K1 - K3 Visa

The K1 Visa permits a foreign citizen fiancé(e) to marry a U.S. citizen within 90 days of entering the country. The immigrant spouse may apply for a green card after marriage. Requirements for a K1 visa:

• The U.S. sponsor must file Form I-129F with the USCIS on behalf of their fiancé(e).

• The U.S. citizen and foreign citizen must be legally permitted to marry in the U.S. state where the marriage will take place.

• The U.S. and foreign citizens must have met face-to-face within the past two years.

When a U.S. citizen marries a foreign citizen abroad, the foreign spouse may enter the United States as a non-immigrant until the K-3 application is approved. This visa is intended to reunite spouses and families, granting a foreign national faster access to conditional or permanent U.S. residency, depending on the length of their marriage. Upon arrival in the United States, the foreign national may apply to change their visa status to permanent resident.

Requirements for a K-3 visa application include the following:

• The couple must qualify as spouses in the country where the marriage took place, and the foreigner must apply for a K-3 visa.

• The U.S. citizen must file Form I-130 to sponsor the foreign spouse.