K-1 Fiance Visas
How Long Does It Take USCIS To Process Form I-129F for a K-1 Fiancé Visa?
Written by ImmigrationHelp News Team. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated December 11, 2023
The processing time for a K-1 fiancé visa ranges from 12–18 months, and involves U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the National Visa Center, and a U.S. embassy or U.S. consulate in your foreign fiance’s country of residence. Right now it’s taking USCIS 5.5 to 15.5 months to process Form I-129F: Petition for Alien Fiancé, and it’s taking the NVC 16 days to create and review cases.
Read More →What Happens at a USCIS Biometrics Appointment?
Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated September 25, 2023
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) requires a biometrics appointment as part of many applications for immigration benefits. This is sometimes called the "fingerprint appointment." At the appointment, the U.S. government will take your fingerprints, pictures, and signature. These are used to run a background check and for identification purposes. Usually, USCIS will schedule a date and time for the biometrics appointment for you, but sometimes you have to schedule it yourself. If you have a conflict, you can attend your scheduled biometrics appointment early or reschedule it for a later, more convenient time. But it’s best to attend at the scheduled time whenever possible.
Read More →What Does the USCIS Case Status “Case Was Denied” Mean for My Form I-129F Application?
Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated February 17, 2023
If you see “Case Was Denied” as your USCIS case status online, it means that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has received and reviewed your Form I-129F and decided not to grant you a K-1 fiancé visa. If USCIS denies your case, it will mail you a denial notice explaining why. It can be disheartening to go through months of processing for a fiancé visa only to have your case denied. If this happens, you may want to get legal advice about the next steps.
Read More →What Does the USCIS Case Status “Case Transferred” Mean for My Fiancé Visa Application?
Written by Attorney Curtis Lee.
Written December 22, 2022
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) case status “Case Was Transferred And A New Office Has Jurisdiction” means that USCIS moved your case to a different service center or field office. The new office will continue processing your case from there. USCIS may choose to transfer your Form I-129F case for several reasons, including staffing shortages or processing delays. Cases may also be transferred if you, the applicant, move and are now in a new jurisdiction. If USCIS transfers your K-1 fiancé visa case, it will notify you via your online account and mail you a transfer notice. You don’t need to do anything, but take note that any future additional documentation for your case and any questions you have about your case will need to be directed to the new office.
Read More →What Does the USCIS Case Status “Case Was Received” Mean for My Form I-129F Application?
Written by Jonathan Petts.
Written December 22, 2022
When you see the case status “Case Was Received” from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), it means USCIS is acknowledging that it received your immigration application packet. This is just the start of USCIS processing your application. It hasn’t yet reviewed your application materials or determined your eligibility. Once you see this status, you’ll want to keep an eye on future status changes and respond to anything that requires your attention, such as a request for evidence. This article explains the “Case Received” USCIS status and what to do when your application is in this status.
Read More →What Does the USCIS Case Status “Case Approved” Mean for My Form I-129F Application?
Written by Jonathan Petts.
Written December 13, 2022
If your USCIS case status says “Case Was Approved,” congratulations! This status means USCIS has reviewed your Form I-129F application, determined your eligibility, and decided to grant your fiancé visa. You’ll often see several statuses before approval as your case progresses, and it can take a long time for USCIS to process and approve your application. It can take anywhere from 4–22 months for USCIS to process and approve Form I-129F applications. This article explains the case approval process with USCIS and what happens after your case is approved.
Read More →What Does the USCIS Case Status “Request for Additional Evidence Was Sent” Mean for My Form I-129F Application?
Written by Jonathan Petts.
Written November 29, 2022
If you log in to your USCIS account online and see the case status “Request for Additional Evidence Was Sent,” it means that USCIS needs more information from you to process your Form I-129F and ensure you’re eligible for a K-1 fiancé visa. USCIS will mail Form I-797E: Notice of Action that outlines exactly what additional evidence is needed and why. The notice will also include a deadline for submitting the requested information. It’s important to submit the requested information before the deadline to ensure USCIS continues processing your application without too much delay.
Read More →What Does the USCIS Case Status “Case Rejected” Mean for My Form I-129F Application?
Written by ImmigrationHelp Team.
Written November 15, 2022
The USCIS case status “Case Rejected” means that you didn’t file your K-1 fiancé visa (Form I-129F) correctly, so U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services did not review your case. If USCIS rejects your case, it will return your original filing fee. To have your case reviewed, you’ll need to fix the issue that caused the rejection. Common issues that lead to rejection include filing the incorrect form version, paying an incorrect fee amount, and not signing a form. If you see the “Case Rejected” status on your USCIS account, you’ll need to refile your application and pay your filing fee to move forward with your immigration application. If you aren’t sure how to correct the mistake after reading this article, you may want to contact an attorney for help with your case.
Read More →How Long Do Immigration Applications Take and What Should I Do if Mine Is Taking Too Long?
Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated November 14, 2022
Many factors affect the time it takes U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to process immigration applications, including the type of benefit you’re applying for and which USCIS service center or field office is processing your forms. This article covers the factors that affect immigration application processing, how to check your case status throughout processing, and what to do if your application is taking longer than the average processing time.
Read More →What Supporting Document Do You Need for a K-1 Fiance Visa?
Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated October 19, 2022
If you are a U.S. citizen, you can sponsor your fiance for a K-1 Fiance Visa. A K-1 Visa will allow your fiance to travel to the U.S. to marry you and then apply for a Marriage Green Card through adjustment of status. Permanent residents (Green Card holders) cannot apply for K-1 Fiance Visas. U.S. Immigration law requires K-1 Fiance Visa applicants to submit supporting documents to the U.S. Government when they apply for a K-1 Visa. This article provides checklists of the supporting documents you will need to collect for each of the three steps of the K-1 Fiance Visa application process.
Read More →When Is a Proxy Marriage Valid in an Immigration Case?
Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated September 1, 2022
A proxy marriage occurs when one or both partners are not physically present for the marriage ceremony. Instead, a stand-in takes their place for the ceremony. Proxy marriages are legal in some U.S. states but not in others. This article will discuss how to ensure your proxy marriage is legal under state law, when your marriage is considered legal for immigration purposes, and alternatives to proxy marriages that may make more sense for you, depending on your immigration circumstances.
Read More →What Is the National Visa Center?
Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated September 1, 2022
Getting a visa to live or work in the United States usually begins with submitting a petition to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). After USCIS approves the petition, it transfers it to the National Visa Center (NVC). The NVC then handles the visa application process, which includes receiving forms, collecting fees, reviewing documents, and setting up the consular interview.
Read More →CR1 and IR1 Visas: An Overview of Spousal Visas
Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated September 1, 2022
CR1 and IR1 visas are for spouses of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents who want to travel and move to the United States. If an IR1 or CR1 visa is approved, you can apply for a marriage green card and become a lawful permanent resident (LPR). The following guide is an overview of these visas, how to apply for one, and what happens after you get approved.
Read More →What Is the K-3 visa?
Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated August 22, 2022
If you are the fiancé or spouse of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, there are a handful of visa options for you to join your partner in the United States. There are both fiancé visas and green cards available for foreign partners and spouses. The K-3 visa is an option that may be available to you as the spouse of a U.S. citizen, but not many immigrants opt for it. This article is a guide to the K-3 visa. It explains what the visa is, whether it's a good idea to get it and why many don't, and how to apply for the visa if you choose to.
Read More →Same-Sex Couples and Marriage Green Card Applications: Common Questions and Concerns About the Process
Written by Jonathan Petts.
Written May 25, 2022
Same-sex couples must be treated equally under U.S. immigration law thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in the United States v. Windsor case, which struck down the Defense of Marriage Act. Even further, in 2015, the Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that every state be required to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Following both Supreme Court rulings, gay marriage is legal in every U.S. state. Accordingly, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will view same-sex marriages the same as opposite-sex marriages in deciding on family green card applications. USCIS will not factor in the spouses' genders or biological sexes in making visa application decisions. Same-sex spouses of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents are welcome to apply for marriage green cards, just like heterosexual couples. However, gay and lesbian couples do face some unique challenges in applying for a marriage green card. This article discusses these challenges and explains how to address them.
Read More →How To Get a K-1 Fiancé Visa
Written by Jonathan Petts.
Updated March 14, 2022
A K-1 fiancé visa is a type of nonimmigrant visa that allows a U.S. citizen's fiancé to enter the United States to get married. After filing Form I-129F: Petition for Alien Fiancé and Form DS-160: Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, you will attend a visa interview. After all of your filing fees have been paid and your interview is complete, you can come to the U.S. and get married! Once married, the foreign fiancé can apply for a marriage green card in the United States. Applying for a K-1 visa can be a good option if your U.S. citizen fiancé cannot travel abroad to get married. A K-1 visa costs $800 and usually takes 12–15 months to receive. The process of getting a marriage green card from a K-1 visa costs $1,225 and takes an additional 4–6 months.
Read More →K1 Fiancé Visas vs. Marriage Green Cards: What Are the Differences?
Written by Jonathan Petts.
Written November 18, 2020
U.S. citizens who would like to marry their foreign fiance have two options to bring their partner to the United States: a marriage green card (spouse visa) through Consular Processing or a K-1 fiance visa. U.S. green card holders may not apply for a K-1 Visa. The main differences between a K-1 fiance visa and a marriage green card are their timing, location, and cost. The K-1 visa is often the quicker option for international couples. It takes 9-15 months and costs $800. With this visa, the couple can begin life in the U.S. immediately after their wedding. They will still have to apply for a marriage green card for the foreign spouse to stay in the U.S. The process of adjusting status from a K-1 fiance visa to a marriage green card takes 4-6 months and costs $1225. Consular marriage green cards (spouse visas) are issued after the couple is married outside of the U.S. The consular marriage green card application process takes 11-32 months and costs $1,210. The foreign spouse cannot move to the U.S. until the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) approves their green card application. Choosing between a K-1 fiance visa and a spouse visa can be tricky, but this article is here to help!
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