Fiance Visas

Love knows no borders. If you are a U.S. citizen engaged to someone from another country, the Fiancé(e) Visa, officially known as the K-1 visa, is a legal pathway to bring your future spouse to the United States for the purpose of marriage. Chris Hammond Law Firm assists couples in uniting so they can start their lives together in America. We understand that being separated by international borders is difficult, and we work diligently to simplify the process of obtaining a fiancé(e) visa and subsequent marriage-based green card. Our goal is to handle the paperwork and legal requirements so you can focus on your relationship and upcoming wedding.

A K-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa intended for the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen. It allows the fiancé(e) to enter the United States one time for the specific purpose of getting married to the U.S. citizen petitioner. The couple must get married within 90 days of the fiancé(e)’s entry into the U.S. After the marriage, the foreign spouse can then apply for adjustment of status to become a lawful permanent resident (get a green card)​. The K-1 visa essentially fast-tracks the process of being together – as opposed to marrying abroad and then waiting for a spousal visa, the K-1 allows the marriage to take place in the U.S. relatively sooner.

Only U.S. citizens (not green card holders) are eligible to bring a fiancé(e) on a K-1 visa​. The U.S. citizen petitioner and the foreign fiancé(e) must both be legally free to marry – meaning any previous marriages have been legally terminated by divorce, annulment, or death certificates. Additionally, the couple must have met in person within the past two years before filing the petition​. This in-person meeting requirement can only be waived in rare circumstances (such as extreme hardship or if meeting would violate strict cultural/religious customs). In practice, almost all couples must demonstrate they have spent time together face-to-face at least once in the two years prior to the application. We help you document this through photos, travel records, etc. Finally, both the petitioner and beneficiary must have a bona fide intent to marry each other and not for immigration purposes only. USCIS and consular officers will be evaluating the genuineness of your relationship.

Obtaining a K-1 visa involves multiple steps with two main government agencies (USCIS and the State Department):

1. Form I-129F Petition: The process begins with the U.S. citizen filing a Petition for Alien Fiancé(e) (Form I-129F) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. This petition provides USCIS with information about both partners and evidence of the relationship. We will assemble a strong I-129F packet that includes forms and supporting documents such as: proof of the petitioner’s U.S. citizenship (passport, birth certificate, etc.), statements from both petitioner and fiancé(e) about your intention to marry, proof of having met in person (flight tickets, hotel receipts, photos together, passport stamps, etc.), and perhaps letters from family or friends attesting to your relationship. We also include the required passport-style photos and any other required forms (like a declaration of how you met and evidence of engagement). Our firm ensures all the technical requirements are met so that USCIS accepts the petition (things like signatures, correct filing fee, proper edition of forms, etc., are meticulously checked). Once filed, USCIS will review the I-129F. If all is in order, they will approve the petition. We monitor the petition’s progress and keep you updated of any notices from USCIS.

2. National Visa Center (NVC) and Consular Processing: After USCIS approves the I-129F, the case is forwarded to the U.S. Department of State’s National Visa Center, and then to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the fiancé(e)’s country. At that point, the foreign fiancé(e) will apply for the actual K-1 visa. The embassy will send instructions on scheduling the visa interview and what documents to prepare, or we will access these instructions online. The fiancé(e) will need to fill out the DS-160 online visa application, pay the visa fee, and gather documents for the interview. These typically include: a valid passport, birth certificate, police clearance certificates from any country where they lived a long time, proof of the relationship (again, more photos, correspondence, etc. for the interview), and results of a medical examination by an approved panel physician. Additionally, the U.S. petitioner must provide an Affidavit of Support (Form I-134 for K-1 stage) with evidence of meeting income requirements (at least 100% of poverty level for the household)​ and possibly financial documents (tax returns, employment letters). We guide both partners through this phase, helping the foreign fiancé(e) prepare all forms and supporting documents.

3. The K-1 Visa Interview: The fiancé(e) will attend an in-person interview at the U.S. consulate. This is a critical step – a consular officer will ask questions to verify the relationship and eligibility. They might ask about how you met, your future wedding plans, hobbies, family, etc. They will also review all the paperwork. We provide our clients with interview coaching, including a list of sample questions and tips on how to handle any tricky topics (for example, prior marriages or language barriers). We ensure you are over-prepared with organized evidence to prove your relationship is genuine. Our advance preparation ensures we identify any potential red flags ahead of time and advise on how to mitigate them (for instance, if the beneficiary has a prior overstay in the U.S., we prepare a legal memo on why it doesn’t bar the K-1; if there’s a criminal record, we ensure all court documents are provided and show it’s not disqualifying).

4. Visa Issuance and Entry to the U.S.: If the interview goes well and the consulate approves the application, the fiancé(e) will receive the K-1 visa in their passport (usually within days or a couple of weeks after the interview). They can then travel to the United States. Upon arrival at a U.S. port of entry, they’ll be admitted in K-1 status. We remind our clients to keep all this paperwork and to actually get married within 90 days – this is a strict requirement​. If the marriage does not occur in 90 days, the fiancé(e) must depart the U.S. or risk violating their status. (They cannot extend the K-1, and they cannot switch to another visa easily; the whole purpose is marriage to the petitioner.)

5. Post-Marriage – Green Card Application: After you celebrate your wedding, the next step (and final, for immigration) is to apply to adjust the foreign spouse’s status from K-1 to permanent resident. This involves submitting Form I-485 (Application to Adjust Status) with supporting forms and evidence, including the marriage certificate, Form I-864 Affidavit of Support (this time 125% of poverty level is required, since it’s for permanent residence), medical exam (the K-1 holder may have done a medical for the visa – if it’s been more than 4 months or if certain vaccines were unavailable, a new medical or vaccination supplement might be needed), and other documents. We handle this entire green card application process, ensuring it is filed promptly after the marriage. During this period, the spouse can also get a work permit and travel permit while the green card is pending. USCIS will typically schedule a marriage-based interview to verify the marriage. We attend that interview with you, having prepared you for any questions. Upon approval, the spouse becomes a conditional permanent resident (if the marriage is less than 2 years old at approval). We later assist with removal of conditions after 2 years, and eventually citizenship down the line.

Many clients ask, “How long does the fiancé visa take?” The timeline can fluctuate, but as of 2025, from the initial petition filing to the visa issuance, it’s often around 10 to 16 months​. We keep you informed every step of the way. Sometimes it can be faster or slower depending on USCIS backlogs or the consulate’s availability. We do everything in our control to avoid delays – like submitting a complete and convincing petition to avoid RFEs, scheduling the medical and interview as soon as possible when the case reaches the consulate, etc. We know being apart is hard, so we treat your case with urgency and care.

I provide detailed assistance with petition preparation, embassy interview coaching, and adjustment of status to permanent residency after marriage. I ensure your journey to marriage and family unity is as smooth and successful as possible.

Bringing your fiancé(e) to the U.S. involves navigating two government agencies and a lot of paperwork – but you don’t have to do it alone. Our law firm has helped numerous couples through this process smoothly. Here’s what we provide:

• Comprehensive Consultation: We start by confirming that the K-1 is the right visa for you. Sometimes marriage abroad and a spousal visa might be an alternative; we’ll discuss the pros and cons (K-1 can be faster to get here, while spousal might have fewer steps after entry – it depends on your priorities). We verify you meet the basic requirements (citizenship, in-person meeting, etc.). If not, we advise what you might need to do (like ensure to meet in person before filing).

• Expert Petition Preparation: We handle the I-129F petition from start to finish. Our team will give you a detailed checklist of what documents and evidence each of you should provide. We draft the personal statements and letter of intent to marry that are required. We know how to present relationship evidence effectively – for instance, selecting photos that best show you as a couple (we often include a few with family members or at significant events to highlight the legitimacy), and organizing chat logs or call records if relevant to show ongoing communication. We also make sure to explain any unusual circumstances (significant age difference? Language barriers? We address these proactively in the petition to allay any concerns of the officers). A well-prepared I-129F sets a positive tone for the whole process.

• Communication with USCIS: After filing, if USCIS needs more information, we take care of the response with haste and clarity. We keep you updated on the case status (you’ll get receipt notices, then hopefully an approval notice which we’ll also get a copy of).

• Consular Process Guidance: Once your case is at NVC/consulate, many clients find that stage daunting because it involves foreign documents and online forms. We will guide the foreign fiancé(e) through filling out the DS-160 correctly, paying the visa fee, and scheduling the interview. We also provide a tailored checklist for the fiancé(e) of documents to gather in their country (for example, police certificates from every country lived in for over 6 months since age 16 – we ensure none are missed). We prepare the Affidavit of Support and all financial evidence for the petitioner to send to the fiancé(e) for the interview. If the consulate requires any additional forms or has particular instructions (some ask for relationship evidence to be sent in advance, etc.), we navigate those requirements.

• Interview Preparation: We believe preparation is key to avoid visa refusals or delays. We conduct a prep session with our clients to simulate the interview. Our attorneys (some of whom have prior experience with consular interviews) will pose common questions and also discuss the client-specific issues that might come up. We coach the fiancé(e) on how to present themselves confidently and truthfully. If English is not their strong language, we discuss whether the interview will be held in their language (most consulates have local language officers available). Knowing what to expect greatly reduces anxiety and helps the applicant answer calmly and consistently.

• Post-Arrival Support: After your fiancé(e) arrives in the U.S., we transition to handling the marriage-based green card process. Our firm will again manage all the paperwork (I-485, etc.), ensuring a seamless progression from fiancé(e) status to conditional resident. Because we handled the K-1, we’re familiar with your case, which makes the green card application more straightforward. We remind you of the 90-day deadline to marry and advise on any interim matters (like your fiancé(e) should not leave the U.S. before getting the green card or at least obtaining advance parole, otherwise the K-1 is void once they depart).

• Advice on Wedding Timing and Plans: Some clients wonder, “Do we have to have a big wedding in 90 days? Is a courthouse marriage okay?” We advise that a simple courthouse marriage is absolutely fine (and often strategic to do it quickly), and you can always have a bigger ceremony later. Immigration only cares that a legal marriage took place in time. We also caution couples not to get married before the K-1 visa issuance (if you marry while the K-1 is in process, the K-1 becomes invalid because it’s only for fiancé(e)s – but then you could convert to spousal, though with more delay). We help you avoid such pitfalls by clear communication: hold off marriage until visa, then marry within 90 days after entry.

Bringing your fiancé(e) to the U.S. is a joyous goal, but the bureaucracy can be stressful. With our firm’s assistance, you’ll have peace of mind that all legal requirements are met and that you have an advocate to troubleshoot any issues that arise.

If you’re engaged to a foreign national and eager to start your life together in the United States, Chris Hammond Law Firm is here to help make it happen. Schedule a consultation with our Houston immigration attorney team to discuss the fiancé(e) visa process. We’ll walk you through each step, manage the paperwork, and address your concerns along the way. With our professional guidance, you and your fiancé(e) can reunite in America and turn your dream wedding into reality, confident that the immigration process is in good hands. Contact us today to take the first step toward your future together.