Getting engaged means that there are major changes ahead. Couples who marry combine their households and finances. They have to split practical and financial responsibilities. They commit to taking care of one another.
Achieving those goals can be very difficult if the two people live far away from each other. In situations where people living in different countries get engaged, they may need to develop a plan for reducing the distance between them.
A K-1 visa allows a foreign national engaged to a United States citizen to legally enter the country. What do citizens and their romantic partners need to know about securing a K-1 visa?
The process begins with a petition
People seeking visas typically have to submit a request to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). For those requesting a K-1 visa, the document that they need to execute is the Petition for Alien Fiancé(e) (Form I-129F).
They must pay a fee and submit the completed form for processing. If the USCIS approves the petition, the organization sends documentation to the applicant and to the United States Embassy or Consulate in the country where their fiancé lives.
The relationship is subject to scrutiny
Engagements are different from many other types of family relationships. They are difficult to authenticate independently.
The USCIS tends to do a thorough review of K-1 visa applications. They look for documentation of a pre-existing relationship in most cases. Some of that process occurs at the local U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
Travel records, photographs and even social media posts can help prove that there is a legitimate romantic relationship between the two people and that they intend to marry each other. In some cases where people belong to cultures where arranged marriages are common, documentation from family members affirming the validity of an arranged engagement can help those seeking a K-1 visa.
Interviews with the fiancés are typically part of the process. The foreign national fiancé is also subject to the same medical and background check requirements as anyone else seeking a visa. The visa is only briefly valid. Typically, the engaged couple must marry within 90 days of the foreign national fiancé entering the country.
Small mistakes can complicate the process of seeking a K-1 visa for a fiance. Securing support after deciding to marry someone from another country can help citizens obtain the documentation necessary to legally bring their intended spouse to the United States.