How Long Does It Take to Get a K-1 Visa?
The K-1 Fiancé(e) Visa is intended to allow a non-U.S.-visa-holding immigrant entry into the U.S. in order to marry a United States citizen or legal resident, provided the couple has proof of prior relationship. The visa is not easy to get; one small hiccup can send the paperwork back months. The process is lengthy and the requirements exhaustive. But there are strategies one can follow to make the process as smooth as possible.
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How Long Does It Take?
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The amount of time varies for each case and for each locality of the consulate involved--that is, the embassy consulate that has jurisdiction over the region of the fiancé(e). The application must be made in person at the consulate, and from the date of filing the completed application, the process can take anywhere from 40 to 90 days. Certain cases require additional examination, which can delay the process further.
Why Is It So Slow?
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There is one primary reason why the K-1 application process is so lengthy and slow: The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services wants to avoid the possibility of arranged marriages and fake relationships that aim to cheat the system for legal entry into the U.S. If there is even one tiny detail out of place on your application, it will be sent back to you. The best strategy is to remember that you are dealing with a system built to prevent illegal immigration rather than to make the process go smoothly for you. Therefore, you must do all you can to eliminate any possible doubts against your intent.
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Ways to Make it Faster and Smoother
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The key to making a K-1 visa process quick and painless is to make sure you have all of the requirements and paperwork completed, double-checked for accuracy and presented flawlessly upon the date of the visa application. There are many forms the fiancé(e) applicant must possess, including a valid passport, birth certificate, divorce certificate (if applicable), a police certificate of all places lived since the age of 16, proof of the required medical examination, the form for proof of financial sufficiency, two nonimmigrant visa applications, one nonimmigrant fiancé(e) visa application, proof of payment of application fee, and two visa photos.
Proof of Relationship
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The final documentation needed is proof of relationship, this can be the trickiest part of the application. Never lie on an application, and always bring in as much evidence as possible of your relationship. You must have proof that you have met and that you are indeed in a relationship. Proof of relationship is objective and can be submitted in many forms (and can be rejected in many forms), including printed emails, phone records, written letters, birthday or holiday greeting cards, plane ticket receipts or flight records, attestations of family members, Internet messenger or Skype records, and anything that can help prove that you have met and are engaged to be married. Many past applicants recommend the creation of a "relationship time line" that includes dates of meeting, modes of communication, and dates and duration of travel.
If in Doubt
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Getting married in the nation of your fiancé(e) will not speed up the process; rather, it will cause even greater delays. The best strategy is to be over-prepared and confident with the application. If in doubt of something, you should seek the advice of an immigration lawyer.
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