K-1 Fiancé(e) Visa: Complete Guide to Bringing Your Partner to the US

The K-1 fiancé(e) visa lets a US citizen bring a foreign fiancé(e) to the United States to marry within 90 days of arrival, after which the new spouse applies for a green card from inside the US. The process starts with Form I-129F, which costs $675 as of October 2026, then moves to a US embassy interview abroad. Only US citizens can file. Green card holders cannot use the K-1.

Key points

• The petitioner must be a US citizen, and both partners must be legally free to marry.
• You must have met in person in the 2 years before filing, unless USCIS grants a waiver.
• The K-1 visa allows a single entry and is valid for up to 6 months.
• You must marry within 90 days of entry. The status cannot be extended.
• Since March 30, 2026, K visa applicants are covered by the State Department’s online presence (social media) review.

Who qualifies

According to USCIS, you can use the K-1 if:

• the petitioner is a US citizen;
• you both intend to marry within 90 days of the fiancé(e)‘s admission;
• you are both legally free to marry (any earlier marriages have legally ended);
• you met in person at least once in the 2 years before filing, unless USCIS waives this requirement because meeting would violate strict, long-established customs of the fiancé(e)‘s culture, or would cause extreme hardship to the US citizen.

Unmarried children under 21 of the fiancé(e) can come on K-2 visas if they are listed on the I-129F. They can travel with the fiancé(e) or later, but not before.

Step-by-step process

1. File Form I-129F with USCIS

The US citizen files Form I-129F with:

• proof of US citizenship;
• proof you met in person in the last 2 years (photos, travel tickets, passport stamps);
• evidence of a real relationship and intent to marry (messages, wedding plans);
• proof that any earlier marriages ended;
• the $675 fee (G-1055 edition 10/07/26).

US citizen petitioners with certain criminal convictions, or who have filed multiple fiancé(e) petitions, face extra rules under the International Marriage Broker Regulation Act. Answer those questions on the form carefully.

2. USCIS sends the approved petition to the National Visa Center

After approval, USCIS sends the case to the State Department’s National Visa Center, which forwards it to the US embassy or consulate where your fiancé(e) will interview.

3. Your fiancé(e) applies for the visa

Your fiancé(e) completes the online visa application (Form DS-160), pays the State Department visa fee, gets a medical exam from an embassy-approved panel physician, and gathers civil documents such as a birth certificate, police certificates and a passport. The US citizen usually provides evidence of financial support, often on Form I-134 (no USCIS fee).

Since September 2025, nonimmigrant visa applicants generally must apply in their country of nationality or residence. Check the specific embassy’s instructions on the State Department K-1 page.

4. Social media and online presence review

On March 30, 2026, the State Department expanded its online presence review to more visa categories, including K-1, K-2 and K-3 applicants, according to immigration law firm reports of the announcement. The DS-160 asks for social media usernames used in the past 5 years, and applicants are asked to set their profiles to public. Officers may compare your online presence with what you put on your forms.

Practical tips:

• List every platform and username honestly.
• Make sure relationship details online (dates, locations, relationship status) are consistent with your petition.
• Do not delete accounts right before applying; that can raise questions.

Inconsistencies can lead to extra questions or administrative processing under section 221(g), which can add weeks or months.

5. The embassy interview

A consular officer asks about your relationship, how you met, and your wedding plans. If approved, your fiancé(e) receives a K-1 visa valid for up to 6 months for one entry.

6. Entry into the US

A CBP officer at the port of entry makes the final decision on admission. Once admitted, the 90-day clock starts.

7. Marry within 90 days

You must marry each other within 90 days. If you do not, USCIS says K-1 and K-2 status “automatically expires after 90 days and cannot be extended,” and your fiancé(e) and any children generally must leave. Staying can lead to removal and affect future eligibility. If you marry later, the citizen can file an I-130 instead, but that is a different and more complicated situation; talk to a lawyer.

8. Apply for the green card (I-485)

After the wedding, your spouse files Form I-485 to adjust status. Fees as of October 2026 (G-1055 edition 10/07/26):

Form	Paper	Online
I-485 (age 14+)	$1,440	$1,390
I-765 work permit with pending I-485	$260	$260
I-131 advance parole with pending I-485	$630	$580
I-864 Affidavit of Support	$0	$0

Only the 09/18/26 edition of Form I-485 is accepted. The I-485 is subject to the public charge rule that took effect for filings on or after September 18, 2026. If the marriage is less than 2 years old when the green card is approved, the green card is conditional for 2 years and you must later file Form I-751. A K-1 entrant generally cannot get a green card through any route other than marriage to the petitioner.

K-1 vs marriage-based immigrant visa (CR-1/IR-1)

	K-1 fiancé(e) visa	Marriage visa (CR-1/IR-1)
When you marry	After arrival, within 90 days	Before applying
First petition	I-129F ($675)	I-130 ($675 paper / $625 online)
Status on arrival	K-1 nonimmigrant	Permanent resident on entry
Second application in the US	I-485 needed ($1,440 / $1,390)	None
Work on arrival	Only after applying for a work permit	Yes, as a permanent resident
Travel abroad after arrival	Needs advance parole while I-485 is pending	Free to travel as a permanent resident
Total USCIS cost	Higher (I-129F + I-485)	Lower (I-130 + $235 Immigrant Fee)

The K-1 suits couples who want to marry in the US. The marriage visa avoids the second application and lets the spouse work right away. Read green card through marriage to compare. Processing times change, so check the USCIS processing times tool for both the I-129F and I-130.

The travel ban and K-1 applicants

Proclamation 10998, in effect since January 1, 2026, suspends entry for nationals of 39 countries: a full suspension of immigrant and nonimmigrant visas for 19 countries (plus Palestinian Authority travel documents), and partial restrictions for 20 more. It removed the exception that used to protect immediate relatives. If your fiancé(e) is a national of one of these countries, check the embassy’s guidance and speak with a lawyer before filing. See US travel ban 2026: full list of 39 countries.

Common problems

• No in-person meeting in the last 2 years, without a waiver request.
• One partner still legally married to someone else.
• Inconsistent relationship details between the petition, the interview and social media.
• Missing the 90-day deadline for the wedding.
• Weak financial evidence from the US citizen.

When to talk to a lawyer

Consult a licensed immigration attorney if either partner has a criminal record or a past immigration violation, the citizen has filed fiancé(e) petitions before, your fiancé(e) is from a travel-ban country, or you might not marry within 90 days.

What to do next

1. Confirm you met in person within the last 2 years, or prepare a waiver request.
2. Gather proof of citizenship, relationship evidence and divorce records.
3. Review your social media accounts for consistency before the DS-160.
4. Decide between the K-1 and a marriage visa.
5. Follow the US country hub and updates page for vetting and fee changes.

General information, not legal advice. Checked against USCIS sources on October 11, 2026.