K1 Visa Part1: Application

After a year and a half dating, K and I decided to get down to business and work on our fiancé visa. We have no idea how and where to start since nobody from other family tried or moved to US. We read all possible sources of how to process our papers, revealing an option of doing the paperworks on our own or taking a lawyer’s assistance or marriage agency to lay out our petition. If you are someone who wanna DIY like us, keep reading!

What is K1 Visa?

A K-1 visa is a visa issued to the fiancé or fiancée of a United States citizen to enter the United States. A K-1 visa requires a foreigner to marry his or her U.S. citizen petitioner within 90 days of entry, or depart the United States (Wikipedia). This is not applicable for you if you already got married outside USA.

STEP 1

Make sure you are really ready to marry! Like an old saying in Philippines, marriage is not a hot rice that you can spit out if it burns you. So make sure you are 100% confident.

“Do I need to have a ring as proof of engagement?” NO but it can help. My boyfriend didn’t popped a box of ring yet when we filed ours last Dec 2017.

STEP 2

Gather all required documents. In our case, this are the items we sent to USCIS:

1. Petition form: Go to USCIS website to download an updated version of I- 129F Petition for Alien Fiance(e) or commonly called K1 visa. Fill in the form with all necessary informations possible. Read and follow USCIS website’s instruction carefully and download all the forms needed. It is okay to read and compare with blogs like mine about visa processing but always put the USCIS instructions of filing first on the list.

2. Proof of relationship: Photos, plane tickets, hotel receipts, restaurant receipt or any possible evidence that you and your partner met and spent time together. Do not send any cd’s, dvd, or usb drives.

3. Letter of intent to marry: It is just a regular letter signed by me and my partner indicating our intention to marry within 90 days of my arrival in US.

4. Form G-1145, Request for e-Notification: Form to be fill out by petitioner. Petitioner will receive an electronic notification (email or text message) when USCIS received, review and evaluate your petition.

5. Form G-325a: For biographic information of petitioner and beneficiary.

6. Proof of petitioner citizenship: My fiance provided a copy of his birth certificate.

7. Proof of terminated prior marriage: Divorce or annulment papers (if applicable).

8. Check or money order: Filing fee cost $535 or ₱28,880. Do not send cash. USCIS only accept check or money order.

I organized our papers and sent it to Keith thru DHL. Never use stapler to keep them together. USCIS prefer applicants to use paper clips. Then put everything inside an envelope together with our cover letter. Keith the envelope and the cover letter with form number and nature of the submission (Example: I-129f Original Submission)

January 11, couple of weeks after filing, we received an acceptance confirmation indicating our USCIS case number. It started with WAC+digit code. We used it to track our petition at www.uscis.gov. I believed the receipt notice mentioned here is the commonly known NOA1 or Notice of Action 1. But we never get a paper. Keith called USCIS and they just assure us that our papers are right on track. So if you don’t get any papers don’t fret! As long as you have your receipt number you are good.

Patience is what you will need after this. A very long one. Usually takes 5-6 months or a year before you hear anything back from USCIS.

I am not an expert or a consultant about K1 visa. But hopefully our journey become a learning curve.

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It was a rainy month of August 2018 when we got a mail – Notice of Action or I-797. We are approved and our papers are with National Visa Council (NVC). What Now?