Fiancé/e (K-1) Visas

A fiancé(e) of an United States citizen can apply for a special visa which will permit he or she to travel to the U.S. for the purpose of marrying within ninety days of entering the United States and residing permanently there.  A fiancé(e) cannot enter the United States on a visitor visa or visa free under the Visa Waiver Program to take up indefinite residence.  However,  if you will return to your permanent place of residence outside the United States after the marriage has taken place you should apply for a B-2 visa, or if eligible travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program.  Visit the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website for more information on “How Do I Bring My Fiance/e to the United States”.

Applying for a fiancé(e) visa takes place in two steps lasting several months. The first step is for the U.S. citizen --the petitioner--to file an I-129F fiancé(e) visa petition in the United States at the USCIS office having jurisdiction over your place of residence.  One can obtain I-129F forms from the USCIS in the United States, or the form may also be downloaded from the USCIS website.

The second stage of the fiancé(e) visa process will begin when the Embassy receives the approved I-129F petition from the U.S. At that time, we will send the alien fiancé(e) -- the beneficiary--a detailed list of the supporting documents needed to apply for the visa.

After the beneficiary informs the Embassy that all the documents are ready, we will schedule a visa interview. Interviews are scheduled by appointment only and, if the visa is approved, it will be issued the same day. Applicants for fiancé(e) visas should not call the Visa Information Service to schedule an appointment. The appointment must be scheduled directly by the Embassy's Immigrant Visa Unit.  A visa application fee must be paid on the day of the interview for the fiancé(e) visa itself. Please read nonimmigrant visa application fee instructions regarding the method of payment of the fee. There are also fees charged for the mandatory medical examination and for some of the required documents.

Once the visa is issued, the non-American beneficiary must enter the U.S. within six months. The couple must marry within three months of that entry date and report this marriage to the nearest USCIS office so that the beneficiary may obtain a resident alien card (a green card). The alien fiance(e) is not permitted to accept employment prior to the marriage taking place. The alien fiancé(e)/spouse must not leave the United States until the immigration process has been finalized and residency has been granted, otherwise he or she will have no means by which to re-enter the United States.