In the family-based immigration practice at Usoro & Associates, P.C., Anie Usoro helps clients with K-1 immigration applications for a fiancé(e). Based in Houston, Texas, Anie offers compassionate support and dependable legal counsel to help you successfully navigate the immigration process.

U.S. Immigration Visas for Fiancés / Fiancées

A U.S. citizen may obtain a K-1 nonimmigrant visa (or fiancé(e) visa) to permit a fiancé or fiancée to enter the country. If a citizen is already married, getting married outside the U.S., or the fiancé / fiancée already resides in the U.S., the spouse or fiancé / fiancée is not eligible for a K-1 visa.

If you and your fiancé(e) marry within 90 days of the admission as a K-1 nonimmigrant, your fiancé(e) may apply for lawful permanent resident status (green card). The eligibility requirements for a K-1 application are relatively straightforward. The sponsor and fiancé(e) must satisfy these criteria:

• The sponsor must be a U.S. citizen (lawful permanent residents cannot apply for K-1 visas, but can sponsor a spouse under relative immigration rules).
• The sponsor must provide proof of the intention to marry the fiancé / fiancée within 90 days of their arrival in the U.S. The marriage cannot be for the sole purpose of obtaining an immigration benefit.
• Both parties must provide proof that they are legally entitled to marry and that any previous marriages have been terminated by divorce, annulment, or death.

Providing sufficient evidence to satisfy all the requirements is a critical first step in the process for a fiancé(e) visa. If you make a mistake at this stage or at any point in the process because you misunderstood requirements or received bad advice, you could face significant problems completing the process successfully. The best approach is to get help from a knowledgeable family-based immigration lawyer from the very start, to ensure that you take all the right steps to complete the process efficiently and effectively.

Houston immigration lawyer Anie Usoro has the knowledge and skill to help you and your fiancé or fiancée through the K-1 visa process. Anie provides trustworthy advice and compassionate representation in all family-based immigration matters. For a fiancé(e) application, she helps you gather all the necessary detailed documentation, complete and submit the required forms, and navigate through the entire fiancé(e) visa process. In addition, Anie can assist with K-2 visa applications for your fiancé(e)’s unmarried children under age 21, which are usually filed at the same time as the K-1 application. She can also help your fiancé(e) apply for permanent resident status after you get married.

It’s important to note that K-1 and K-2 status automatically expire after 90 days and cannot be extended. If you do not marry, your fiancé(e) and their child(ren) must leave the United States at the end of 90 days. Staying beyond that period violates U.S. immigration law, may result in deportation, and could affect future eligibility for immigration benefits. However, if you marry after the 90-day period, you may be able to help your spouse obtain a green card. In that situation, advice from an immigration lawyer is essential.

Contact Usoro & Associates for a Free Consultation

Anie Usoro is here to guide you through the K-1 visa process for your fiancé or fiancée and for the related processes after your marriage. You can trust Anie to explain the laws that apply to your case, use her experience and skills to protect your rights and interests, and work hard to help you reach a successful conclusion in your K-1 visa application. In her family immigration practice, Anie helps clients in the United States and in other countries, including Africa, Mexico, and Central American countries.