Houston Fiancé/Fiancée Visa Attorney

Expert Guidance for Fiancé/Fiancée Visa Matters Nationwide 

The Law Office of Ivan Neel supports engaged couples separated by distance and international boundaries. Attorney Ivan Neel has years of experience bringing families together by working with clients on family visa petitions and fiancé/fiancée visa petitions. If you are a U.S. citizen who wants to bring your foreign fiancé(e) to the country to marry, reach out to the firm for affordable and professional legal service. Mr. Neel can help you file a Petition for Alien Fiancé(e) and make sure you meet all the necessary requirements to stay in the U.S. as a couple. He can also help your fiancé(e) petition for a green card later down the line.

Schedule an initial consultation with the Law Office of Ivan Neel to discuss your case in more detail. Let’s bring your fiancé(e) to the U.S. as soon as possible.

Understanding the K-1 Fiancé(e) Visa and the 90-Day Marriage Rule

The K-1 nonimmigrant visa, known as the fiancé(e) visa, is for foreign fiancé(e)s engaged to U.S. citizens. To obtain a K-1 fiancé(e) visa, you and your foreign fiancé(e) must intend to marry each other within 90 days of your fiancé(e) entering the U.S as a K-1 nonimmigrant. The resulting marriage must be legally valid (not for the sole purpose of obtaining a visa).

After your foreign fiancé(e) marries you within 90 days of entry into the country as a K-1 nonimmigrant, they may then apply for lawful permanent resident status (a green card). This is an important step because K-1 nonimmigrant status automatically expires after 90 days and cannot be extended.

Your fiancé(e) is not eligible for a K-1 fiancé(e) visa if you have already married, plan to marry outside the U.S., or your fiancé(e) is already residing legally in the United States. 

Eligibility Criteria for the U.S. Fiancé(e) Visa

You are eligible to bring your fiancé(e) to the U.S. on a fiancé(e) visa if you meet the following criteria:

• You are a U.S. citizen.
• You and your foreign fiancé(e) intend to marry each other within 90 days of your fiancé(e)’s admission to the United States on a K-1 nonimmigrant visa.
• You and your fiancé(e) are both legally allowed to marry (any previous marriages have been legally terminated by divorce, death, or annulment).
• You and your fiancé(e) met each other in person at least once within 2 years prior to filing your petition. 

The in-person meeting requirement may be waived if you prove that meeting in person either violates strict and long-established customs of your fiancé(e)’s foreign culture or social practice or doing so would result in extreme hardship to you.

Step-by-Step Fiancé(e) Visa Filing Process

The fiancé(e) visa petitioning process will involve several federal immigration departments, including the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) agency, the U.S. Department of State (DOS), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The filing process will involve backgrounds and security checks on both you and your fiancé(e), as well as obtaining biometric information like your fingerprints.

At a glance, the petitioning process involves the following steps:

1. File Form I-129F (Petition for Alien Fiancé(e)), which will be reviewed by USCIS. They may request evidence to support the alleged relationship between you and your fiancé(e). 
2. If USCIS approves your petition, they will send it to the DOS National Visa Center (NVC).
3. The NVC will forward the approved petition to the U.S. Embassy or consulate where your fiancé(e) will apply for their K-1 nonimmigrant visa. 
4. Your fiancé(e) will do their visa interview at the embassy. 
5. The DOS consular office will determine whether your fiancé(e) qualifies for the K-1 visa. If the visa is granted, it is valid for up to 6 months for a single entry. 
6. Your fiancé(e) will then travel to the U.S. and seek admission at a port of entry while the K-1 visa is valid. 
7. Once your fiancé(e) is admitted as a K-1 nonimmigrant, you have 90 days to legally marry in the U.S.
8. After you marry, your spouse may then apply for a green card to adjust their status.

The legal process is fairly straightforward, but there can be hurdles along the way that make certain steps feel daunting. If you have questions about your eligibility as the American petitioning spouse or about your fiancé(e)’s process in their home country, reach out to the Law Office of Ivan Neel for legal assistance. Mr. Neel can walk you through every step of the process, from building your petition to providing evidence of marriage to applying for a green card for your spouse. He is dedicated to uniting families nationwide, and you can trust that he has the experience and the personal drive to help you and your fiancé(e) build your life together in the U.S. 

Contact the Law Office of Ivan Neel for personalized assistance with your fiancé(e) visa application.