Fiancé Visa

Are you thinking about bringing your fiance or your spouse to the United States? This process, at the beginning, may seem simple; however, if the process is not followed exactly as prescribed by the government, it may delay a fiance and/or spousal visa for several months, sometimes years.

Fiancé Visa Requirements

To get a fiancé visa, the couple must show that the relationship is legitimate (the marriage is not or will not be used to acquire an immigration benefit). They must show they have physically met in the last 24 months.

There are certain cultural exceptions for this requirement. The United States citizen and/or the legal permanent resident must show they meet the income guidelines set out by USCIS per form I-864P. Timeframes change to acquire a fiancé or spousal visa change according to the visa bulletin, the backlog of cases in each consulate, and the current national security and political condition of the country Current visa bulletins can be found here.

It is important to know that under both fiancé or spousal visas, we are able to petition for step-children (under the age of 21) at the same time. This process increases the income requirements, fee, and depending on custody and/or other local legal requirements, the timeframe a spouse or fiancé may enter the United States.

Equally important is the interview that the fiancé or spouse will have abroad. At the interview, an adjudicator may deny the application if the adjudicator does not believe the relationship is legitimate, the couple does not meet the income requirements, the application does not follow all directions, or the non-U.S. citizen spouse and/or children are found to be inadmissible.