K1 Visa Application - How To Apply For K1 Visa

Is your fiance(e) a foreigner? Do you intend to get married and live in the United States? If so, then you will need a K1 visa. K1 visa application can be a very complicated process as there is a lot of paperwork involved. Very often, applications are delayed or denied due to insufficient information provided. If your applying for K1 visa, follow these steps:

I-129F Petition

The first step begins with the I-129F petition. The form itself is self explanatory and will ask for basic information such name, date of birth, address, etc. All these information should be known to you and you should have no problems filling out the questions. The important thing however, is the supporting documents accompanying the I-129F petition.

Some petitioners submit their application without realizing that they also need to provide the relevant documents to support it. This mistake often results in their application being delayed or even denied. The following items should be provided together with the I-129F petition:

• Signed statements from you and your fiance(e) declaring the intent to marry
• Documentary proof of having met in the past two years (photos,etc)
• Passport size photo of you. Passport size photo of your fiance(e).
• G-325A form for you. G-325A form for your fiance(e). The G-325A provides biographic information of the individual.
• Documentary proof that you are a U.S citizen (birth certificate, passport, etc)

All these documents should be sealed together with I-129F petition and sent to the United States Citizenship And Immigration Services (USCIS).

Waiting Game

Once you have submitted the package, the waiting game begins. Waiting for approval from the USCIS takes up a huge majority of the time in applying for K1 visa. The entire review process can take up to 4-5 months!

Once everything is in good order, the USCIS will send you a notification informing you of the approval. Your petition will now be handed over to the U.S embassy of your fiance(e) country.

Visa Review

The U.S embassy will send your fiance(e) a package containing all the forms that needs to be filled up. Your fiance(e) will also have to schedule a medical examination. Once all the forms are submitted, your fiance(e) will have to attend a visa interview which will decide whether to award him/her the K1 visa. If everything proceeds smoothly, the application will be approved and the K1 visa will be issued to your fiance(e).

With the K1 visa, your fiance(e) may use it to enter the United States within 6 months. After gaining entry, you and your fiance(e) will have 90 days to get married. Failure to do so will result in him/her being deported.

As you can see, K1 visa application need not be difficult. If you are able to provide all the necessary information, your petition will be flawless and will be approved without any delays or rejection. Use this K1 visa checklist now to determine whether you will be successful in your K1 visa application.

K1 Visa Application and General Guideline

The k1 visa allows your fiance(e) to enter the United States so that both of you can marry and live together in the United States. To apply for a k1 visa, you and your fiance(e) must be legally free to marry. The following are the legal requirements for k1 visa:

• Lawful citizen or of the United States Of America. Permanent residents are not allowed to apply for k1 visa.
• Met your fiance(e) in person within the last 2 years prior to filing for visa. You must also prove that the relationship is in good faith and both of you are serious about the relationship.
• You and your fiance(e) are of marriageable age. Both of you have expressed genuine intentions to marry each other and will do so within 90 days of your fiance(e) arrival in the United States.
• You and your fiance(e) have met the minimum income requirement - 125% above the poverty level.
• Your fiance(e) is a lawful citizen and possess no immigration or domestic law violations. No criminal records.
• Your fiance(e) posses an international passport.

If you and your fiance(e) fufils all these requirements, then you may obtain a k1 visa by making a I-129F Petition to the United States Citizenship And Immigration Services (USCIS). The following items should be included with your I-129F petition:

• Check payable to the Department Of Homeland Security. Do not make payments to USCIS as it is under the Department Of Homeland Security. Payment fees are for visa application processing, medical examination and other administration fees
• Prove that you are a citizen of the United States (birth certificate, passport, etc)
• Documentary evidence of your relationship with your fiance (photos together, passport stamps, etc) and also statements from you and your fiance(e) expressing the intentions to marry each other within 90 days of your fiance(e) arrival in the United States
• Biographic information of you and your fiance(e). This is done by filling out Form G-325A
• Evidence of you and your fiance(e) financial status (tax payments, bank statements, etc)
• Passport size photos of you. Passport size photos of your fiance(e)

Additional documents or information may be requested by the reviewing officer but generally, the above are the standard items required for most cases. Assuming the application proceeds smoothly with any hiccups, the length of time from the start of application to finally getting the k1 visa is about 6-8 months. This time can be delayed if applicants does not submit the relevant information or submit incomplete information.

The above are the general guidelines to k1 visa application. Learn more about the K1 visa application process now and the frequently asked questions pertaining to k1 visa.