How much does it cost to get a K-1 visa?

Asked by: Emerson Keebler  |  Last update: November 30, 2023
Score: 4.6/5 (61 votes)

The government filing fees for getting a K-1 visa is $800 or $2025 for the K-1 visa and the “Adjustment of Status” form required to transfer from a K-1 visa to a marriage green card after arriving in the United States. This does not include the typical cost of the required medical exam, which varies by provider.

How long does it take to get a K-1 visa?

How Long Does It Take USCIS To Process Form I-129F for a K-1 Fiancé Visa? The processing time for a K-1 fiancé visa ranges from 12–18 months, and involves U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the National Visa Center, and a U.S. embassy or U.S. consulate in your foreign fiance's country of residence.

Is it hard to get a K-1 visa?

Even though there are many supporting documents required for obtaining a K-1 visa, if all requirements are proven and/or satisfied, the process itself will be simple. When a marriage is one of good faith, proving the union as such will not be as difficult as it may seem.

Can I do a K-1 visa on my own?

If you plan to prepare and submit your own K1 Fiance Visa application without the help of an experienced professional, you will need to start by identifying which forms to use. You can find a copy of the forms that you will need along with their instructions at www.uscis.gov.

What is the fastest way to get a K-1 visa?

Given that there is nothing to do to expedite the processing times, including accessing the premium processing option for the K1 fiancé visa, you should be very diligent about the forms and filing requirements for the K1 visa. Backlogs, errors and general delays can happen at any step of the K1 process.

Total COST of getting K1 Visa

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What is the failure rate of K-1 visa?

Department of State refusal statistics for the K-1 visa reveal that there are about 40,000 denials each fiscal year. This is a 40% visa rejection rate of the total number of K-1 visa applications. While many visa denials eventually overcome the initial denial, others do not.

Do you need a sponsor for a K-1 visa?

Your future spouse must sponsor you, and you must apply for a K-1 fiancé(e) visa. If you are engaged to a U.S. citizen and plan to marry and live in the U.S., your fiancé(e) will be your sponsor and must petition for you to be allowed to apply for a K-1 visa.

Can I live in the U.S. while waiting for K-1 visa?

Can I Stay in the U.S. While Waiting For K1? A foreign national cannot reside in the U.S. on a tourist visa or Visa Waiver while waiting for a K1 Fiance visa or K3 Spousal visa. However, you can use a B-2 tourist visa or the Visa Waiver Program for a temporary visit.

How long can you stay on a K-1 visa?

If the consular officer grants the K-1 nonimmigrant visa, it is valid for up to 6 months for a single entry. If the consular officer does not find the relationship to be bona fide, DOS will not issue a K-1 nonimmigrant visa and instead will return the Form I-129F to USCIS.

Why would a K-1 visa be denied?

Inadequate Proof of a True Relationship

Suspicious relationships are among the most frequent justifications for denying or rejecting a fiancé(e) visa application. Red flags might be raised by, for instance, not speaking the same language, getting engaged quickly, having a big age gap, or following different religions.

How long is the K-1 visa interview?

Generally, the K1 visa interview is in a question-answer format which usually takes no more than 30 minutes unless an officer feels they need to ask more specific questions.

Does immigration look at age difference for a K-1 visa?

Age differences between couples is common and generally accepted by USCIS when applying for a K1 Fiance Visa. However, large differences in a couples ages will result in closer scrutiny of your case. I routinely see cases that are approved where the age difference between the couple is 20 to 30 years.

Which is faster spouse or fiancé visa?

When you use RapidVisa, the K1 fiancé visa as of 2023 typically takes between 13 and 18 months, and the CR1 spousal visa typically takes between 9 and 13 months. Keep in mind that the processing time can be longer — sometimes more than a year — depending on your specific situation.

What is K-1 income?

K-1s are tax forms that are used for business partnerships to report to the IRS a partner's income, losses, capital gain, dividends, etc., from the partnership for the tax year. With the K-1, a partner's earnings can be taxed at an individual tax rate versus the corporate tax rate.

How many times can you get a K-1 visa?

According to the Immigration Marriage Brokers Act of 2005, a US citizen can only petition for two K1 visas. If the first marriage fails or never occurs, the American petitioner must wait two years to apply for a new K-1 visa, even if it is on behalf of the same person.

Can I go with my fiancé to the K-1 visa interview?

Your U.S. citizen fiancé(e) may accompany you to the interview for moral support, but only if the embassy rules allow it. If you have any K-2 derivative beneficiaries included on the petition, they should also be at the interview. Some embassies waive interviews for minors under 14.

How many K-1 visas are approved each year?

K-1 Visa Admissions

Compared to other visa types, the K-1 visa has a smaller number of annual admissions. In 2019, the K-1 visa had 34,581 admissions. In comparison, the B-2 tourist visa had 6M annual admissions in 2019. Annual K-1 visas made up only 0.04% of all nonimmigrant visas in 2019.

Is the K-1 visa responsible for 10 years?

The sponsor's financial responsibility usually lasts until the applicant either becomes a U.S. citizen, or can be credited with 40 qualifying quarters of work (usually 10 years) under the Social Security Act.

Who fills out the K-1 visa?

The U.S. citizen (the petitioner) files Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e), with USCIS. The petitioner must show that both parties are free to marry and intend to marry within 90 days of the foreign national's admission to the United States as a K-1 nonimmigrant.

Is K1 or k2 visa faster?

Citizens, the K1 Fiance Visa is still quicker and simpler for unmarried international couples seeking to get married. Marriage Visas generally take between 5-7 months from the time the I-130 Petition is filed at a USCIS Service Center to the day a Marriage Visa is issued. First, the Petition is filed with the USCIS.

What is the K-1 visa loophole?

A K-1 petition provides a loophole for children over 18 to come to the U.S. Under U.S. immigration law, in order for a U.S. citizen to petition stepchildren, they must marry before the stepchild's 18th birthday.

How long does it take to get green card after K-1 visa?

Once you are in the United States on your K1 visa, it takes about another 7 to 9 months to get your green card and become a permanent resident. If you have any questions on any of the information in this guide, or if you need help with your K1 visa, feel free to email me directly at Michael@AshooriLaw.com.

Is K-1 visa faster than I 130?

Once that is approved, then the foreign spouse can apply for their immigrant visa to enter the United States through consumer processing. Generally speaking, the I-129F, the form that's required for the K1 fiance visa, generally processes faster than the I-130.

What is the 2 year requirement for K-1 visa?

To be eligible for a K-1 visa: Both petitioner and beneficiary must be free to marry, which means they are single, divorced, or widowed. Legal separation is not accepted. The couple must have met in person within the past two years.