Maybe you fell in love while on an extended trip overseas and hope to bring your romantic partner to the United States to start a life together. Perhaps you recently reconnected with your college sweetheart who attended the same school through a study abroad program and now lives in another country.Just because there are international borders separating the two of you does not mean that you have an impossible love. You won't need to continue living separately and dreaming about a life together. You have the option to reconnect and start a family together.In fact, there are special visa programs that specifically help reconnect engaged couples who live in different countries. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) grants K-1 or fiance visas for those who want to marry someone from another country. Will you qualify for such a visa?
The USCIS will look carefully into your application for a K-1 visa. Much of the scrutiny will focus on the validity of your relationship. The more documentation you have, the easier it will be to prove that you truly want to marry the other person.Letters that you have exchanged with one another, travel records from when you met in person and even digital communications between you and your families can help establish that you have a true relationship and an intent to marry for a lasting family relationship, not just to help the other party gain entry into the United States. You may also need to answer questions about your relationship and each other during an interview with USCIS workers.
One of the important limitations of a K-1 visa is that you will only have 90 days between when they enter the country and when you officialize your marriage. Otherwise, your fiance may face removal from the country. You could very well need to start the entire process over from the beginning if you don't get married within the appropriate window of time. As with most other visa programs, there will be medical record reviews and background checks required for your fiance.Learning more about family-based immigration can help those who hope to start a family with someone not currently living in the United States.
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