How To Apply For A Fiance Visa

Possibly one of the most difficult and complicated non-immigrant visas to obtain, not to mention emotionally challenging, is the fiance visa, or the K1 visa. The first step of the fiance visa process is the submission of the fiance visa petition by the US citizen member of the couple. There are a variety of supporting documents that need to be submitted, a lot of which has to do with validating the existence of your relationship. Before a petition can be submitted to the United States Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS), however, the US citizen generally is required personally meet with their foreign fiance for the process to go any further. Although there are limited exceptions to this rule, it is very difficult to qualify for one of these exceptions. Once the petition is approved, the second step of the process can begin in which the foreign fiance can then apply at a US embassy in their own country for a fiance visa.

Submitting the petition to the USCIS will require a great deal of personal information from both the US citizen and foreign fiance. This is basically to prove your identities, income, and that both parties are indeed unbound by any previous marriages. Once the Petition for Alien Fiance form, or the I-129F, is submitted, it then needs to be approved before it can be sent to the National Visa Center (NVC). The petition will spend a short time at the NVC before being sent to the US embassy or consulate of the country the foreign fiance is from so they can personally apply for the fiance visa. Keep in mind there will be medical examinations taken to ensure there are no communicable diseases and that the foreign fiance has a clean bill of health. Only embassy approved doctors can conduct these examinations, and the results will be provided to be taken to the interview in a sealed envelope. Schedule the appointment and take care of any necessary fees. The fees can be steep, and they need to be paid before the appointment for the interview can be made.

What To Expect At The Interview

Make sure to bring the necessary supporting documents to the fiance visa interview at the embassy. Other than the medical documents and a copy of any documents already submitted as part of the process, the supporting documents taken to the interview should include photos of the two of you together, phone bills, plane tickets, and other evidence of the personal relationship. You should be prepared to answer tough questions if there is anything that makes your relationship suspect. These are things that can challenge your compatibility as a couple, such as the existence of a language barrier, significant age gaps, and the length of the actual relationship. You may want to hire the services of an immigration lawyer who can help you with all the details throughout the application process.