When renewing, extending, or changing a B-1 or B-2 Visa, attorney fees are about $400, USCIS fees are $370, and processing time takes 60 to 90 days. Attorney fees for filing a K-1 Visa Petition for the fiance of a U.S. Citizen is around $725 with the USCIS fees costing $535.
The second step — the one involving the overseas interview — showed in the latest data available that in FY 2016 the denial rate was about 20 percent, a huge increase from the 2015 rate of less than 1 percent. Bear in mind that the 20 percent denial rate was laid on cases that had been 100 percent cleared by USCIS.
Ultimate guide: K1 visa process step by step
You can only apply for a K-1 fiancé visa one time in a 2-year period, and only two times total. So if it has been more than 2 years you are okay. If it has been less than 2 years you will need a waiver.
Once officially married, your k1 visa attorney can help you apply for a Green Card using Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.
$535Fiancé or K-1 visa cost: $2,025 The U.S. citizen partner completes the appropriate government form (I-129F – “petition for a K-1 Visa”), and mails it to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), along with the $535 filing fee.
An immigration lawyer charges between $150 and $300 per hour, with a typical 30-min consultation fee of $75 to $150. Legal assistance when filing basic immigration forms costs $250 to $800, while green card assistance runs from $800 to $5,000, plus the USCIS fees of $460 to $700.
All About the K-1 Visa | Fiance Visa | 90 Day Visa It costs $535. The medical examination, which costs around $200, but the price may change depending on the medical service center. The actual K-1 visa application. It costs $265.
For example, in 2021, a sponsor in the U.S. mainland would need to have income (or assets) of at least $33,125 to cover a petitioner who lives alone and is sponsoring one immigrant and two children (that is, a total of four people).
Immigration Lawyers Offer Case Efficiency and Risk Reduction This will save you time and money, and could avoid your receiving a rejection of your application, or a request for more evidence (RFE). Furthermore, a lawyer can prepare you for your interview at a consulate abroad, or at USCIS within the country.
The beneficiary, or person who is applying to receive a green card, is generally automatically eligible to receive a green card once they are lawfully married to a U.S. citizen or green card holder.
How to apply for a K-1 Fiancé VisaStep 1: File Form I-129F. ... Step 2: File Form DS-160. ... Step 3: Attend your visa interview and pay the visa fee. ... Step 4: Come to the United States and get married!
The following chart breaks down both the fees you must pay directly to the government — in most cases, that’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Beyond direct government fees and the medical exam fee, there are other green card costs to keep in mind:
When filing Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé, with USCIS, you must submit a filing fee of $535. This starts the process. Once you’ve paid this fee, it is typically several months before there are additional K-1 visa costs. If your fiancé has children that will accompany him or her, there is no additional fee at this point.
Form I-129F is a petition; it isn’t the actual application for a K-1 visa. Once USCIS approves the I-129F petition and moves the case the U.S. embassy or consulate, your fiancé may apply for a K-1 visa through the embassy or consulate. He or she will file Form DS-160 which includes a nonimmigrant visa application processing fee of $265.
The immigration medical exam is a required step before the consular office will issue a K-1 visa. Visa applicants must use a U.S. government-approved physician. Costs can vary significantly based on the country and doctor but run $50 to $300 in most countries.
Other costs may include translation and photocopying charges, fees for getting the documents required for the visa application (such as passport, police certificates, birth certificates, etc.), and travel expenses to the U.S. embassy or consulate for an interview.
If your future spouse plans to stay in the United States after marriage, he or she will need to apply for permanent residence (green card). The foreign national must file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, as soon as possible to remain in status. The USCIS fee for the application plus biometrics runs $1,225.
For the purposes of obtaining a K-1 visa, the total fees are approximately $850-$1010 for the petition, visa application and medical exam. When including the costs for adjusting status to permanent resident, the total fees are closer to $2,075-$2,325.
The top 4 questions we all have regarding hiring lawyers, filing services or an expert:
I have to admit: lawyers are good. They’re professionals who know a thing or two about immigration. They oversee your case and help if you have questions. And they’re allowed to do almost everything on your behalf in your fiance K-1 visa process, such as…
Even if lawyers effectively “replace you” in paperwork, there’s still a huge list of things that they can’t do. Here are a few….
If you decide to go with an attorney make sure he/she is experienced and willing to work with you. Here’s how to spot a good versus not-so-good lawyer…
It depends. If you have the right mix of the following things, you may need one:
She is asked to fill out paperwork and take a medical exam. She then goes for an interview in the U.S. embassy/consulate, after which her visa is granted. The entire process takes from 4 to 6 months.
During any delay, you will most likely be separated from your fiancée, creating a sense of intense anxiety and even despair. If you hire an attorney, you are benefiting from his/her experience—attorneys handle cases like this day-in and day-out, and know exactly what to do to help you get the visa for your fiancée.
The USCIS and US State Department suspect that a large number of K-1 cases are fraudulent, and for that reason deny many petitions. You do not want to have your case caught up in this dragnet, and face a denial.
K-1 visas automatically expire after 90 days and they cannot be extended. Generally, a fiancé with a K-1 visa must leave the U.S. at the end of the 90 day period if they end up not getting married, and if they do not leave the U.S. within that period of time they are violating U.S. immigration law and unless they marry a U.S. citizen they are jeopardizing any future chances of legally immigrating to the United States.
If your fiancé who is applying for a K-1 visa has a child or children under 21 years old and are unmarried, the child or children are eligible to come to the U.S. on a K-2 visa so long as the paperwork is correctly filled out and submitted on time. The immigration team at JacksonWhite law has years of experience assisting families immigrate to the U.S. and they are here to help you with all of your immigration needs.
Luckily, you do not have to navigate the immigration system on your own.