Fiance Visa (Fiancee Visa): Marry a U.S. Citizen in the USA

Fiance Visa US Fiancee Visa USA Apply Process Application Permanent Resident Immigration K-1 Visa

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Am I Eligible for a Fiance Visa (Fiancee Visa, K-1 Visa)?
The Fiance Visa / Fiancee Visa Process
How to Apply for a Fiance Visa
Fiance Visa Work Permit
How to Check the Status of my Fiance Visa / Fiancee Visa Application
How Can I Appeal If My Fiance Visa Is Denied?
HELP! with My Fiance Visa / Fiancee Visa
Additional Information on Fiance Visas

Am I Eligible for a Fiance Visa (Fiancee Visa, K-1 Visa)?
If you are a U.S. citizen who wants to bring your foreign national fiance (male) or fiancee (female) to marry in the U.S., you may petition (apply) for a K-1 visa (fiance visa / fiancee visa). Both you and your fiance / fiancee must be free to marry. This means that both of you are unmarried, or that any previous marriages have ended through divorce, annulment or death. You must also have met with your fiance / fiancee in person within the last two years before applying for the fiance visa / fiancee visa (K-1 visa). This requirement can be waived only if meeting your fiance / fiancee in person would violate long-established customs or would create extreme hardship for you. You and your fiance / fiancee must marry within 90 days of your fiance / fiancee entering the United States.

You may also apply (on the same petition) to bring your fiance's unmarried children, who are under age 21, to the United States.

Legal permanent residents may not file petitions to apply for a fiance visa / fiancee visa (K-1 visa), although they may petition for the immigration of their new wife or husband after the wedding (see Green Card for Wife or Husband, Sponsoring a Spouse for USA Permanent Resident Visa.

The Fiance Visa / Fiancee Visa Process
After your petition (application) is approved, your fiance / fiancee must obtain a K-1 visa (fiance visa / fiancee visa) issued at a U.S. Embassy or consulate abroad . Your fiance / fiancee must remain unmarried until the arrival of the fiance / fiancee in the U.S. The marriage must take place within 90 days of your fiance / fiancee entering the United States. If the marriage does not take place within 90 days or your fiance / fiancee marries someone other than you (the U.S. citizen filing the petition), your fiance / fiancee will be required to leave the United States. Until the marriage takes place, your fiance / fiancee is considered a nonimmigrant. A nonimmigrant is a foreign national seeking to enter the United States temporarily for a specific purpose. A fiance / fiancee may not obtain an extension of the 90-day original nonimmigrant K-1 visa (fiance visa / fiancee visa) admission.

If your fiance / fiancee intends to live and work permanently in the United States, your fiance / fiancee should apply for a Green Card to become a permanent resident after your marriage. If your fiance / fiancee does not intend to obtain a Green Card (become a permanent resident) after your marriage, your fiance / fiancee (new spouse) must leave the country within the 90-day original nonimmigrant K-1 visa (fiance visa / fiancee visa) admission. For information on applying for Green Card permanent resident status while your new wife or husband is in the U.S., please see Green Card: Become a Permanent Resident While in the U.S. (Adjust Status) Your new wife or husband will initially receive conditional Green Card (permanent residence) status for two years. Conditional permanent residency is granted when the marriage creating the relationship is less than two years old at the time of adjustment to permanent residence status. For more information, please see Removing Conditional Resident Status (for Marriage-Based Green Card).

Please note that your fiance / fiancee may enter the United States only one time with a fiance visa / fiancee visa (K-1 visa). If your fiance / fiancee leaves the country before you are married, your fiance / fiancee may not be allowed back into the United States without a new visa.

If your new wife or husband will apply for a Green Card to become a legal permanent resident while in the U.S. but also plans to travel outside the U.S. while the application is pending, see Advance Parole: Foreign Travel with a Pending Green Card Immigration Application.

How to Apply for a Fiance Visa
Please see Fiance Visa - Fiancee Visa Application to Marry US Citizen

Fiance Visa Work Permit
After arriving in the United States, your fiance / fiancee will be eligible to apply for a work permit. (You should note that USCIS might not be able to process the work permit within the 90-day time limit for your marriage to take place.) Your fiance / fiancee should use USCIS Form I-765 to apply for a work permit. Please see Obtaining a Work Permit for more information. If your fiance / fiancee applies for a Green Card (adjustment to permanent resident status) after the wedding, your fiance / fiancee must re-apply for a new work permit.

How to Check the Status of my Fiance Visa / Fiancee Visa Application
You may check the status of your fiance visa / fiancee visa application or case online, by phone, or by contacting an appropriate USCIS office. For details see USCIS Case Status: Check USCIS Case Status for Visas and Immigration. You may also want to review US Visa Wait Times and USCIS Immigration Processing Times. For more assistance, see HELP! (below).

How Can I Appeal If My Fiance Visa Is Denied?
If your petition (application) for a fiance visa / fiancee visa (K-1 visa) is denied, the denial letter will tell you how to appeal. Generally, you may appeal within 33 days of receiving the denial by mail. Your appeal must be filed on USCIS Form I-290B. The appeal must be filed with the office that made the original decision. After your appeal form and a required fee are processed, the appeal will be referred to the USCIS Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) in Washington, DC. (Sending the appeal and fee directly to the AAO will delay the process.) For more information, see Appealing the Denial of My Petition or Application.

HELP! with My Fiance Visa / Fiancee Visa...

Have a specific question? To help you find an answer quickly, we have placed "Ask a Visa & Immigration Lawyer" boxes on this page. Simply type a question in any of the boxes to receive a response online from a visa and immigration lawyer.
For assistance outside of the U.S., contact the nearest U.S. Consulate.
For inquiries on visa cases in progress overseas, contact the appropriate U.S. Consulate or Embassyhandling your case.
For assistance within the U.S., contact your nearest USCIS District Office or Sub Office. This link provides telephone numbers, addresses, directions, office hours, local filing procedures, and more.
In the U.S., you may also call the national USCIS toll-free information service at 1-800-375-5283.
You may also contact the State Department's Visa Office at 202-663-1225, or email a general inquiry to usvisa@state.gov. Be sure to indicate the general subject of your inquiry on the subject line (e.g., fiancee visa), and do not expect an immediate reply. You may also write to:

U.S. Department of State
Visa Services
Washington, DC 20520-0113
You may also want to seek the advice of an immigration attorney (this link will help you find the right lawyer for your case), or an immigrant assistance organization. A list of accredited organizations and individuals is maintained by the Executive Office of Immigration Review, which also maintains a list of free legal service providers.

Additional Information on Fiance Visas

For fiance visa / fiancee visa application and filing instructions, see:
Fiance Visa - Fiancee Visa Application to Marry US Citizen

For details on adjusting to permanent resident status if your fiance / fiancee is already in the United States, see:
Green Card: Become a Permanent Resident While in the U.S. (Adjust Status)

If your fiance / fiancee (new spouse) is in the U.S. and wants to work while their application to adjust to permanent resident status is pending, see:
Obtaining a Work Permit

If your fiance / fiancee (new spouse) is in the U.S. and needs to travel outside the U.S. while their application to adjust to permanent resident status is pending, see:
Advance Parole: Foreign Travel with a Pending Green Card Immigration Application

For details about removing conditional resident status, see:
Removing Conditional Resident Status (for Marriage-Based Green Card)

For online forms and fee information, including fee waivers, see:
USCIS Forms / INS Forms and Other US Immigration Forms, Fees & Filing Locations

If you are outside of the United States and need information regarding immigrating to the United States, contact your nearest U.S. Consulate:
US Embassies and US Consulates

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