When you meet the love of your life and plan to get married, you want to spend as much time with them as possible. If they are a legal resident of another country, you probably want to bring them to California ahead of your wedding.
A fiancée or fiancé visa (known officially as a K1 visa) gives your intended the right to enter an American state to establish residency. Acquiring a K1 visa is the first step in family immigration when one of the parties is a foreign national.
What must you do to get your intended a K1 visa?
You must show the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that you are a legal resident. You must also prove that your relationship with the foreign national is legitimate rather than a ploy to help someone acquire a green card. Other steps to complete include the following:
- Show that you will marry within 90 days of their arrival
- Prove that you have spent time together recently
- Submit a copy of your fiancée’s passport
- Prove that you can support your intended financially
- Submit a passport photo of yourself and your fiancé
- Show that neither party is currently married
Many things could go wrong when applying for a K1 visa. For example, even a minor omission or mistake with your documentation can derail your efforts. In another example, missing a USCIS evidence deadline or appointment often results in the rejection or denial of a visa application.
With legal advocacy, your odds of making a mistake with your K1 visa application decrease substantially. Learning more about family immigration and possible barriers (criminal record, etc.) can also help.