Many foreign nationals move to Texas by obtaining a fiancé visa. The K-1 nonimmigrant visa is a way for U.S. citizens to bring their foreign fiancés into the country. After the marriage takes place in the U.S., the foreign spouse will then be eligible to apply for permanent residency.
First steps
If you are a U.S. citizen with a foreign fiancé, your first step to bringing your future spouse into the country is to file Form I-129F, Petition For Alien Fiancé. This form is your application for the K-1 visa. There are eligibility requirements for the K-1 fiancé visa that are important to understand before you apply:
- You must intend to marry within 90 days of your fiancé entering the U.S.
- Both you and your fiancé must be legally allowed to marry.
- You must have met your fiancé in person at least one time in the last two years.
Other things to keep in mind
It is important to understand that immigration officials will scrutinize your fiancé visa application to determine whether the planned marriage is valid. Immigration officials are looking to weed out fraudulent applications that have only been submitted for the purpose of obtaining family immigration benefits.
The requirement that you must have met your fiancé in person recently may be waived in some cases. For example, if meeting your fiancé would violate your religious beliefs or cultural customs, then the in-person meeting is not required.
Your fiancé’s children may be eligible for visas as well. If the children are under the age of 21, they may be able to obtain K-2 nonimmigrant visas.