The K1 visa process commences with the American citizen filing the I-129F petition in the United States with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The package must have the needed forms, passport size photos, evidence of the relationship, and the letter of intent to get married. If the U.S. Citizen or the foreign partner has been beforehand married, they have to provide proof that the prior marriage was terminated and that they are totally free to marry. If the US Citizen has any criminal records, concerns with violence, or abuse of alcoholic beverages or narcotics, the U.S. Citizen will have to file for a waiver.
The K1 visa process is best explained in a 9 step process.
Step one of the K1 Visa is to ensure that you have retained an immigration lawyer and that you meet the financial requirements of the K1 visa.
Step two is to complete our questionnaire and gather all the documents that we requested. If the fiancé requires assistance with the document gathering, we will provide your fiancé with assistance.
Step three is to review the application to the USCIS for any errors and provide us with all of the documents that we requested. Upon review and approval, we will forward the package to you for your signature. After signing the forms, you will mail the package to USCIS.
Step four is after the packet have been forwarded to USCIS, they send you a receipt call the Notice of Action.
Step five is when the USCIS processes the application. This can takes 3-5 months to complete.
Step six is when the application is approved. USCIS will send you an approval notice and the application packet will be sent to the National Visa Center.
Step seven is when the National Visa Center reviews the application and forwards it to the US consulate.
Step eight is the interview process. The consulate will notify your fiancée about the date for the interview. They will also your fiancé to complete online forms and provide them with a list of documents to bring to the interview. Certain documents might still need to be translated. We always send an immigration specialist with the client to the consulate.
Step nine is when the visa is granted. Your fiancé will receive a six month single entry visa for them to enter the United States.
The process might sound simple but the small errors can cause the case to be delayed or denied. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the process.