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VISA SERVICES
 

K1 Visa

 
 
 
 
If you are already married, please see our section on Marriage Visas. If you and your fiancee are not yet married and you are still uncertain about a marriage visa/k3 visa or fiancee visa, you may want to consider the following:
 
 
 
   



K1 Visa / Fiancee Visa

A K1 Fiancee Visa allows the foreign fiancee of a U.S. Citizen to enter the United States with the intentions of getting married within 90 days of entering the United States. K1 Fiancee Visas are generally preferred (over the Marriage Visa and K3 Marriage Visa) as the visa of choice for engaged international couples as they are considered the easiest, quickest, and least expensive route.

K1 Fiancee Visas generally take between 2-6 months from the time the I-129F Petition is filed at a USCIS Service Center to the day the K1 Visa is issued. First, the Petition is filed with the USCIS. Once approved, the Petition is sent to the overseas embassy for further processing, the fiancee interview and the eventual issuing of the K1 Fiancee Visa.


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k1 Fiancee Visa  ¦  Marriage Visa  ¦  K3 Marriage Visa  ¦  Children's Visa  ¦  Student's Visa  ¦  Green Card
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O f f i c e s
California office: 164 S. Orange Grove Blvd., Suite 202 Pasadena, CA 91105
OHIO office: 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100 Dublin, Ohio 43017
Philippine office: Cebu City, Philippines

 

 
 
VISA SERVICES
 
 

Marriage Visa

 
 
 
If you are already married, please see our section on Marriage Visas. If you and your fiancee are not yet married and you are still uncertain about a marriage visa/k3 visa or fiancee visa, you may want to consider the following:
 
Processing Timelines
 
Staying Together vs. Separation
 
Overseas Marriage vs. Overseas Marriage Celebrations
   

Marriage Visa

In contrast, a Marriage Visa allows the foreign spouse of a U.S. Citizen or U.S. Resident to enter the United States for the purposes of immigration. While processing times have gotten significantly better for U.S. Citizens, the K1 Fiancee Visa is still quicker and simpler for unmarried international couples seeking to get married.

Marriage Visas generally take between 4-21 months from the time the I-130 Petition is filed at a USCIS Service Center to the day a Marriage Visa / K3 Visa is issued. First, the Petition is filed with the USCIS. Once approved, the Petition is sent to the overseas embassy for further processing, the spouse interview and the eventual issuing of a visa. U.S. Residents must wait an additional period of time--until an Immigration Visa Number becomes available--after the USCIS approval, which can add several more years to the timeline.


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k1 Fiancee Visa  ¦  Marriage Visa  ¦  K3 Marriage Visa  ¦  Children's Visa  ¦  Student's Visa  ¦  Green Card
Privacy Policy ¦ Disclaimer

O f f i c e s
California office: 164 S. Orange Grove Blvd., Suite 202 Pasadena, CA 91105
OHIO office: 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100 Dublin, Ohio 43017
Philippine office: Cebu City, Philippines

 

 
 
VISA SERVICES
 
 
 

K3 Visa

 
 
If you are already married, please see our section on Marriage Visas. If you and your fiancee are not yet married and you are still uncertain about a Marriage Visa /K3 Visa or Fiancee Visa, you may want to consider the following:
 
Processing Timelines
 
Staying Together vs. Separation
 
Overseas Marriage vs. Overseas Marriage Celebrations
   

K3 Visa

The K3 Visa was designed to speed up the waiting times for married couples who have a pending Marriage Visa Petition with the USCIS. The K3 Visa allows the foreign spouse of a U.S. Citizen to enter the United States-only after an overseas marriage, the I-130 Petition filing (Marriage Visa Petition), K3 Visa Petition approval and K3 Marriage Visa issuance. A K3 Visa is only available to a spouse of a U.S. Citizen and not a spouse of a U.S. Resident.

Thus, Marriage Visas, or a K3 Marriage Visa application forms, are generally recommended for those who have already been married overseas, or are in unique/rare situations where they must be married in a foreign country. A Marriage Visa/K3 Visa is typically more complex, slower, and the more expensive route compared to the K1 Visa.


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k1 Fiancee Visa  ¦  Marriage Visa  ¦  K3 Marriage Visa  ¦  Children's Visa  ¦  Student's Visa  ¦  Green Card
Privacy Policy ¦ Disclaimer

O f f i c e s
California office: 164 S. Orange Grove Blvd., Suite 202 Pasadena, CA 91105
OHIO office: 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100 Dublin, Ohio 43017
Philippine office: Cebu City, Philippines
 

 
 
VISA SERVICES
 
 
 
 
 
If you are already married, please see our section on Marriage Visas. If you and your fiancee are not yet married and you are still uncertain about a marriage visa/k3 visa or fiancee visa, you may want to consider the following:
 
Processing Timelines
 
Staying Together vs. Separation
 
Overseas Marriage vs. Overseas Marriage Celebrations
   

Processing Timelines

K1 Visas -- You can begin the petition for a Fiancee Visa immediately, assuming that the couple have met within the past two years and meet other requirements.

Before you can begin the petition for a Marriage Visa / K3 Marriage Visa, the couple must first be married in the foreign country where, for many, there are residency and waiting period requirements--not to mention the problematic logistics of work schedules, finances and traveling.

 


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k1 Fiancee Visa  ¦  Marriage Visa  ¦  K3 Marriage Visa  ¦  Children's Visa  ¦  Student's Visa  ¦  Green Card
Privacy Policy ¦ Disclaimer

O f f i c e s
California office: 164 S. Orange Grove Blvd., Suite 202 Pasadena, CA 91105
OHIO office: 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100 Dublin, Ohio 43017
Philippine office: Cebu City, Philippines

 

 
 
VISA SERVICES
 
 
 
 
 
If you are already married, please see our section on Marriage Visas. If you and your fiancee are not yet married and you are still uncertain about a marriage visa/k3 visa or fiancee visa, you may want to consider the following:
 
Processing Timelines
 
Staying Together vs. Separation
 
Overseas Marriage vs. Overseas Marriage Celebrations
   

Staying Together vs. Separation

With a K1 Visa, once the couple is married in the United States, the foreign newlywed is free to stay in the United States and immediately begin life with his/her new spouse.

Whereas, with the Marriage Visa / K3 Visa process time, once the couple is married, the foreign spouse must remain overseas and the U.S. Citizen or Resident must return home alone (assuming he/she work or other responsibilities). The foreign spouse must stay in the country of marriage until he or she is issued a Marriage Visa or, a K3 Visa Petition is also filed, and a K3 Visa is issued.


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k1 Fiancee Visa  ¦  Marriage Visa  ¦  K3 Marriage Visa  ¦  Children's Visa  ¦  Student's Visa  ¦  Green Card
Privacy Policy ¦ Disclaimer

O f f i c e s
California office: 164 S. Orange Grove Blvd., Suite 202 Pasadena, CA 91105
OHIO office: 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100 Dublin, Ohio 43017
Philippine office: Cebu City, Philippines

 

 
 
VISA SERVICES
 
 
 
 
 
If you are already married, please see our section on Marriage Visas. If you and your fiancee are not yet married and you are still uncertain about a marriage visa/k3 visa or fiancee visa, you may want to consider the following:
 
Processing Timelines
 
Staying Together vs. Separation
 
Overseas Marriage vs. Overseas Marriage Celebrations
   

Overseas Marriage vs. Overseas Marriage Celebrations

Instead of getting married overseas (and filing for a K3 Visa), most of our clients opt for the K1 Visa application process. If having a ceremony overseas is very important to the couple, they may still have an "unofficial marriage celebration" with family and friends overseas--before or after--the official/legal marriage in the United States. The U.S. only recognizes "civil" marriage ceremonies and not "engagement/pre-marriage" celebrations when defining marriage.

If you have any concerns or have further K1, Marriage Visa or K3 Visa questions about which is the right visa for you, feel free to contact us and we will be happy to discuss your options. For more information click on K3 Visa Basics.



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k1 Fiancee Visa  ¦  Marriage Visa  ¦  K3 Marriage Visa  ¦  Children's Visa  ¦  Student's Visa  ¦  Green Card
Privacy Policy ¦ Disclaimer

O f f i c e s
California office: 164 S. Orange Grove Blvd., Suite 202 Pasadena, CA 91105
OHIO office: 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100 Dublin, Ohio 43017
Philippine office: Cebu City, Philippines
 
 

Welcome to the Law Offices of Jeffrey C. Pettys. My Law Practice is dedicated to helping US citizens marry foreign nationals and immigrate to the United States as a couple.

 
 

Fiancee and Marriage Visa Services

Contact Atty Jeffrey Pettys 1-888-515-3529 Contact Attorney Jeffrey Pettys