Before you and your foreign fiancé can get married in the country, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) must approve their petition for a K-1 visa. This may make your engagement longer than you anticipated or hoped for, but it is nonetheless a required step when you have different countries of origin or residency. With that being said, please follow along to find out how long you can expect the K-1 visa process to take you and how one of the proficient Lancaster County fiancé visa lawyers at Lupton Law LLC can help you expedite this time as much as possible.
How long can I expect the average K-1 visa process to take?
On average, you may expect the K-1 visa process to take three to six months. Specifically, this timeline accounts for the date you file Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé up until the date you receive notice from the USCIS, hopefully, regarding your fiancé’s approval to enter the country. In between, there are important steps that take time to complete.
That is, later on, you may be asked by the National Visa Center (NVC) to file Form I-864, Affidavit of Support. Your foreign fiancé may also be asked to file Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application form. The NVC may also expect your fiancé to schedule and attend a medical examination with an approved physician. Last but not least, your fiancé will need to attend an interview at the United States Embassy or Consulate in their home country.
How can I expedite the processing time for my application?
You and your foreign fiancé may do everything to avoid making mistakes that would otherwise delay your K-1 visa application processing time any later than three to six months. However, there are some external factors, beyond your reasonable control, that may hold up this application process. For one, the USCIS may take longer if they receive an unprecedented amount of visa applications this calendar year. Or, your fiancé’s home country may be experiencing a serious pandemic, war, or natural disaster.
Unfortunately, unlike other visa types, you cannot pay extra to expedite the processing of your K-1 visa application. However, the USCIS may be open to reviewing requests for expedited processing on a case-by-case basis. This is only if your fiancé is under specific circumstances, though. For example, if they are experiencing a medical emergency and may benefit from the United States healthcare system. Or, if they are experiencing a threat to their safety and security in their home country.
Now that you have this background knowledge, your next step should be to employ one of the talented family-based immigration lawyers to represent you. So contact us at Lupton Law LLC.
