Starting a life together shouldn’t be delayed by paperwork mistakes
Bringing your fiancé or fiancée to the United States can be a challenging process. You’re ready to start a new life together, but you need to navigate the immigration system first, and one mistake can force you to start the whole process over again. That’s why it’s critical that you work with an experienced immigration lawyer who knows the process and can handle your application with precision.
The legal team at Hocker Law, LLC has the experience and resources you need. Immigration lawyer Vicki L. Fortino and her legal team are ready to help with K-1 fiancé and fiancée visas and navigate the entire immigration process on your behalf.
What is a K-1 visa?
A K-1 visa, more commonly known as a fiancé or fiancée visa, is used to allow a foreign national who wishes to marry a U.S. citizen to travel to the United States, get married, and immigrate to the country.
What are the requirements to apply for a K-1 visa?
In the K-1 visa process, the U.S. citizen fiancé or fiancée must file the petition on behalf of their intended; a foreign citizen cannot file the petition on their own behalf. The following criteria apply:
- The soon-to-be spouses must have met in person within the last two years. Phone or video contact does not count. However, this requirement can be waived under certain circumstances, including cultural norms that prohibit in-person meetings or situations of extreme hardship.
- Both intended spouses must be free to marry. That means you must be single, divorced, or widowed. If your divorce is pending, you can’t apply for a K-1 visa until it is finalized.
- The U.S. citizen's intended spouse must demonstrate that they can financially support their future spouse. The government may allow you to use a co-sponsor or list certain assets to meet the financial requirements.
- The U.S. citizen must have no major criminal history. If you have been convicted of serious crimes or multiple drug or alcohol-related offenses, you need a waiver.
- The foreign citizen must also meet general admissibility requirements, including a criminal background check.
Once a K-1 visa is issued, you have 90 days to get married. The non-citizen spouse is then eligible to apply for lawful permanent residence (a green card).
How an immigration attorney can help you through the K-1 process
There are several things you need to prove in order to qualify for a K-1 visa. You need to show that you truly intend to marry through sworn affidavits. You also have to prove that you have met in person in the last two years, usually with photographs, or apply for a waiver under applicable circumstances. The U.S. citizen spouse also needs to produce evidence to prove their financial means.
Furthermore, at each stage of the K-1 visa process, there are forms that must be filled out fully and completely and steps that must be followed precisely. If you miss a step or omit necessary information, you may have to start the whole process over again.
An experienced immigration attorney who knows the process can make sure that every step is taken, every form is filled out correctly, and all the evidence is in place to put you in the best position to acquire your visa.
Don’t take such an important step in your life without the right legal counsel on your side. Contact Hocker Law, LLC today to speak with an experienced immigration lawyer about your fiancé or fiancée visa.
I had an absolutely superb experience. Throughout my time working with Hocker Law, I felt that I was listened to and my priorities were always respected at the forefront of any decisions. Having such a strong advocate gave me a lot of peace of mind! Would recommend without reservation! – Bryan E., ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐