K1 Fiancee Visa
If you are a U.S.Citizen who wants to bring your foreign fiancé (e) to the United States
K1 Fiancee Visa If you are a U.S.Citizen who wants to bring your foreign fiancé (e) to the United States A K1 Visa called Fiancé (e) Visa, allows you to be a sponsor for your foreign fiancé(e) bringing them to the United States in order to get married. In order to obtain a K-1 fiancé(e) visa, you and your fiancé(e) must intend to marry each other within 90 days of your fiancé(e) entering the U.S with a K1 Visa. If your fiancé(e) marries you within 90 days of being admitted to the United States with a K1 Visa, he or she may apply for lawful permanent resident status in the United States (a Green Card).
Eligibility requirements for a US K1 Fiancee Visa
- The petitioner/sponsor must be a U.S. Citizen.
- The parties must have met in person within the two year period directly preceding the submission of the initial visa petition.
- The U.S Citizen can not have been convicted of a crime that includes serious violence, for example: murder, rape, child abuse.
- The foreign citizen can not have been convicted of a crime for which the maximum penalty exceeds one year imprisonment. Waivers to inadmissibility are available for most criminal convictions. Waiver are not available for drug related criminal convictions unless for possession of a small amount of marijuana.
- Both parties must be free to marry at the time of submission of the initial visa petition.
- The U.S. Citizen sponsor must meet a minimum income requirement based on the anticipated family size. Example: for a family of two (couple) the sponsor must earn an adjusted gross income of not less than $21,137.00 (2019). Greater incomes are required for larger families.
- Both parties must have the intent to marry within 90 days of the foreign citizen’s entry into the United States.
K1 Fiancee Visa Processing time
From beginning to end, the K-1 visa process will take between eight to nine months. That’s because the approval time for the I-129F by itself takes roughly 4-6 months. K1 fiancee visa continues to be the fastest practical visa alternative for couples who desire to be reunited in the United States.
My fiancee has a child who she would like to bring to the United States. Can she take her child to the United States?
Your fiancee can bring any and all of her unmarried children who are under the age of 21 with her to the United States by attaching them to the K-1 fiance visa. Child visa is K-2 Visa
Are my fiancee’s children required to travel at the same time as their mother or can they come later?
Both options are available with some limitations. The children can receive their visas at the same times as their mother and travel to the United States at the same times as their mother or within the 6 months validity period of the visa.
There is also an option to delay the issuance of the children’s visas and have their visas issued at a later date. However, the date of issuance of the children’s visas must be within one year of their mother’s visa being issued.
If the children want to travel later than one year from the date your K-1 visa was issued, they will not be eligible to receive K-2 visas, and separate immigrant visa petitions will be required. If the one year period is exceeded the children will then need CR-2 visas to enter the United States.
Can we get married in Thailand when we are on the processing K1 Fiancee visa?
There are two types of marriages in Thailand. The most common is a Thai Buddhist ceremony that has no legal effect. This is respectful of Thai culture. The Embassy is aware that there is no legal effect with this type of marriage and will approve your K1 fiancee visa.
A legal marriage takes place at a district office and both husband and wife are presented with certificates of marriage. This legal marriage is recognized worldwide as legitimate and must be entered into prior to using a US CR-1 Marriage visa.