Applying for a fiance visa is nerve-racking as you are already making a big step in life. To make it easier, you need to understand the fiance visa requirements and check if you meet them. So, keep reading our fiance visa USA requirements guide and enjoy our K1 visa checklist to collect all documents!
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Fiance visa requirements of 2025
Meeting all K1 fiance visa requirements is an essential step on the road to getting a fiance visa. The whole complex of them is made to establish whether fiance and US citizen have a genuine relationship, true intentions to marry, and meet immigration law conditions. Let’s take a look at 10 requirements that you must meet to obtain a fiance visa.
Be a citizen of the US
To file for a K1 visa, a petitioner must be able to prove US citizenship. What documents can prove that you are a citizen?
- Birth certificate
- Valid unexpired US passport
- Form FS-240, Report of Birth Abroad of United States Citizen
- Form N-550, Certificate of Naturalization
- Form N-560, Certificate of Citizenship
Note that Green Card holders are not eligible for the fiance visa, but they are suitable for a Marriage Green Card.
Intend to get married within 90 days
The US petitioner must convince USCIS and the Consulate that the relationship is genuine, and both partners intend to marry within 90 days of entry. Such a time crunch exists to avoid immigration fraud and marriage solely for Green Cards. To prove intention to marry both people in the couple, submit a Letter of Intent to Marry or/and any other additional evidence of your plans.
Be legally free to marry
To marry in the US during the set time frame, you and your fiance must be legally free to marry. How to prove it?
- Don’t have any previous marriages
- Add a divorce certificate
- Annulment order
- Add spouse death certificate
If you have already married abroad, you cannot apply for a K1 visa but can for a CR-1 or IR-1 spouse visa that has different filing requirements.
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Meet the fiance in person
The essential requirement for applying for a fiance visa is that you and your fiance must have physically met each other in person at least once within the last 2 years. It doesn’t mean you need to be in a relationship or know each other for two years, but simply have proof that you met in the required timeframe. How to prove?
- Time-stamped photos of you with your fiance.
- Various tickets and receipts can show that you spent time together.
- Country entrance stamps.
Note that video meetings through different apps, websites, etc. don’t count as meeting in person. You can request a waiver in unique situations like:
- Meeting in person violate strict and long-established customs of your fiance’s foreign culture
- An in-person meeting can result in extreme hardship for you
To file for such a waiver, you must have strong evidence to support your claim. It can be medical records, proof of immediate danger, or statements from religious leaders.
Meet fiance visa income requirements
Meeting minimum fiance visa income requirements is another important step on the way to getting the K1 visa. To become a ‘sponsor’ of your fiance visa, you must file an Affidavit of Support and have income 100% or 125% of the poverty line, depending on which petition you are filing. To prove that you meet income requirements, you can use bank statements, tax returns, and pay stubs.
However, your current income is not enough, and there are two alternatives:
- Assets—If your income doesn’t match up, you can use 1/3 of the dollar value of certain assets. But note that only assets that are up to at least 3 times your income might qualify. For example, if you earn $22000, assets should be $66000 of the dollar value.
- Joint Sponsor—Another option is to find a co-sponsor. It can be a family member or friend who can meet Affidavit of Support requirements.
Not meeting income requirements is one of the most common reasons for K1 visa denial. So, make sure to add all proof you can that your financial situation is suitable.
Meet IMBRA requirement
The International Marriage Broker Regulation Act (IMBRA) requires K-1 visa petitioners to disclose if they have been convicted of certain crimes (or attempted them). Undergoing a background step is obligatory and petitioners must submit any related court, police, or prison records. The IMBRA act exists to protect future spouses of any forms of abuse from the sponsoring side.
Meet fiance visa medical requirements
To meet fiance visa medical requirements, you must pass a medical examination performed by the US Embassy-approved physician. Each country has specific requirements for medical tests. Let’s see what they are like in the example of Russia.
When you schedule your appointment online or by phone, you must come on a certain day and time. The applicant will need to bring the following items that a doctor requires to complete the medical forms:
- Visa interview letter
- Passport
- 5 recently taken passport-sized color photographs,
- A copy of your immunization records
- DS-260 Confirmation page
The medical examination will include:
- Medical history review
- Physical examination
- Chest X-ray
- Blood tests
- Tuberculosis testing
To pass a medical exam, a doctor must state that you don’t have any infectious diseases. After medical examination, the doctor will either provide results in a sealed envelope or send them directly to the US Consulate.
K-1 Visa Checklists
Filling in many forms is an unavoidable part of filing for the K1 visa. Here is a handy checklist that will help you meet all the requirements and prepare the documents for applying for a fiance visa.
- Filled Form I-129F. Type or print legibly in black ink. Each petition must be properly signed and filed
- Evidence that you are a U.S. citizen
- Evidence of Legal Name Change
- Passport and Travel Document Numbers.
- Evidence that you and your fiancé have legally terminated any previous marriages (if applicable) and are free to marry
- Evidence of intention to marry within 90 days
- Evidence that you met your fiance in person within two years of you filing your Form I-129F. Or proof of why it is impossible or tough
- Two-color passport-style photographs of petitioner and fiance taken within last 30 days cropped and signed in English (first and last name)
- Evidence of legal name change (if applicable)
- Evidence to support an IMBRA waiver (if applicable)
- Evidence of meeting income requirement—Affidavit of Support I-134 with the most recent IRS tax transcript and/or W-2
- Medical examination results
- Paid USCIS Filing Fee, Embassy Fee, and Affidavit of Support Fee
Preparing a full package requires time and effort. Don’t rush filing and double-check your documents and forms for mistakes and see if you meet all the requirements to avoid receiving requests for additional information and, therefore, longer processing times.
Conclusion
Applying for a K1 visa has quite a number of requirements and nuances that you need to know before starting your immigration journey. You must cover all of them to help your petition succeed. We hope that our explanations of every requirement were useful, and a handy checklist will help you file for a fiance visa like a pro!
Sources of information
[1] – https://travel.state.gov/
[2] – https://www.uscis.gov/ (Form I-864P)
[4] – https://www.uscis.gov/ (Form I-129F)
