K-1 fiancé(e) visa
If you’re a U.S. citizen engaged to someone who lives outside the United States, the K-1 visa may allow your fiancé(e) to come here to marry you and then apply for permanent residence.
How it works
- You file the petition (I-129F). As a U.S. citizen, you file the petition with USCIS, with proof of your citizenship and of your relationship.
- USCIS reviews the petition. If it’s approved, the case moves to the National Visa Center (NVC) and then to the U.S. embassy or consulate handling the visa application.
- Consular interview. Your fiancé(e) completes the visa application, the medical exam, and the interview.
- Arrival and wedding. With the K-1 visa, your fiancé(e) enters the United States, and you must marry within 90 days. Important: adjustment of status through this K-1 process must be based on marriage to the U.S. citizen who filed the petition.
- Permanent residence. After the wedding, your spouse files a separate green card application from inside the United States (adjustment of status), with its own fees.
K-1 or spouse visa?
If you’re already married, the K-1 doesn’t apply: the path is the immigrant visa for spouses. If you haven’t married yet, you can choose between the K-1, with the wedding in the United States, or marrying first and applying for the spouse visa.
The best option depends on your situation: where you want to marry, the costs, and your plans. Timing and costs can vary considerably by case and consulate. One important difference: with the K-1, you must later file the green card application inside the United States, with additional fees. With an immigrant visa for a spouse, your partner becomes a permanent resident when admitted to the United States. At your consultation we compare both options for your case. Learn about the marriage green card through consular processing.
Who can apply
- The petition is filed by a U.S. citizen. Permanent residents can’t petition for a K-1 visa.
- You must both be free to marry. Any prior marriage must have legally ended, by divorce, annulment, or death.
- You must have met in person at least once in the two years before the petition. There are limited exceptions.
- You must both intend to marry within 90 days after arrival.
- Your fiancé(e)’s unmarried children under 21 may be eligible for a K-2 visa, even if they travel later, subject to the applicable requirements and deadlines.
These are general requirements. Whether your case qualifies depends on the details, and the attorney reviews those.
Cost
Basic government fees (subject to change; we confirm the exact figures at your consultation):
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| I-129F petition with USCIS | $675 |
| K-1 visa application at the consulate (per person) | $265 |
| Green card application after the wedding (I-485, general fee for applicants 14 and older) | $1,440 |
| Basic total for one person | $2,380 |
Check the amounts when you file each application at USCIS and the State Department.
This total doesn’t include the medical exam, whose cost varies by country, or work and travel permits if you apply for them. Each applicant, including children on K-2 visas, pays their own visa application fee, and children under 14 may pay a different fee for the green card application.
Our fee: a flat representation fee. We give it to you at your consultation and in writing before we start. We offer payment plans.
Timing
The process includes USCIS review of the petition, transfer of the case, the medical exam, and the consular interview. Each stage has its own timing. There is no guaranteed total time. Adjustment of status after the wedding is an additional step, and its timing varies too.
See USCIS processing times. Government processing times change often and aren’t within our control. At your consultation we give you the latest information.
Can your fiancé(e) work or travel after arriving?
The K-1 visa doesn’t automatically grant work authorization. It’s possible to apply for employment authorization, but the timing and length of that authorization depend on the category used. After applying for adjustment of status, leaving the United States without the corresponding travel permit can cause the application to be considered abandoned, unless an exception applies. Talk to us before any trip.
Documents usually needed
- ✓ Proof of your citizenship: U.S. passport or naturalization certificate
- ✓ Your fiancé(e)’s valid passport
- ✓ Proof that you met in person: photos together, plane tickets, passport stamps
- ✓ Proof of your relationship: messages, calls, wedding plans
- ✓ Signed statements from both of you about your intent to marry within 90 days
- ✓ Divorce, annulment, or death certificates for any prior marriage
- ✓ Birth certificates and police certificates, depending on the country
- ✓ Proof of financial support: the consulate may request Form I-134, and after the marriage Form I-864 is normally filed with the adjustment of status
When your case starts, we give you a personalized list.
What can complicate your case
- Your fiancé(e)’s prior immigration problems: time out of status, removals, visa denials, or false information in earlier applications.
- Criminal records of the petitioner or the fiancé(e). The law requires the petitioner to disclose certain criminal history.
- Prior K-1 petitions filed by the same petitioner.
- Prior marriages that weren’t properly ended.
- Travel or visa restrictions currently affecting your fiancé(e)’s country. The lists change, so we review this at your consultation.
- Marrying after the 90 days, or marrying someone else. A late wedding complicates the case, and marriage to someone else does not satisfy the requirements for adjustment through this K-1 process.
These issues need an attorney’s analysis. That’s why we review your whole history before recommending a path.
Next step
Book a consultation with Visia to compare the K-1 with the spouse visa and review your history before you file the petition.
General information, not legal advice. Reading this page alone does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case requires an individual evaluation. Fees, policies, and processing times can change. Updated: October 15, 2026.