Fiancé Visas for Future Immigrants to the U.S.
Provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) make it possible for United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to receive family-based immigration visas. In fact, the INA offers far more visas for immigration on the basis of family relationships than it does for people who want to immigrate for reasons of employment. Even so, the waiting time for a family visa can be considerable, and in order to fit into one of the available categories, you must already be married or share an immediate-relative relationship with the citizen or green card holder. Fortunately, the INA provides an additional visa category – known as the K-1 nonimmigrant visa – for people who want to travel to the United States for the purpose of marrying a citizen of this country.
As a nonimmigrant visa, the K-1 does not confer lawful permanent resident status on the holder. Instead, it allows the foreign national to enter the U.S. and remain here in the period immediately preceding the wedding. It is necessary for the K-1 holder and the citizen to marry within 90 days of entry to this country. Once you and your fiancé have wed, it is possible to apply for a green card through adjustment of status with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A K-1 visa holder is permitted to bring his or her children to this country on the K-2 visa.
Applying for a K-1 Visa in Salt Lake City
The first step in applying for a K-1 visa is for the U.S. citizen to submit a Form I-129F, known as a petition for alien fiance, thereby acting as the sponsor for the other party. It is also necessary to supply proof of financial support to establish that the foreign national will not have to go on welfare or otherwise be a burden on the state upon arrival. A Salt Lake City immigration lawyer from Keen Law Offices, LLC can assist with preparing the petition and gathering any documentation that may be necessary to prove the validity of the petition.
Our firm can help you understand all of the details involved in completing the process. For example, it may be necessary to demonstrate that you and your fiancé have indeed met in person within the past two years, or you may need to request that this requirement be waved based on cultural prohibitions against meeting before marriage. Once the I-129F has been approved, USCIS will send it to the local U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the foreign national's country of residence so that he or she can go in to apply for the visa. We can assist both parties with the entire process, meeting in person at our Orem office which serve the Salt Lake City area and coordinating with the fiancé abroad, to ensure that the process is completed in a timely manner.
Contact us now to get started.