To be considered for entry in the United States on a K-1 visa, small mountain of documents will need to be submitted. It’s only after receipt and review of those forms and accompanying documentation that a decision will be made on a foreign national’s entry into the United States for purposes of getting married to a U.S. citizen. There are five documents that are critical to the process of obtaining entry into the United State. Those documents are discussed below.
DS-160 Nonimmigrant Visa Application
As a K-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa, completing and submitting the DS-160 form is the first step in obtaining lawful entry into the United States for purposes of getting married. It’s completed and submitted online. If the foreign national has children, a separate form must be submitted for each of them. All DS-160 information must be true and correct. You’ll need to have the following documents on hand for purposes of referring to them:
- Your current and unexpired passport.
- Your travel itinerary.
- Any identification number that your country has issued to you.
- Your social security or tax identification number if one has already been issued to you.
- You’ll also be asked about your travel and job history, so have that information ready.
- A photo that meets U.S. government requirements that has been saved on your computer.
I-129 Form
The I-129F form is the actual petition to bring a foreign national to the United States for purposes of marrying him or her. This form is submitted by the U.S. citizen who intends on marrying the foreign national. Both the U.S. citizen and the foreign national must be legally free to marry. Then, the U.S. citizen and the foreign national who is designated in the form must get married within 90 days of his or her arrival in the United States.
I-134 Form
The I-134 form is provided by the U.S. citizen K-1 visa petitioner for purposes of promising to support the foreign national who they intend to marry if it’s determined that he or she needs that support. The petitioner must have an income that is above Federal Poverty Guidelines. If his or her income is below that level, a co-sponsor may be considered.
I-693 Form
Regardless of the foreign national’s age, he or she must submit to a medical exam by a physician who is on the list of doctors who are authorized to do so. Exams by any other doctors will not be accepted. The I-693 form. The doctor will need the following documents from the foreign national in order to complete the exam:
- The letter setting your visa interview.
- Your passport.
- Three recent passport-size photos.
- A copy of the foreign national’s immunization records.
- The DS-160 confirmation page.
After the medical exam is completed, the examining physician is required to give the foreign national the completed I-693 form in a sealed envelope to be submitted to U.S Custom & Immigration Services. The foreign national must follow the instructions for submission that appear on the instructions.
Police Certificate
The foreign national is required to submit a police certificate for himself or herself and any children over the age of 16 from the appropriate police law enforcement agencies. For purposes of reference, police certificate requirement are detailed here. Such certificates are only valid for 12 months from the date that they’re issued on.
The process involved in applying for and obtaining a K-1 visa is cumbersome and complicated for both of the parties. Here at Maison Immigration Lawyers, we’ve helped foreign nationals from all over the world obtain K-1 visas. Our experienced, dedicated and efficient K-1 visa lawyers want to be able to help you too. Don’t hesitate to contact us with your K-1 visa questions.
