interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country. During the interview, they'll be asked questions about their relationship with you and their intentions for coming to the United States.
Step 6: Receive Fiancé Visa
If your fiancé's interview goes well, they'll be issued a fiancé visa, which will allow them to enter the United States and marry you within 90 days of their arrival.
Step 7: Adjust Status to Permanent Resident
Once you've married, your spouse can apply to adjust their status to become a permanent resident of the United States. This process involves filing several forms and providing additional supporting documents.
As you can see, the fiancé visa process can be complex and time-consuming, with many steps involved. It's important to carefully follow all the instructions and provide all the required documentation to avoid delays or denial of your petition. You may want to consider hiring an immigration attorney to help you navigate the process and ensure that everything is done correctly.