Immigrant Visa for a Spouse or Fiancé(e) of a U.S. Citizen (2024)

FAQs

What is the visa for the fiancé of a U.S. citizen? ›

The fiancé(e) K-1 nonimmigrant visa is for the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen. The K-1 visa permits the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) to travel to the United States and marry his or her U.S. citizen sponsor within 90 days of arrival. You can learn more about fiancé(e) visas on usvisas.state.gov.

If you want to marry in the U.S. and prioritize a faster process: The K-1 visa might be a better fit. If you are already married and want your spouse to have a Green Card and work permit upon arrival in the U.S.: The CR-1 visa is likely the better option.

If you are a U.S. citizen you have two ways to bring your foreign spouse (husband or wife) to the United States to live. They are: Immigrant visa for a Spouse of a U.S. Citizen (IR1 or CR1) - An immigrant Petition for Alien Relative, Form I-130 is required.

If you are issued a K-1 visa: You must travel to the United States to marry your fiancé(e) within 90 days of arriving. After you marry, you may apply for an adjustment of status to get a Permanent Resident (Green) Card. K-1 visas expire after 90 days and cannot be extended.

As of 2024, the minimum income requirement for K-1 visa applications is $20,440 for a household size of two — 100% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines income level.

CR1 Cost & Fees

The government filing fee for applying for a spouse visa from abroad is $1,200. This excludes the cost of the immigration medical exam, which varies depending on the provider.

A marriage-based green card is different from a K1 fiance visa. The way a marriage-based green card works is that, first and foremost, the couple must already be married. Once the couple is married, the U.S. citizen or the lawful permanent resident can file an immigrant petition on behalf of his or her spouse.

Total K-1 Visa Processing Time

After filing Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé, it may take approximately 10 to 16 months to obtain a K-1 visa. It may be shorter for some and longer for others.

A citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must, in most cases, first obtain a visa to do so. This can be either a nonimmigrant visa for a temporary stay or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. For many, a "B" visitor visa is the easiest and most appropriate one to get.

The filing fees for the K-1 process is $675 for Form I-129F (filed with USCIS), $265 to apply for the K visa (paid to the U.S. consulate), and $1,440 for Form I-485 and the adjustment of status packet (filed with USCIS), which includes biometrics services but does NOT include separate and additional fees if the ...

Is a fiancé or spouse visa faster? ›

Typically, a K-1 fiancé(e) visa allows for quicker entry into the United States, whereas a marriage-based visa (also called a spouse visa) accelerates the green card process. In 2024, the processing time for a K-1 visa application (Form I-129F) is 11-17 and the processing time for a CR-1 spousal green card is 10.8.

The most common minimum annual income required to sponsor a spouse or family member for a green card is $25,550. This assumes that the sponsor — the U.S. citizen or current green card holder — is not on active military duty and is sponsoring only one relative.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) publishes historical application processing times once every three months. According to their most recent release, the wait time for a K-1 visa is approximately 12.2 months.

Changes in Policy: In recent years, the USCIS has made efforts to reduce the processing time for I-130 petitions. This change means that in some cases, the I-130 can be as fast, if not faster, than the K-3 visa. Case-by-Case Basis: Each application is unique.

The government filing fees for getting a K-1 visa is $800 or $2380 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.

K-2 visas are for the children of K-1 applicants. A K-2 applicant must be under the age of 21. Note: Unmarried children under 21 years old may accompany the parent to the United States or may apply for a visa later.