Marriage Visa
Marriage visa is also called K1 or fiancé visa. This visa is given to someone who is engaged to a US citizen and wants to go to the United States to marry their fiancé or fiancée.
If you want to get a marriage visa for your future spouse you need to follow the following steps:
Step 1: Fill out the form I-129 F with USICS and pay the fees. This form establishes the relationship between you and your fiancé. You will need to submit documents that prove the relationship between you guys. You will also need to show that you have met with your fiancé physically at least once in the last two years. You will also need to show that you can financially sponsor your fiancé. USICS will process your application and send it to the State Department for further processing.
You will also need to pay the fees of $535 when you file the application. It will take anywhere between 6 – 9 months to get your application processed.
Step 2: The State department will now send an application form DS-160 to your fiancé. They will need to fill the application and submit the documents required by the embassy. The Embassy will then schedule an interview. You will need to pay fees for this interview and take all the documents that the embassy asks you to bring.
Step 3: Once your fiancé’s visa is approved, they will have 4 months to arrive in the United States. And then they will have 90 days to get married. Unlike other visas you cannot change your visa by applying for adjustment of status. The only option you have is to get married within 90 days. Once you get married, you then apply to change status through marriage so your fiancé can stay in the US permanently.
If you are applying to become a resident of the United States through marriage then you not only have to show proof of marriage but you also have to show proof that your marriage is bona fide. Proving that your marriage is bona fide is the most important step. If you fail to do that you risk getting denied by USCIS. So now you must be wondering how to prove marriage is bona fide.
Proving that your marriage is bona fide is not too hard. Let’s start by understanding what it means to have a bona fide marriage. A bona fide marriage means that you and your partner want to live together and build a future together. It means you have to show that you did not just marry for the sake of getting a residency that you actually want to be with this person.
This means in order to show that your marriage is bona fide you need to show documents and evidence that shows that your life is intermingled. So, you can submit documents that show your life in intermingled and you are building a life together.
You can submit documents that show proof that you have joint finances. If you have a joint bank account, a mortgage with both of your names on it, or a lease agreement with your guy’s name on it, or a life insurance, or any other document like that will help. It shows you both are making investments and sharing resources in the short and long run.
You also show that you live together at the same address so you show driver license or utility bills with both your names on it for the same location. You can show additional proof like traveling together, having common friends, visiting each other’s family to demonstrate that you are spending life together.