How Much Money do I Need to Sponsor My Fiancé to the USA?
Stage 1- Proving the Relationship
In the first stage of the case, you have to prove to the U.S. government that you are in a bona fide relationship with your fiancé. You must also prove that you plan to marry your fiancé within 90 days of his/her arrival to the U.S. For this stage of the case, you must file an I-129F petition for your fiancé, with USCIS. You do not need to prove your income just yet. If you do not make the minimum income, you have months to get your finances in order.
Total Cost for Stage 1 of the Fiancé Visa Process
- I-129F Petition Filing Fee = $675
- Attorney’s fees = $1,500
It will take approximately 8-12 months for the government to make a decision on the petition. If USCIS approves your petition, it will be valid for four months. USCIS then sends your approved petition to the National Visa Center (NVC) for a case number. After the NVC assigns a case number, it routes the file to a U.S consulate or embassy for your fiancés interview. No fees are paid to the NVC. So far, you should be getting an understanding of “how much money do I need to sponsor my fiancé to the USA?”
Stage 2- Applying for the K-1 Fiancé Visa
In the second stage of the fiancé visa process, your fiancé is ready to apply for a K-1 fiancé visa. During this stage you may be required to prove that you can financially support your fiancé. If your fiancé is financially secure he or she may be able to use his or her income or assets without needing yours. The immigration officer may ask for form I-134 Declaration of Financial Support at the interview. A copy of your most recent tax return and current paystubs should be sufficient evidence that you can support your fiancé. You need to keep your fiancé at 100% above the federal poverty guidelines, during this stage. You can rely of form I-864P listed below for the minimum income requirements in 2024.
Total Cost for Stage 2 of the Fiancé Visa Process
- DS-160 visa application = $265
- Medical Examination = $100 (varies by country)
- Police Certificate = $20 (varies by country)
- Attorney’s fees = $1,500
This stage of the process normally takes between 1-2 months depending on the availability of visa appointments.
Stage 3- Marriage and Green Card Application
After your fiancé arrives in the USA and you are married, it is time to apply for permanent residence. During this stage of the case, your foreign-born spouse must file form I-485. He/she may also simultaneously file an application for employment authorization. There is usually a decision on the employment application months before there is a decision on the adjustment of status application. If the employment authorization application is approved, your spouse may be able to get a job and help pay some of the immigration fees. He or she may also be able to contribute financially to the household. You are required to file form I-864 at this stage and prove that you have sufficient income to keep your spouse above 125% of the federal poverty guidelines listed in form I-864P above.
Total cost for stage 3 of the fiancé visa process without an interview
- I-485 Application to Adjust Status = $1,440
- I-765 Application for Employment Authorization = $260
- Attorney’s fees = $3,000
The processing time for the employment authorization application is approximately 6 months while a decision on the adjustment of status application may take approximately 12-18 months.
What are the Benefits of Hiring an Attorney?
An experienced immigration attorney can save you time and prevent costly mistakes. The attorney may even save your relationship by shortening processing time.
Anyone can print immigration forms from the internet and mail it in, however it is not the US government’s job to check if you have done it right. When you file your application, the government simply takes you filing fee and mails you a receipt notice. No one checks if you have made a mistake at the time of filing. It will be months before an immigration officer looks at your application and makes a decision. If you have not proved your case, you will receive a denial notice. Sometimes the officer may issue a Request for Evidence (RFE) and give you a chance to correct errors. However, they do not guarantee that you will receive an RFE.
Hiring a qualified immigration attorney early in the process can set up you application for success. Going it alone during the immigration process causes unnecessary anxiety, especially if you have never filed for a fiancé before. It doesn’t have to be this way.
