K-1 visa for Foreign Fiancé(e):
We understand how important it is to be with your foreign partner before starting your new life and getting married. Here, we will guide you on obtaining a K-1 nonimmigrant visa and grab a chance to make plans for your dream wedding together in the United States.
If you are a U.S. citizen and you marry your fiancé(e) and then apply for a U.S. immigration visa, it’s going to take some time to process the visa.
Don’t get disappointed when you hear that the average processing time for an IR-1 or CR-1 visa is about a year. There is no guarantee that even a year will be enough time— some couples report waiting up to two years, although this is unusual.
Fortunately, there is a better alternative. As a U.S. citizen, instead of marrying your fiancé(e) and filing Form I-130 to obtain an immigration visa, you don’t have to marry right away. Instead, you can apply for a nonimmigrant visa K-1.
The K-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa that allows U.S citizens to bring their partner to the United States and get married within 90 days. Afterward, you can help your new spouse apply for a green card while in the United States or adjust status to a lawful permanent resident (LPR) with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Taking this option instead of the marriage green card will probably save you several months waiting outside the United States because it will allow your foreign fiancé(e) to enter the US sooner.
The K-1 fiancé visa process comprises several steps, from filing Form I-129F (Petition for Alien fiancé(e)), receiving a Notice of Action, passing the screening process, preparing the proper documentation, all the way to attending the interview, and finally receiving the K-1 visa stamp on the passport.
Don’t be afraid- you don’t have to go through all this paperwork alone. At Herman Legal Group law firm, we run our firm on certain core principles such as ethics, integrity, and individualized representation.
To us, you are not just a case number or a way for us to make money. You are a human being who has placed their trust in us, putting your future in our hands.
We never forget that we work for you, not the other way around. We are at the service to our foreign clients 24/7 and can help you prepare your nonimmigrant visa applications. Our contact information is (+1)(614) 300-1131, or you can complete our online contact form for initial consultation.
K-1 Eligibility criteria
- It is available only for U.S. citizens as sponsoring partners, but not to permanent resident;
- The U.S. citizen sponsor and his or her fiancé(e) must be eligible to marry.
- It is available to same-sex partners, as long as one of them is a U.S. citizen.
- Prove the relationship’s legitimacy by providing firm evidence such as photographs, hotel reservations of trips taken together, flight itineraries, etc.)
- Proofs partners have met in person at least once within the two years before filing the visa form (exceptions include cases of extreme hardship or if in-person meetings would violate cultural, religious, or social norms).
- U.S. citizen sponsor and his or her foreign fiancé(e) must provide a signed statement indicating an intent to marry within 90 days.
- The U.S. citizen fiancé(e) must meet specific income requirements
Here are the Step By Step Guide to getting K-1 Visa as a Fiancé(e) of the U.S. Citizen
Step 1: Filing Form I-129F
The U.S. citizen fiancé needs to file U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services USCIS Form I-129F (Petition for an alien fiancé(e)). Form I-129F has to be submitted with the USCIS Dallas Lockbox.
Note that it would be a good idea to include evidence proving the legitimacy of your relationship, such as photographs of you two together, especially with your families with Form I-129F. However, be patient and make this first package well prepared to show the immigration officers that your relationship is not for immigration purposes.
The list of documents that to include in your application package
The application package for your K-1 nonimmigrant visa, along with the form I-129f petition to USCIS, has to include the following forms and documents:
- Proof of the U.S. citizen fiancé’ citizenship (copy of a passport, certificate of naturalization, or birth certificate)
- Copy of the sponsored fiancé’s passport
- Proof of the legitimacy of your relationship (photos, correspondence, statements from friends, families, and colleagues, etc. anything that will contribute to demonstrate your marriage is bona fide)
- Proof of that you two have met in person at least once within the two years before filing the form (flight and hotel itineraries, photos, correspondence, etc.)
- Your sworn statements- written and signed, comprising a brief description of the nature of the relationship.
- A copy of Form I-94 arrival-departure record.
- A passport-style photo of the U.S. citizen fiancé and a passport-style photograph of the sponsored fiancé.
What is the filing fee for Form-129F?
The U.S. government agency fee for the I-129F petition is $535. You have to submit this form and supporting documents at the appropriate address. Afterward, USCIS will typically send a receipt notice within 30 days.
If USCIS needs more information, you may receive a Request for Evidence (RFE) on your submitted form I-129F. Once Form I-129F is approved, USCIS will send an approval notice.
Step 2: Approval Notices- Notice of Action
Once Form I-129F is approved, USCIS will send an approval notice, a Notice of Action NOA(). Usually, this notice will arrive within two to three weeks.
When you receive it, you don’t have to do anything about it- just wait for the second Notice of Action.
The second Notice of Action will state a “yes” or “no” on your K-1 visa. You will wait for it usually for 3 to 4 months.
Step 3: Background Check
If the USCIS approves your K-1 petition, it will forward it to the National Visa Center (NVC), the U.S. Department of State. The NVC is retaining all pending cases until their adjudication by a consular office abroad. In this case, “processing” means checking your fiancé’s (e)’s background. The NVC will do a security check on your fiance, which takes another four weeks or so.
Step 4: Security Check
When your fiancé(e) passes the screening process, the USCIS will forward the K-1 petition to the U.S. embassy or consulate nearest his or her residence in the home country. This also means that your fiancé(e) will receive a BNK number, which will be necessary to schedule a K-1 visa interview and facilitate correspondence with U.S. immigration authorities USCIS.
The service center that handled your visa K-1 (either Vermont or California) will forward your case to the State Department’s National Visa Center (NVC), which will run a security check on your fiancé(e) that will happen within two weeks of your approval.
You will not receive any notice, but if you want to confirm that the NVC has received your file, call them at 603-334-0700 or email them at nvcinquiry@state.gov. After the security check, the approved K-1 visa application goes to the Bureau of Consular Affairs, and then they forward it to the U.S. Embassy in your fiance’s country via DHL.
Step 5: Interview phase
After the U.S. The Embassy receives your visa petition, they will send the fiancé(e) a letter with instructions for scheduling the medical examination and interview, along with the instructions to return some documentation and to keep others until the interview.
To schedule the visa interview, you will have to fill out and submit the form DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application with State Department. You can find the DS-160 form on the USCIS website. It serves both K-1 and K-2 applicants and those who temporarily travel to the United States.
Taking Medical Exam
Before the interview, the fiancé(e) must pass the medical examination, as well. You will receive an explanation from the U.S. Embassy and information regarding the fee to pay.
Attending the Interview
Regarding the interview, your foreign citizen fiancé(e) will receive by the U.S. embassy or consulate a list of documents that he or she will need to bring to the K-1 visa interview. Once these documents are assembled, your fiance has to apply for an interview date.
Note that you have to provide proof of the support that you, the US petitioner, will financially support the foreign fiance at the interview. For this purpose, you will need to file the Affidavit of Support Form I-134 before going to the U.S. embassy or consulate.
Of course, your fiancé(e) must attend the interview at the U.S. embassy or U.S. consulate. Still, your presence will not be required before a consular officer if you are overseas (you might be in the United States, for example). If the interview is successful, your fiancé(e) must turn in his or her passport to the embassy or consulate officer, and the fiancé(e) visa should be stamped onto it in about five days.
Usually, a consular officer will require additional documentation for K-1 visas, which often delays the process. Based on all provided documentation, the consular officer determines whether your fiancé(e) qualifies for a K-1 visa.
Step 6: Receiving the stamp
The final step is to receive the K-1 visa stamp on your passport and enter the United States within six months. The one significant thing to note is that you must marry within 90 days of entering the United States. Otherwise, your fiancé(e) must leave the country, and he or she will lose the opportunity to get married in the United States and become a permanent resident.
I got a K-1 visa; what’s next?
When you receive final approval for a visa K-1, there is no time limit to enter the United States, but when you do, the “clock starts ticking,” and you have to get married within 90 days starting from the day of the entrance.
Although there’s no time frame to apply for Adjustment of Status, you shouldn’t wait too long to file the I-485 to adjust your status. Learn how to adjust status here.
The longer you wait for processing the I-485 form, the longer you will wait for an Employment Authorization Document or Advance Parole, as well as other benefits (going to school, working, traveling, etc.).
Besides, you also need to file the I-134, which every non-immigrant sponsor uses for a K-1 visa. Still, when you get ready to apply for a green card, you’ll need to submit the I-864 (Affidavit of support) with the I-485 adjustment of status application.
K-1 applicants either submit the I-134 or the I-864, but most will go with the more straightforward form that the I-134 offers.
Note: The process of obtaining the green card might take a year.
When you decide to travel to the United States, bear in mind that U.S. Customs and Border Protection screens everyone who enters and can grant or refuse entry even if you have a valid visa if they discover ineligibility (or violation).
How long does it take for a K-1 visa to be approved?
Now, you may think that there is a lot of waiting periods while your K-1 fiancé visa application flows from one office to another.
Although the K-1 visa is one of the most requested visas the U.S. Department of State issues to the foreigners, as we mentioned in the beginning, it is also a quicker path than some other immigration visas. The processing time for the K-1 petition is usually between 9 to 11 months.
Can you work on a K-1 visa?
If you’re wondering if a non-U.S. citizen who has an approved K-1 visa petition can work in the United States, you need to have in mind the following: yes, they have the right to work in the U.S. within 90 days period, but it is usually hard to practice this right.
A non-U.S. citizen can work in the United States only if he or she applies for and receives a work permit. This is a small card called Employment Authorization Document (EAD). The obstacle with applying for a work permit as a K-1 holder is that the USCIS Service Centers take at least three months to issue them, and sometimes it takes even longer.
As a part of the green card application packet to adjust the status and become a green card holder, you can include Form I-765. Form I-765 is a request for a work permit.
According to terms applicable in early 2021, you won’t have to pay extra fees. Contrary, while in K-1 status, you would have to pay a separate USCIS fee.
After you submit your green card application, your work permit will probably arrive within 60 to 90 days.
Which is Better: Fiancee visa (K-1) or Marriage Visa (CR-1)?
From Fiance Visa to Green Card: How It’s Done?
Everything You Need To Know About Fiancé(e) Visas
How Long Will the I-129F Petition Be Valid?
90 Days Fiance – Real Advice from Real Attorney
If you are a U.S. citizen who decided to move forward with filing a K-1 fiancé(e) visa for your loved one, there are some eligibility requirements for a fiancé(e) K-1 visa that you have to meet. Here we will talk about the “two-year rule.”
A K-1 fiancé(e) visa will allow the person you plan to marry to come to the United States so you can organize your wedding there.
To apply for a fiancé(e) visa, you must be a U.S. citizen, you both fiancé(e) have to be legally eligible to marry, and you must intend to marry your fiancé(e) within 90 days of upon arrival in the United States.
But, if, for example, you met online, there is the part of the requirements that can cause particular problems. I.N.A. 214(d) imposes the rule that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services enforces. rule states as the U.S. citizen (the “petitioner”) and your overseas fiancé(e) (the “beneficiary”), you need to have met in person sometime within the last two years. Keep a close eye on the calendar.
This waiver will be available only in limited circumstances.
Where Can You Meet?
Many couples may choose to visit the beneficiary’s home country, but this is not necessary. You and your fiancé(e) can meet at any place you want, no matter if this is the home country, or you went traveling together anywhere in the world.
However, it would be best if you were careful suggesting your foreign fiancé(e) to visit you in the United States. This visit bears the potential risk of denying their entry or alleging fraud without proof for lack of nonimmigrant intent.
How To Prove That You Met In Person?
To show that you and your fiancé(e) really met, you must include certain evidence. This usually includes:
- passport stamps- to show that you entered and exited the country where you met
- boarding passes copies, travel itineraries, receipts for plane tickets
- photographs of you and your fiancé(e) together from the trip or the meeting.
This list is not exhaustive, so be free to include as much of such documentation as you can provide, but bear in mind, that passport stamps carry the most weight so make sure to include it.
If you cannot demonstrate that you two met in person within the appropriate time period, USCIS will deny your application for a fiance K-1 visa at the very beginning of the process. Sometimes, petitioners can get to the interview stage at the U.S. embassy or consulate and after it receives a denial or an administrative processing notice, which will likewise ultimately lead to a denial.
When the Waiver of Meeting Requirement is Available?
Couples are able to get a waiver of the two-year meeting requirement in limited and rare situations.
Under 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(k)(2), waivers are available in cases where complying with the meeting requirement would either:
- result in extreme hardship to the petitioner: Typically, the only time the USCIS will approve an extreme hardship waiver is where the petitioner was absolutely unable to travel anywhere. The reason must be firm such as severe illness or permanent physical disability, so to prove this, you should submit substantial medical documentation. Live casino games are pretty popular nowadays, especially live roulette. Games of this type are on almost every casino site. Our friends from this platform have made an article on live casinos and discussed important features of games with a real dealer. Read it and find out the laws regarding live casino sites.
- violate strict and long-established customs of the foreign culture or social practice (traditionally arranged marriages): since most cultures do allow some level of an in-person meeting between the potential bride and groom, this requirement is also hard to meet.
Besides, hard-to-get characteristics, seeking the waiver will also take much time. The process is long, and even if you have a strong case, USCIS may deny your application, forcing you to appeal and making the process even longer.
When U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approves Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé, it is valid for a certain period of time- for four months exactly. This is a different period of validity than the term of the K-1 visa. When you receive a K-1 visa, you cannot use it anytime you want, but within a limited time period as well.
If you’ve missed the deadline for some reason, you don’t have to start all over. There are some steps that you can take to extend the validity period for the I-129F petition. As we stated earlier, this petition is valid for four months from the date USCIS approves it.
Therefore, you must respond to the National Visa Center (NVC) and your local U.S. embassy within the deadlines provided by each and provide additional documents to support the K-1 visa application.
If you are unable to make the necessary arrangements within four months with your fiance, you may be able to request an extension. In this case, a consular officer can decide to extend the petition’s validity if it will expire before visa processing is completed.
What is the Deadline to Enter the United States?
When you receive a K-1 visa from the U.S. embassy or consular office, you have to arrange the petitioner’s trip to the United States to get married. This opportunity can be used only once with the visa, and generally, it is valid for six months from the date of issuance, while some may be issued with a shorter validity period.
Is There a Deadline for Getting Married?
Shortly, yes. Once your fiancé issued with the K-1 enters the United States, you have to get married within 90 days. Within this deadline, the foreign national spouse should file an adjustment of status application (Form I-485).
However, your fiance may file Form I-485 after 90 days, providing he or she has met all other requirements. If you fail to organize a wedding or your fiance changes his or her mind about applying for the green card through adjustment of status, he or she has to depart the United States before the K-1 expires.
Can You Extend The Initial Deadline?
Actually, yes, you can, and the process is straightforward. All you need to do is send the request to the U.S. Embassy to “revalidate” your I-129F.
If you prove that you are actively working on it, the U.S. Embassy may decide to extend your case, and you will be given 4-month increments. If you wonder how you can send such a request, all you should do is email them, schedule an interview, submit a visa fee, etc.
On the other side, if you notify the U.S. Embassy that you intend to get married very soon, you can be given a maximum of 12 months.
If you are approaching the deadline and are unsure about how to try to extend it, you can contact us, and together we can take the necessary steps to ensure that you will not lose this big chance to start your life with the loved one in the United States.
A K-1 fiancé visa is a nonimmigrant visa that allows a foreign fiancé to enter the United States with the purpose of getting married to a U.S. citizen. An approved visa will last for six months after it gets assigned. The couple has a time frame of 90 days from the entry date to perform the wedding and apply for Adjustment of status process, which will give the fiancé a legal permanent residence in the U.S.
Requirements that are set for the U.S. citizen and foreign fiancé to fulfill to be eligible for a K-1 visa are:
- The legal ability for getting married, which means that intended spouses have to be free from previous marriages
- The couple has to meet in person at least one time for two years before applying for a K-1 visa
The K-1 visa petition process begins when the U.S. citizen downloads, completes and files the Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Paperwork does not require hiring an immigration attorney; however, the couple can hire one to help them run the process. USCIS instructions are available on the website.
There are eight parts of the form:
- Petitioners information – this is a part where the U.S. petitioner should answer the questions with precise details about names (full legal name from government-issued ID document, nicknames, or any name changes from the past), social security number, dates, mailing address for receiving notices and physical address, employment data for the last five years, parent’s biographic information, marriages from the past if there are, citizenship grounds, previous petitions, underage children, residence information.
- Beneficiary information – these questions are almost the same as the previous ones, but they refer to the foreign fiancé information. It is possible to choose one of the available embassies abroad for his or her interview.
- Other information includes information about the criminal background or requesting a multiple-filer waiver if this petition is not the first one filed.
- Biographic data – these questions are additional information about the petitioner’s ethnicity, race, etc.
- Petitioner’s statement, contact, declaration, and signature – in this part, the petitioner has to make sure that the documents are signed and dated.
- Interpreter’s contact information, certification, and signature – this part is filed if there is a person who helps with the question translation and interpretation.
- Contact information, declaration, and signature of the person who prepared the petition if it was not the petitioner
- Additional information – this part serves as an extra space
The filing fees for this form are 535$, but it is recommended to double-check before the payment.
There is also an optional Form G-1145, e-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance, that can be filled out. If so, it has to be attached to the application’s cover page (on the top).
The I-129F package has to be copied entirely and then mailed to the USCIS Lockbox, which is recommended to do with a request for delivery confirmation. Copies will be sent to the foreign fiancé so that he or she can prepare for the interview.
For more detailed instructions about filing the I-129F form, it is possible to check the Form Filing Tips.
You want the K-1 nonimmigrant visa for your fiance, but have no idea what the requirements are.
The Herman Legal Group will make it easier for you! We have over 25 years of experience with immigration law. Let’s take you step-by-step through the K-1 nonimmigrant visa below:
What is the K-1 Fiance Visa?
The K1 nonimmigrant visa allows a foreign fiancé to do the following:
- Enter the United States, and;
- Get married within the next 90 days with their partner, the U.S citizen and sponsor.
If the couple plans to live in the United States after getting married, the foreign spouse should apply for adjustment of status to get a permanent residence.
If you or your spouse wants to be a permanent resident, a marriage green card is the option you want to take. You can read more about the marriage green card here.
Required Documents for a K-1 Visa (US Sponsor)
There are two sets of required documents you want to prepare: one for the US sponsor, and one for the foreign fiancé.
#1 Birth Certificate
Your birth certificate must be issued by a civil authority, such as civil registrar or vital statistics office. It will show your identification, age, and birth place.
#2 US Passport
The passport must not be expired. It must be issued for a ten-year period for those over 18, and over a five-year period for those under 18.
#3 Consular Officer Statement
This original statement from the consular officer will verify that you are a US citizen.
#4 Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship
Your certificate must be issued by the USCIS. In the case that you were born abroad, you will need a U.S. Department of State Form FS -240 (“Report of Birth Abroad of a United States Citizen”).
Required Documents for a K-1 Visa (Foreign Fiancé or Partner)
#1 Birth Certificate
Again, the birth certificate must be issued by a government agency.
#2 Passport
The foreign passport must not be expired and must be issued within a period of ten years for immigration services.
#3 Police Certificates
If this is requested by the embassy, feel free to include it in your visa petition.
#4 Military Certificates, If Applicable
Military service must have certificates as well.
#5 Medical Examination Documents
Prove that you are of good health and fit to travel with a medical exam.
#6 Passport-Style Photos
Bring two (2) colored passport-style photos to your initial fiancé visa petition.
Remember original documents are not required for immigrant visa applicants. Make sure to bring multiple photocopied versions of your documents.
You may bring the original documents, but do not submit them.
Required Documents for The Couple
If there are individual requirements for the citizen sponsor and the alien fiancé, there are requirements needed from both:
#1 Evidence of Terminated Previous Marriages
For a couple to be legally free to marry, previous marriages must be legally terminated. You can submit any of the following to prove termination:
- Copy of a divorce certificate,
- Copy of annulment order, or;
- Copy of death certificates in the case of a deceased spouse
#2 Evidence of Relationship
Photos, receipts, letters, and any other records of communication proving that the citizen sponsor and the alien fiancé are in a relationship.
#3 Form I-34 for the Income Requirements
There are income requirements to financially support a foreign partner.
First, you must exceed 100 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. The U.S citizen must be able to prove that they have the ability for the visa applicant’s financial support.
Salaries, interest income, and benefits all count as earnings for a U.S citizen. There are distinctions, however, whether they can be counted as stable earnings or not.
#4 Required Fees
A $535 I-129F filing fee is needed. There may also be an embassy fee that both of you must pay. You have to pay $325 to the U.S. State Department, and once married, it’s $1,225 for I-485 Form.
Once you fill out blank immigration forms, you can apply for future adjustment of status. It may be around $2500.
We advise getting guidance about immigration services with an immigration attorney, especially here at Herman Legal Group. We can assure that our counsel would be worth it.
Legal Requirements for a K-1 Visa
There are three fundamental legal requirements that are crucial to have the eligibility to apply for a fiancé visa:
1. Intention of Marriage
It’s best if you and your spouse have made concrete and detailed wedding plans, including how the wedding is going to look and where it is going to happen.
Planning the wedding is used as proof of their bona fide intentions and a need to apply for the fiancé visa.
It can be hard to make plans when the intended spouses do not know when the fiancé visa is going to be approved, so it is better to arrange flexible wedding plans with different services.
In contrast to the CR1 spousal visa, a fiancé visa does not allow the petitioner to be a green card holder, but only a U.S. citizen.
U.S. citizenship can come from the fact that a spouse citizen was born in the United States or its territories, acquired it in a process called naturalization, or has acquired or derived it based on a family member.
2. Meeting in Person
Before petitioning for the fiancé visa, the couple should make sure to meet at least one time within two previous years.
During these visits, prepare for the K-1 fiancé visa and visa application by doing the following:
- Take photos with your fiancé. Include their family, friends, and other loved ones. Make sure the photos come with date and time stamps.
- Keep receipts of dates and vacation stays. This will show that you and your U.S citizen fiancé have spent time together.
- Keep communication records. Letters, text messages, and phone calls will come in handy by the time you’re at your K-Visa interview.
- Ask for written statements. K-Visa applicants will need all the evidence they can get. If you can get statements from the family and friends of the fiancé about your relationship, you have more of a chance to get approved.
There are some obstacles lately. Tradition and customs can get in the way, or medical conditions that make travel an extreme hardship.
Also, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of state borders are closed, and therefore, it is not safe or possible to travel from one state to another.
Provide documents that prove these difficulties. Have a medical exam if medical issues are stopping you from meeting your foreign citizen fiancé.
3. Legal Ability to Get Married
This requirement is put before the intended spouses who have already been married, do not meet the age criteria, or are blood relatives.
The spouse citizen or the foreign spouse who was already married once has to provide evidence that the previous marriage has legally ended by submitting any of the following:
- Copy of a divorce certificate
- Copy of annulment order
- Copy of a death certificate in the case of a deceased spouse
According to U.S. law, if the marriage ended outside of the United States, it is possible to recognize the proving document if:
1.) That document is recognized in a foreign country, and;
2.) If the foreign spouse or his ex-partner had residence the divorce happened.
Age requirements, meanwhile, vary from the state to any government agency. However, most states require that you have to be 18 years of age before you can legally marry.
Rules about getting married to a blood relative are not the same in different states within the United States, and some of them are stricter than the others.
In the process of petitioning for a fiancé visa and bringing the foreign spouse to the United States, both partners can be subjected to different background checks.
Only when all the requirements get fulfilled will the U.S. citizen successfully apply the Form I-129F with USCIS.
Frequently Asked Questions: The K-1 Visa
Is the K-1 Visa Permanent?
The K1 visa is just temporary. By all means, it is not obligatory to stay within the United States permanently after getting married, so if there is no intention to stay, the foreign fiancé can enter the United States based on a tourist visa instead.
How Does The K-1 Visa Differ From the Marriage Visa and Green Card?
The K-1 visa is temporary and is a nonimmigrant visa.
The marriage or spousal visa, however, is for those who want to be lawful permanent residents alongside their U.S citizen spouses.
However, the CR-1 visa stands for “conditional resident” as they are for couples married for less than two years.
One married for more than two years, you can apply for another visa and start on the consular processing to become a green card holder.
With a K-1 nonimmigrant visa, the visa applicant can enter the United States with the citizen fiancé and remain there for 90 days.
After marriage, you can then apply to become a permanent resident.
Are There Income Requirements for the K-1 Visa?
Yes, there are income requirements for the visa application.
You need the recent year’s tax return to prove you can financially support your partner. If you can’t meet the income requirements, some countries allow joint sponsorship to meet minimum earnings.
Your fiancé (e) can work after they arrive in the U.S, but you have to get them an Employment Authorization Document first.
How To Apply for a K-1 Visa
#1 File the Form (I-129F)
File the form with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Follow the written instructions.
Include the required documents we listed above, as well as the evidence of the relationship.
For K-visas, you have to pay a filing fee. Just be ready to pay the fees. You will also need the Form I-94 from the Department of Homeland Security for departure-arrival.
#2 Notice of Action for the K-1 Fiancé Visa
After you file everything needed to the consular officers, the notice of action will come.
Wait for a few months – around three to four – and you’ll get an approval notice that can allow both the U.S citizen sponsor and foreign partner to move forward.
#3 Background and Security Check
The National Visa Center will receive your application to become a U.S citizen fiancé. Then, a background check will be done on your fiancé (e).
After some screening, a security check for the K-1 fiancé visa will be done within two weeks.
#4 Interview and Visa Approval
Then, an invitation to an interview and medical exam will be done. Your fiancé(e) will need to attend the interview with the needed documents we have listed above.
After you’ve finished the medical exam and interview, you can wait for the approval. A K-1 visa stamp will be given. Then, you have the opportunity to get married within ninety days.
Once the visa expires, the U.S citizen fiancé can apply to become for legal, lawful permanent resident status.
You’ll have to adjust your status and then apply to the Citizenship and Immigration Services for a green card.
There are other ways you and your fiancé (e) can get into the U.S, such as a tourist visa. However, once the tourist visa expires, you’ll have to apply for a marriage visa still.
How The Herman Legal Group Can Help
Do you want to register permanent residence as the foreign fiance? Maybe you’re the U.S citizen spouse that acts as the citizen sponsor.
You may be worried about your prior marriages, or the possibility of visa fraud.
You might want to know about immigration benefits, how to go about meeting with a consular officer, or what the visa waiver program is.
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In Conclusion
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تعتبر عريضة الإلتماس لقريب أجنبي (نموذج I-130) إحدى الخطوات التي عليك المرور بها من أجل الحصول على إقامة عائلية دائمة أو بطاقة خضراء في الولايات المتحدة. و يتم إعتماد إستمارة I-130 من قبل المواطنين الأمريكيين أو المقيمين الدائمين من أجل تأسيس صلة مع المستفيد تجعله مؤهل للحصول على التأشيرة.
و بالرغم من إنتظام الخطوات التي عليك إتباعها، تعتمد فترة معالجة إستمارة على ظروف و عوامل أخرى. منها نوع العلاقة التي تجمع مقدم العريضة بالمستفيد و حجم القضايا التي تعمل عليها دائرة خدمات الجنسية والهجرة في الولايات المتحدة في ذلك الوقت و قدرتك على تقديم طلب I-130 متناسق و متكامل و بشكل صحيح. يمثل البيان التالي الخطوات الأساسية التي عليك إتباعها عند تقديم طلب I-130.
تعتبر مراحل الحصول على تأشيرة الزواج أكثر وضوحًا و أقل تكلفة مقارنة بتأشيرة الخطوبة K-1. ستقوم وزارة الخارجية الأمريكية بتقييم قضية الهجرة القائمة على الزواج و تصدر تأشيرة بعد الموافقة عليها. و تكون التأشيرة المتحصل عليها عبر هذه الطريقة بمثابة بطاقة خضراء مؤقتة.
و ستتمكن من السفر إلى الولايات المتحدة بفضل تلك التأشيرة ثم تقوم وزارة الخارجية بإرسال بطاقتك الخضراء عن طريق البريد بمجرد حصولك عليها. و إن كنت متزوج لمدة لا تتجاوز سنتين عند قدومك للولايات المتحدة، سيتم إذًا منحك بطاقة خضراء مشروطة قبل الحصول على بطاقة خضراء صالحة لمدة عشر سنوات و يتوجب عليك تقديم طلب إن كنت ترغب في إزالة الشروط.
و قد تكون إجراءات معالجة نموذج I-130 عريضة الالتماس لقريب أجنبي بطيئة بعض الشيء. ففي منتصف سنة 2020 إستغرقت دائرة خدمات الجنسية والهجرة بين 7 و 22 شهرًا من أجل معالجة هذه الإستمارة. ويعتمد طول المدة التي عليك انتظارها قبل القدوم للولايات المتحدة و إثر قبول دائرة خدمات الجنسية والهجرة طلب I-130 الخاص بك بالأساس على إن كان زواجك من مواطن(ة) أمريكي(ة) أو من مقيم(ة) دائم(ة) بالولايات المتحدة الأمريكية أو من حامل(ة) بطاقة خضراء.
إن كنت متزوج(ة) من مواطن(ة) أمريكي(ة) ستؤهل مباشرة كقريب بصفة مباشرة و ذلك يعني أن قضيتك ستتطلب الوقت الذي تستغرقه السلطات المعنية لمعالجتها فقط. ولا يتجاوز ذلك بالعادة مدة شهرين قبل أن يتم تحويل ملفك إلى مركز التأشيرات الوطني.
ثم يتوجب عليك الإنتظار لبعض الأشهر الإضافية قبل أن تقوم السفارة الأمريكية بتحديد موعد مقابلتك. و بالتالي قد تصل فترة الإنتظار بصفة عامة إلى 24 شهرًا.
و لكن من جهة أخرى إن كنت متزوج من مقيم دائم و شرعي بالولايات المتحدة فإذًا ليست لك الأولوية الفورية بل ستخضع لنظام الحصص.
إن كان زوجك أو زوجتك بصفته أو بصفتها مقيم(ة) شرعي(ة) دائم(ة) بالولايات المتحدة قد عاش برفقتك في بلد أجنبي لمدة تتجاوز 6 أشهر فعليك إستشارة محامي مختص للتأكد من أنه لم يتم إلغاء بطاقته أو بطاقتها الخضراء.
و بالرغم من أن تأشيرة الزواج CR-1 لن تستغرق أقل من 12 شهرًا فلها عدة مزايا كحصول المهاجرين على بطاقات إقامة دائمة بمجرد عبورهم حدود الولايات المتحدة.
و بإمكانهم الحصول على عمل و رقم ضمان اجتماعي و رخصة سياقة و السفر خارج حدود الولايات المتحدة. و من المفترض تلقي البطاقة الخضراء في غضون أسبوع من دخول الولايات المتحدة ويعتبر الطابع البريدي (I_551)و الختم على جواز السفر عند عبور الحدود دليل حصولك على البطاقة الخضراء.
لمعرفة مدة معالجة وتجهيز عريضة الإلتماس لقريب أجنبي (نموذج I-130) الحالية ومتابعة تغيراتها بإمكانك زيارة الموقع الرسمي لدائرة خدمات الجنسية والهجرة معرفة المزيد من التفاصيل في كل من الخمس مكاتب و مراكز الخدمات بنبراسكا و كاليفورنيا و بوتوماك و تكساس و فيرمونت.
When a foreign fiancé enters the United States based on a K1 nonimmigrant visa, there is a time frame of 90 days to get married to the U.S. citizen who filed a petition for an Alien fiancé. The couple should marry as soon as possible, given that breaking the deadline can lead to the deportation proceedings to the home country of the visa holder.
To get a lawful permanent residence, it is necessary to apply for the adjustment of status. This process includes several stages:
1. Filling out USCIS forms that can be found and downloaded at the website. Usually, the required Forms are:
- I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status: During the process of getting a green card, this form is primarily for the fiancé to fill. The fee is 1,225$ and covers the biometric fee too, but it is recommended to check the paying information before the payment. It is possible to pay with a U.S. credit card by using the G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions form.
- I-864, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA or the I-864EZ, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Act: These forms are used to check if the income criteria are met.
- I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record: If the medical exam done for a K-1 visa is older than one year, it is necessary to check again if the applicant is admissible to the U.S. based on public health standards.
- I-944, Declaration of Self-Sufficiency: The form is used to predict the possibility that the applicant will become a “public charge” after getting permanent residence.
- I-765, Application for Employment Authorization: The form provides the authorization to work in the United States.
- I-131, Application for Travel Document: If the foreign fiancé leaves the U.S. before the interview, the adjustment of status application will get canceled by USCIS. That is why it is necessary to file Form I-131 and receive the “Advance parole”.
2. Preparing and sending additional documents to support the adjustment of status application. These documents include the following:
- Marriage certificate copy, along with other evidence of spouses life together, which is substantial as proof of the bona fide marriage
- Approval notice of K1 fiancé visa petition copy, issued by USCIS
- Passport-style photographs – the number of needed photos is usually two, but some USCIS forms can demand two more
- Copy of birth certificate, with a fully translated English version of the original
- Copy of biographical information from the passport, including I-94 and travel history connected to foreign fiancé entrance to the United States from abroad
After collecting all required documents, and making copies of them, the overall Adjustment of status application should be sent to USCIS at a certain address, under the category “K-1 fiancé(e) (and K-2 dependents)“.
3. Biometrics appointment is usually scheduled before the USCIS adjustment interview, and it involves taking the fingerprints and collecting other data necessary for identification.
4. The next step in the process of getting a permanent residence is the interview at the local USCIS office. The interview is being held by the immigration officer, and both spouses should attend it. The purpose of this interview is to assure the immigration officer based on the filled adjustment of the status package and answers to the interview questions that the marriage is not fraudulent.
If the interview goes well, the conditional permanent residence will be approved. It can be expected to get a green card in the next few weeks, with an expiration date of two years. The conditional permanent residency can be converted to a permanent residence by filing an I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence form, within 90 days before the green card expires.
If you’re loved one is a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident, and you aim to get to the United States as quickly as possible to get married, then you should consider the fiancé(e) visa.
It is likely the fastest option to realize such an idea. If your goal is to get a green card as soon as possible, then a marriage-based visa will be a better option because the green card is quicker.
Under the Trump administration, processing times for K-1 visas have slowed significantly. For instance, in mid-2020, the average processing time just to finish the first step, to get the approval of USCIS approval of the Form I-129F Petition for Alien Fiancé(e), was between three and 22 months.
This time laps mostly depends on which Service Center is handling the petition.
So, why this process takes this long?
When you send in your initial petition, you will first receive a notice of action (NOA). With this document, the USCIS notifies you that it has started the approval process.
Upon receiving such information, you will have to wait for a few months before consular processing begins. Within this step, you have to be cautious and always double-check your application.
Make sure that you have included all the required documentation before this stage because otherwise, this can delay the approval process for several additional months.
Sometimes, even you have done everything that you can to prepare your application package, the USCIS approval process can take more than ten months, so you would probably like to avoid such a situation and to be guilty of the long wait.
After petition approval, it will take a few months for the case to transfer to the National Visa Center (NVC), and then several more months until the U.S. embassy schedules the interview. This process is relatively short, and it is called consular processing. You can expect that the wait will be a total of ten to 24 months.
During the visa interview, the officer will ask you questions about your relationship, including work and family history, as well as your plans for entering the U.S. Also, the officer will try to find out whether your marriage is fraudulent.
You have to be self-confident when answering questions about your relationship. It is essential to answer all of these questions truthfully. If all goes well, you will receive a K-1 visa stamp in your passport. This may happen on the day of your interview or shortly after that, it’s time to enter the United States.
On the USCIS official website, you can find an estimate of the usual processing time by choosing the type of application and the processing area.
For example: as of November 2020, a Form I-129F filed through the Vermont service center has an estimated processing time between 18.5 Months to 24 Months.
This delay is partially caused by COVID-19 PANDEMIC, so you can’t count on that processing time is going to be fixed.
When you arrive in the United States, you have to get married within 90 days. Then, you have to begin adjusting the status process, which can take up to 18 months or sometimes even longer. In mid- 2020, although you’re supposed to be issued a work permit while you wait, the waiting time for it has been taking between three and nine months.
So, even though you arrived in the United States relatively quickly with a fiancé(e) K-1 visa, you must still be aware that it can be a long wait for an actual green card. Furthermore, you will first receive a conditional green card. Before its expiration, which is two years, you will have to file to remove conditions to receive permanent lawful permanent resident status.
The U.S. citizen can choose between different options on how to petition for a visa for the foreign fiancé or spouse who lives outside of the United Nations. The decision depends on the individual needs and possibilities of the couple in a particular case. The right thing to do when there is a dilemma is to hire an immigration attorney, which will help in choosing the right strategy.
The most common options are the K-1 fiancé (nonimmigrant) visa and CR-1 marriage-based (immigrant) visa. Before answering the question can a couple make a choice, it is necessary to analyze both options.
K-1 visa
K-1 visa authorizes the foreign fiancé to enter the United States, intending to get married to a U.S. citizen who has sponsored the petition within 90 days from the entry date. This type of visa sets the following steps: citizen spouses can file the petition via Form I-129F with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). After approving it, USCIS sent it further to the National Visa Center (NVC) for proceedings.
The foreign fiancé has to apply for the visa at the local U.S. Consulate, and he also applies for admission at the port of entry. When the foreign fiancé enters the U.S., the couple has to get married within 90 days. After the wedding, the process of adjusting the status starts by filing the Form I-485.
CR-1 visa
CR-1 visa is intended for spouses who are married for less than two years. It allows the foreign spouse of an American citizen or a lawful permanent resident to enter the United States and apply for the green card.
This process involves the following steps: The citizen spouse files the CR-1 petition by filing the I-130 form with USCIS. If the petition gets approved, it is forwarded to NVC, the fees are being paid, and the visa application at U.S. Embassy abroad has to be submitted. Eventually, the U.S. Embassy schedules the interview for the foreign spouse. When the visa gets approved, it lasts for six months.
In comparing steps between these two visas, the K-1 visa process is conceivably faster, with processing timelines from 5-10 months, from the date of petitioning to the date of admission, while the CR-1 visa usually takes from 10-16 months.
Therefore, if time is the most important factor, the couple will choose to file a fiancé visa. Process description also indicates that if the petitioner is just a legal permanent resident, only a CR-1 visa is open.
It is essential to consider what place the couple wants to have the wedding – so if the couple wants to get married abroad, a K-1 visa is not an option. However, if marriage for a U.S. citizen in that foreign country might need a month or two to process, and it is not possible for him to stay there that long or travel back and forth, it is necessary to do the K-1 visa.
A particular requirement stands for a K-1 visa. The couple has to meet face to face within two years before filing the petition or provide the evidence to submit a waiver. This requirement does not apply to CR-1 visas.
However, a marriage visa requests a valid marriage certificate. In a situation where the couple has met at least once in the past two years but is stranded now in different countries and not likely able to see each other (and marry) due to COVID restrictions, a K-1 visa should be filed immediately.
Based on a thorough visa analysis of all their advantages and disadvantages, the couple will have a clear vision of which visa will be most suitable for them. However, there are many cases and real-life situations when the couple cannot make a choice, given that eligibility exists for only one type of visa.
المحتوى
- المقدمة
- ماهي تأشيرة الخطوبة (K-1)؟
- ماهي تأشيرة الخطوبة تأشيرة الزواج (CR-1)؟
- المؤهلات المشروطة
- التكلفة
- إظهار البيانات المالية
- ما هي إحصائيات القبول لتأشيرات K-1 و CR-1 ؟
- ما هي الخيارات المتاحة فئة المثليين والمثليات ومزدوجي الميل الجنسي ومغيري الهوية الجنسانية؟
- الزواج داخل حدود الولايات المتحدة أو خارجهاأي من التأشيرتين تتطلب أكثر وثائق و مستندات يجب تجهيزها؟
- إثبات صدق الزواج و حسن النية المبني عليها
المقدمة
أىإن كنت ترغب في الزواج من مواطن أو مواطنة أمريكية، عليك التفكير في التقديم للحصول على تأشيرة الخطوبة (K-1)
(CR-1) أو التأشيرة المبنيّة على الزواج
قد تبدو كلتا هذه التأشيرتين متشابهتين و لكنهما مختلفتان تمامًا في ما يتعلق بالشروط و المستلزمات. و ستمكنك كل منهما من القيام بأشياء مختلفة في أوقات زمنية متباعدة.
إن كنت تنوي التقدم لإحدى هذه التأشيرتين من المرجح أن تواجه العديد من المعلومات التي ستزيد من حيرتك في إختيار إحداهما لكي تصل للولايات المتحدة و تجتمع بحبيبك أو حبيبتك في اسرع وقت.
يعتمد إختيار تقديم طلب الحصول على تأشيرة (K-1) أو تأشيرة الزواج (CR-1) بالأساس على مجموعة من الظروف المتعلقة بك و بشريكك المستقبلي. و يجدر بك أخذ بعين الإعتبار تكلفة كل من هذه التأشيرات لمعرفة أيهما التي تناسبك بالإضافة إلى فترة الإنتظار وإن كان لكما أطفال والعديد من العوامل الأخرى التي يجب مراعاتها قبل أخذ القرار والشروع في عملية طلب الحصول على تأشيرة.
إقرأ المقال التالي لمعرفة كل التفاصيل المتعلقة بكل من تأشيرة الخطوبة (K-1) و تأشيرة الزواج (CR-1)
ما هي تأشيرة الخطوبة (K-1)؟
تأشيرة الخطوبة (K-1) هي نوع من التأشيرات للمخطوبين و هي تأشيرة مؤقتة لا تندرج ضمن فئة تأشيرات الهجرة. و هي تسمح لك بزيارة الولايات المتحدة لمدة زمنية محدّدة فقط. إن كنت ترغب في البقاء والإقامة في الولايات المتحدة فعليك إذًا الزواج و تقديم مطالب أخرى لتعديل وضعك كمهاجر بأمريكا.
لكي تكون مؤهلاً للحصول على تأشيرة الخطوبة يجب أن تستوفي بعض الشروط منها ما يلي :
أن تكون مواطن أمريكي مؤهل للزواج
أن تكون إلتقيت بصفة شخصية مع خطيبك أو خطيبتك خلال سنتين على الأقل
وأن يكون لك مستوى دخل معيّن وهو ما سنقوم بمناقشته لاحقًا ضمن هذا المقال
إتبع هذا الدليل خطوة بخطوة لمعرفة طريقة التقدم لتأشيرة الخطوبة K-1
ما هي تأشيرة الزواج (CR-1)؟
تأشيرة CR-1 تمنح للأجانب المتزوجين من مواطنين أمريكيين أو مقيمين دائمين بالولايات المتحدة لرغبتهم في العيش بالولايات المتحدة برفقة أزواجهم أو زوجاتهم. و يعني حرفي “CR” مقيم مشروط لأن هذه التأشيرة تمنح فقط للأشخاص المتزوجين من سنتين. إن كانا الزوجان متزوجان منذ أكثر من سنتين ستقوم وزارة الخارجية بإصدار تأشيرة .
تعرف على طريقة التقدم لتأشيرة CR-1
الآن لنلقي نظرة عامة و نقارن بين كل من تأشيرة الخطوبة (K-1) و تأشيرة الزواج (CR-1)
شروط الأهليّة
لكي تكون مؤهلاً للحصول على تأشيرة (K-1) للخطوبة يجب أن تكون لك نية الزواج من مواطن أو مواطنة أمريكي(ة) و ذلك وفي ظرف 90 يومًا من تاريخ وصولك للولايات المتحد و هذا التاريخ غير قابل للتمديد، كما يجب أن تكون مؤهلاً للزواج و أن يكون الزواج قائم على الصدق و حسن النية كما تتطلب هذه التأشيرة شرط إلتقاء الزوجان في السنتين السابقتين.
و من الجدير بالذكر أن تأشيرة K-1 متاحة فقط إن كان زوجك أو زوجتك مواطن أمريكي، لأن المقيم الشرعي الدائم (LPR) أو الحاصل على بطاقة خضراء لا يمكنه التقدم للحصول على هذه الفئة من التأشيرات ذلك لوجود شروط قانونية للحصول على تأشيرة K-1
فعند مقارنة كل من تأشيرات K-1 وCR-1 تكمن النقطة المشتركة بينهما في ضرورة إثبات كل من الزوجين حسن النية المبني عليها الزواج لدى دائرة خدمات الجنسية والهجرة في الولايات المتحدة والسفارة الأمريكية. و في حال تشكيك السفارة في مصداقية الزواج إما ستطلب المزيد من المعلومات أو تقوم بإرسال القضية لدائرة خدمات الجنسية والهجرة.
و هذا سينهي قضية تأشيرة K-1 لأن مدة الموافقة على طلب I-129F لا تتجاوز أربعة أشهر بداية من تاريخ الموافقة عليها من قبل دائرة خدمات الجنسية والهجرة.
و لكن في المقابل إن تم رفض طلب I-130 و إرجاعه لدائرة خدمات الجنسية والهجرة لا ترفق بتاريخ إنتهاء وتصبح لدى مقدم العريضة فرصة للاستجابة لطلبات السفارة.
المزعج بالأمر هو طول فترة الانتظار التي تسبق حصولك على رسالة من دائرة خدمات الجنسية والهجرة. في بعض الحالات قد يستغرق الحصول الإشعار بالرفض الذي يشير إلى عدم اقتناع السفارة بالمستندات التي قدمتها سنة كاملة وعادة ما يقوم العديد من الأشخاص بتقديم طلب I-130 آخر يتضمن دلائل تواجه اعتراضات السفارة.
تلخيصًا لما ذكر سابقًا لكي تكون مؤهلا للحصول على تأشيرة الزواج، عليك أن تثبت أن زواجك من مواطن أو مواطنة أميركي(ة) أو مقيم(ة) دائم(ة) قانوني، وشرعي و ليس مزورًا بهدف الحصول على وثائق الهجرة و كذلك أن كلاكما مرتبطان ببعض فقط و ليس لكما أزواج آخرين.
مقارنة بتأشيرة الخطوبة إن تأشيرة الزواج متوفرة لكل من الأزواج بصفتهم مواطنين أمريكيين و مقيمين دائمين شرعيين لكن بفترات تجهيز مختلفة. يستغرق معدل تجهيز تأشيرة الخطوبة K-1 خلال سنة 2020 بين شهرين و 22 شهر بينما يتطلب تجهيز تأشيرة الزواج CR-1 على الأقل 12 شهرًا و قد يصل إلى 18 شهرًا
يمكن لبعض الإدانات الجنائية أو العوامل الأخرى أن تجعلك غير مؤهل و تمنعك من دخول الولايات المتحدة عبر أي من التأشيرتين. و يمكن أن تكون إحدى هذه الأسباب، العضوية أو الإنخراط في تنظيم إرهابي أو إحدى الأمراض. كما يدخل بعض الأشخاص الولايات المتحدة عبر تأشيرات سياحية ثم يتزوجون بالرغم من أن ذلك الأمر غير منصوح به و لا يمكن تبريره إلاّ في بعض الحالات الخاصة.
هناك سببان أساسيان يجعلان تأشيرة الزواج CR-1 تستغرق وقت اكبر من تأشيرة الخطوبة K1
السبب الأول أنه يجب الإلتزام و المرور بخطوتين من أجل الحصول على تأشيرة الخطوبة K-1 عبر دائرة الجنسية والهجرة في الولايات المتحدة والسفارة الأمريكية. بينما خوض ثلاثة مراحل للحصول على تأشيرة الزواج CR-1 عبر دائرة الجنسية والهجرة في الولايات المتحدة و المركز الوطني للتأشيرات و السفارة الأمريكية.
والسبب الثاني أن دائرة الجنسية والهجرة في الولايات المتحدة قد تستغرق مدة أطول في دراسة استمارة I-130 مقارنة باستمارة K-1
و يعتمد ذلك على أي من دوائر خدمات الجنسية والهجرة التي تعالج استمارة I-130 و هو ما يشكل فرق كبير.
| و لكن لا تترك هذه المعلومات تشعرك بالإحباط لأنه بإمكانك الحصول على نصائح مفيدة في هذا الموضوع من قبل محامي مختص من شأنها التسريع في عملية الحصول على تأشيرة .CR-1طلب الحصول على تأشيرة K-3 هو إحدى الإستراتيجيات التي بإمكانها أن تساعدك على الإسراع في إجراءات تأشيرة CR-1 تأشيرة K-3 تشبه تأشيرة الخطوبة K-1 للمتزوجين و تتطلب نفس الإستمارة I-129F و في هذه الحالة بإمكانك تقديم للحصول على تأشيرة K-3 بعد تقديم إلتماس I-130 وإرسال دائرة خدمات الجنسية والهجرة وصل استلام. و لهذه التأشيرة عدة منافع وإيجابيات (رابط المادة 11) و تهدف إلى لم شمل الأزواج و جمعهم إن إستغرقت معالجة استمارة I-130 وقتًا طويلاً.قد تستغرق معالجة طلب I-130 وقتًا طويلاً بالاعتماد على دائرة خدمات الجنسية والهجرة التي ستتولى القضية والتي قد تقوم بدورها بإرسال استمارة I-130 إلى أي من مراكز الخدمات الأخرى و تختلف مدة التعامل مع الطلب من مركز إلى آخر. حيث يستغرق البعض منها من 5 إلى 7 أشهر ، والبعض الآخر قد يستغرق 12 شهرًا. إن وقعت إستمارة في أحد المراكز البطيئة ننصحك بتقديم طلب الحصول على عريضة إلتماس K-3 بأسرع وقت.قد تتطلب معالجة عريضة K-3 من 5 أشهر إلى 7 أشهر ثم يتم إرسالها إلى السفارة من أجل التجهيز القنصلي. و لكن إن تم تجهيز تأشيرة I-130 قبل تحديد موعد تأشيرة في السفارة فلن يجري إصدارها و ستتم مواصلة معالجة تأشيرة K-3 بشكل طبيعي و إن بدأ الزوج أو الزوجة في خوض إجراءات الحصول على تأشيرة فيمكنه أن يقدم طلبا لتسوية وضعه مرة واحدة في الولايات المتحدة. |
التكلفة
إن كانت التكلفة و المصاريف تمثل إعتبارًا جوهريًّا بالنسبة لك، فقد تجد تأشيرة الزواج CR-1 أنسب لك من تأشيرة الخطوبة K-1.
إظهار البيانات المالية
تتطلب تأشيرة CR-1 إيداع إستمارة الرعاية المادية I-864 تصل إلى نسبة 125% عند مراجعتها من قبل المركز الوطني للتأشيرات. بينما تتطلب تأشيرة 100% و لكن من الأفضل أن تكون نسبة 125%. و هنا يمكن ملاحظة ميزة تأشيرة الخطوبة حيث أنها أكثر مرونة من ناحية إثبات نسبة الدعم و الرعاية المادية.
و لكن من أهم الميزات التي توفرها تأشيرة CR هي إمكانية دمج الدخل مع أحد أفراد العائلة. و هذا يعني أنه عند العجز في الوصول إلى نسبة الدخل المطلوبة بإمكان ذلك مساعدتك في الامتثال للإجراءات الزوجية و تسهيل تلبية الشروط اللازمة.
يسلم مقدمي طلب I-130 إستمارة الرعاية المادية I-864 لدى المركز الوطني للتأشيرات بينما يسلم مقدمي تأشيرة الخطوبة استمارة I-134 عند ذهابهم لمقابلة الحصول على تأشيرة و ذلك يعني أنه إن كنت تنوي تقديم إستمارة I-134 ، ستحصل على المزيد من الوقت للبحث عن حل مناسب.
ما هي إحصائيات القبول لتأشيرات K-1 و CR-1 ؟
تعتبر تأشيرة الزواج آمنة أكثر نظرًا لأنها تضمن نسبة قبول أكبر من تأشيرة الخطوبة. وذلك يرتبط أساسا بكل من مقابلة الحصول على تأشيرة CR-1 و قرار دائرة خدمات الجنسية والهجرة الأمريكية. وحسب تقارير الأخيرة فإن 90% من التماسات I-130 يتم قبولها و لك هذا العدد لا يشمل الأزواج فقط كما تظهر نفس التقارير أن 75% من التماسات I-129F يتم قبولها.
كما تحتكر تأشيرة الزواج نسبة قبول تفوق تأشيرة الخطوبة من ناحية مقابلات الحصول على تأشيرة، ولكن لم يتم نشر أية دلائل أو إحصائيات تثبت ذلك. و لكن حسب دراسات وزارة الخارجية الأمريكية و جدول إحصائيات و خبراء و مصادر أخرى، تبلغ نسبة قبول تأشيرة الزواج 90%.
و من جانب آخر، تظهر تأشيرة الخطوبة K-1 نسبة قبول أقل و تصل إلى 80% من المنخرطين فقط.
ما هي الخيارات المتاحة أمام الأزواج المثليين والمثليات ومزدوجي الميل الجنسي ومغيري الهوية الجنسية؟
بإمكان الأزواج المثليين والمثليات ومزدوجي الميل الجنسي ومغيري الهوية الجنسية إختيار كل من التأشيرتين، إما إلتماس I-130 أو I-129F.
ولكن هناك نقطتان يجب الانتباه لهما إعتمادًا على مدى إعتراف الدولة المضيفة بهذا النوع من الزيجات:
- إن كانت الدولة القادم(ة) منها تشرع الزواج لمن هم من نفس الجنس، إذًا بإمكانه أو بإمكانها التقدم لكل من تأشيرة K-1 و CR-1.
- إن كانت الدولة القادم(ة) منها لا تعترف بزواج من هم من نفس الجنس، إذًا بإمكانه أو بإمكانها إعتماد تأشيرة الخطوبة فقط بسرية أو التوجه إلى دولة ثالثة من أجل إبرام عقد الزواج و بعد ذلك التقدم للحصول على تأشيرة الزواج في كلتى الحالتين بإمكانك اعتماد كل من التأشيرتين.إن كنت تخشى التعرض للتتبع القانوني من قبل بلدك الأصلى، عليك إتخاذ بعض التدابير الأمنية. عادة ما يتم تخطي إجراء ات تأشيرة الخطوبة من دون أية عراقيل لذلك قد تكون الخيار الأنسب في هذه الحالة.و مع ذلك، بإمكانك أيظًا الزواج في بلد ثالث ثم التقدم للحصول على تأشيرة CR-1 بشكل رسمي.
الزواج داخل حدود الولايات المتحدة أو خارجها
أحيانًا يكون الخيار الوحيد المتاح أمامك هو إعتماد تأشيرة الخطوبة. حيث ترى بعض الدول، الزواج من الأجانب كنوع من الإنحناء إلى الوراء. و قد تفرض عليك العديد من القواعد و القوانين بهدف تعجيز و عرقلة إجراءات حصولك على التأشيرة.
لذلك يجب عليك تقييم الإجراءات المطلوبة في بلد زوجك أو زوجتك و الخطوات التي عليك إتباعها إلى جانب التحقق من وجود أي شكليات و إجراءات رسمية أخرى أو فترة إقامة و بناءًا على تلك المعلومات، بإمكانك اتخاذ القرار المناسب إما باعتماد تأشيرة K-1 أو CR-1.
أي من التأشيرتين تتطلب تجهيز أكبر عدد من الوثائق؟
تتطلب كل من تأشيرة K-1 أو CR-1 نفس عدد الوثائق و المستندات.
و لكن تعتبر إستمارة I-130 متعبة أكثر لأنه بإمكانك تقديم طلب الحصول على بطاقة خضراء (I-485) في نفس الوقت. و يكلف المركز الوطني للتأشيرات بجمع وتقييم جميع وثائق و مستندات الملف الخاص بك.
و من ناحية أخرى، يقوم طالبي تأشيرة الخطوبة، بتقديم و تسليم وثائق الإقامة الدائمة فقط بعد دخولهم للولايات المتحدة و إبرام عقد زواجهم و ليس أثناء إجراء إلتماس (I-129F) ولن تكون هناك أي معاملة مباشرة مع المركز الوطني للتأشيرات .
ولك قد تصبح تأشيرة الخطوبة K-1 أكثر عبئًا خلال المراحل الأخيرة من الإجراء ات. ذلك لضرورة تجهيز عدد معيّن من المستندات قبل إجراء المقابلة في السفارة.
ما يعني أن لكل من التأشيرتين إجراء ات محدّدة يجب الإلتزام بها و لا يمثّل أيهما أكثر أو أقل نسبة تعقيد. و يتطلب كلامها ضرورة إثبات حسن النوايا المبني عليها الزواج و صدقه و سنتعمّق أكثر في تفاصيل هذه النقطة لاحقًا. إذًا و بإختصار يعتمد إختيار نوع التأشيرة المناسب على الميولات و التفضيلات الشخصية لكل فرد ومدى ملائمة المراحل و المتطلبات المفروضة عليه في مراحل لاحقة من إجراءات الحصول على التأشيرة.
إثبات صدق الزواج و حسن النية المبني عليها
كما ذكرنا سابقًا، يتطلب كل من إلتماس إثبات صحّة الزواج و صدقه، و إن كنت تتسائل عن طبيعة الدلائل التي من شأنها دعم صحّة زواجك، فإن الأمر أسهل بالنسبة لتأشيرة الزواج لأن الدليل القطعي الوحيد الذي تحتاجه هو عقد الزواج .
بينما قد يكون إثبات صحة العلاقة أكثر تعقيدًا بالنسبة لتأشيرة الخطوبة، حيث يجب إرفاق صور الأعياد و المناسبات التي تجمعكما مع إستمارة I-129F إلى جانب أي دلائل أخرى تدعم وجود علاقة بينكما وتثبت أنكما على إتصال دائم رغم البعد كالرسائل و أي براهين قطعيّة أخرى من شأنها إقناع مسؤول دائرة خدمات الجنسية والهجرة الأمريكية بشرعيّة علاقتكما.
إن كنت لا تملك صور على سبيل المثال تجمع بينك و بين حبيبك أو حبيبتك و تثبت وجود صحّة علاقتكما وتعتقد أنه ليس بإمكانك تزويد دلائل وإثباتات تكفي لإرضاء وإقناع المسؤولين، فمن الأرجح أن هذه التأشيرة لا تناسبك.
و لكن هل بإمكانك حقًّا الإختيار بين تأشيرة الخطوبة K-1 و تأشيرة الزواج CR-1؟ تلك هي المسألة الأساسية! خاصة أثناء تفشي جائحة كورونا. فهل حقًّا للأزواج حرّية الإختيار؟
السلبيّات
لنلقي نظرة أخيرة على بعض الجوانب السلبية لكل من التأشيرتين و إن كنت لا تزال متردّدًا حول أيهما عليك اعتمادها قد يهمك أخذ الملاحظات التالية بعين الإعتبار:
إن تحصل(ت) خطيبك أو خطيبتك على تأشيرة K-1، لن يتحصل على تصريح العمل أو رقم الضمان الإجتماعي بالإضافة إلى عدم قدرته على السفر خارج حدود الولايات المتحدة لمدة 90 أو 120 يوم بعد وصوله و تقدمه لتسوية وضعه القانوني و تعديل حالة الهجرة. و لهذا السبب، يقوم العديد من الأزواج بتجهيز استمارة I-486 قبل وصولهم للولايات المتحدة.
و هكذا بإمكانهم تقديم إستمارة I-485 مباشرة بعد وصولهم للولايات المتحدة و عقد زواجهم مباشرة. كما تتضمن استمارة I-485 تصريح العمل و السراح المشروط. و في هذه الحالة، غالبًا ما يتم إستدعاء الزوجين لإجراء مقابلة الحصول على البطاقة الخضراء. و قد يتم تحديد موعد المقابلة بعد حوالي 6 و 12 شهر إعتمادًا على وقت التجهيز الذي تستغرقه دائرة خدمات الجنسية والهجرة الأمريكية.
علمًا و أنه في بعض المدن، قد تفوق فترة الإنتظار 15 شهرًا لبعض الأشخاص و خاصة هؤلاء الذين لا يمكنهم دخول الولايات المتحدة لزيارة أقاربهم، وعادة ما تكون فترة انتظار تأشيرة K-1 أقصر.
ولكن بعض الأشخاص قد يتحملون طول فترة الانفصال من أجل التقديم لتأشيرة CR-1 ذلك لرغبتهم بمباشرة العمل إثر وصولهم للولايات المتحدة.
كما يرغب بعض الأشخاص في السفر على الصعيد الدولي إلى بلدان أخرى مباشرة بعد دخولهم الولايات المتحدة. وهو غالبًا الحال لهؤلاء الذين لهم آباء مسنين خارج الحدود الأمريكية يرودون في زيارتهم.
وغالبًا ما يكون السبب وراء اختيار بعض الأشخاص التقديم لتأشيرة CR-1 عوضًا عن تأشيرة K-1 هو إنتظار سنة إضافية من أجل الحصول على البطاقة الخضراء.
في النهاية يتعلق الأمر بالتوازن و إعتماد الطريق الذي يناسبك. إذ تختلف حاجيات كل زوجين عن غيرهما. إن لم تتمكن من الوصول إلى قرار يناسبك من الأفضل الاستعانة بمساعدة محامي مختص لارشادك و توجيهك نحو الاختيارات التي تناسب وضعك وحالتك الخاصة من اجل ان الاجتماع بزوجك او زوجتك و بدأ حياتكما معًا في الولايات المتحدة في أقرب وقت.
فريق هيرمان القانوني المتكون من مجموعة محاميين موثوقين و ذوي خبرة تتجاوز 25 سنة في قضايا الهجرة إلى جانب اتقانهم لأكثر من 12 لغة بإمكانهم مساعدتك في الحصول على مبتغاك و تسهيل طريقك.