The U.S. Department of State issues the K-1 to the foreign national fiancé(e)s of U.S. citizens so they can enter the U.S. to marry. Once married, the foreign national may adjust their status to be a permanent resident (a Green Card).
If you are a U.S. citizen who wants to bring your foreign fiancé(e) to the United States in order to get married, you will need to file a Form I-129F, Petition For Alien Fiancé(e). This is the first step to obtaining a K-1 nonimmigrant visa for your fiancé(e). The K-1 nonimmigrant visa is also known as a fiancé(e) visa.
In order to obtain a K-1 fiancé(e) visa, you and your fiancé(e) must intend to marry each other within 90 days of your fiancé(e) entering the U.S as a K-1 nonimmigrant. Your marriage must be valid, meaning both you and your fiancé(e) have a bona fide intent to establish a life together and the marriage is not for the sole purpose of obtaining an immigration benefit.
If your fiancé(e) marries you within 90 days of being admitted to the United States as a K-1 nonimmigrant, he or she may apply for lawful permanent resident status in the United States (a Green Card).
Whatever your immigration issue may be, we are here to help. Our team of attorneys and staff work hard to help you reach your goals.
The answer to that depends on your situation – both processes have their individual benefits. Here’s a basic summary of each:
Yes, there is a $265 filing fee. Prior to filing for the K-1, you must also file <b>Form I-129F</b>, which has a filing fee of $535 and complete a medical examination which is roughly $200 (varies by provider). These additional costs bring the total cost to around $1000. If you apply online, you can also pay online. If you pay by mail, then you can pay via money order, personal check, cashier’s check, or by credit card using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions. If you pay by check, you must make your check payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
You can file your form online or by mail. Filing online allows you to:
You can create an account to file online. You can also mail your form to your region’s designated USCIS office.
Of course, you can choose to manage your case independently. However, working with immigration experts can help you navigate the process and provide guidance throughout.
You may be represented, at no expense to the U.S. government, by an attorney or other duly authorized representative. Your representative must submit Form G-28, Notice of Entry or Appearance as Attorney or Representative. Your representative may also submit Form G-28 at the time of your interview.
Immigration issues can be quite complicated. Combine that with the current rate of change in U.S. policies, it can be hard to keep up. Our team puts their experience to work for you and your particular situation. We work hard to stay on top of policy changes and are prepared for changes down the line. We offer patented online software, MyEsq, that streamlines the filing process and makes our knowledgeable team of lawyers just a click away.
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