K1 visa requirements are determined by U.S. immigration law. You may be able to get a basic understanding of what you need by reading the instructions on USCIS’ website. However, you should not rely totally on your online research because you still need to present your case properly to improve your chance of winning. Without the expertise of a skilled immigration lawyer, you will be practicing on your own case and hoping that you get it right.

The first step in the K1 visa process is to check your eligibility.

Only U.S. citizens can petition for a foreign bride or groom. Lawful permanent residents, conditional permanent residents, and those on extended visas do not qualify.

You must meet these requirements:

• Be free to marry within 90 days of your fiancé entering the U.S.
• Have met your fiancé in person within 2 years before filing the petition.

There are exceptions to the in-person meeting. You may qualify if you can prove:

• Meeting in person would violate your fiancé’s cultural customs.
• You would suffer extreme hardship by meeting in person.

For example, extreme hardship could be if a medical condition prevents you from taking a long flight to meet your fiancé.

You will first need to file an I-129F Petition for Alien Fiancé. The I-129F petition lets USCIS know that you are engaged to someone from a foreign country. Moreover, your evidence should show that you intend to marry that person shortly after he/she enters the United States.

The I-129F application requests biographic details about yourself, information about your former spouse(s) and children, you and your fiancés address and employment history. Additionally, you must disclose your criminal history, even if the records were sealed or expunged.

In addition to the application, you must submit the following, where applicable:

• A $675 Filing Fee;
• Proof of U.S. citizenship (eg. U.S. birth certificate, U. S. passport, or U.S. naturalization certificate);
• Proof of termination of previous marriages (eg. divorce decree, annulment, or death certificate;
• Evidence of legal name change;
• Two (2 ) passport-style photograph (one of your fiancé and one of yourself);
• Certified copies of arrest and conviction records;
• Two (2) letters of intent to marry; and
• Evidence of in-person meeting or evidence supporting an exception; ( eg. itinerary, boarding pass or medical records, if you are applying for an exception.