Potential clients always ask, “How long does the K-1 fiancee visa process take to get?” or “When will my fiance(e) be able to enter the United States?”
It is perhaps the most important question that potential applicants ask. And why shouldn’t it be? The applicants want to start living together and having a life together asap – any delay is beyond annoying. The firm understands this desire to be together … and works to make it possible as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, potential K-1 visa clients are told to expect a delay longer than they would want – or that seems appropriate – however the US immigration agency and government doesn’t move as quickly as many applicants would like – as a K-1 visa attorney, I can only help clients move along the process as quickly as possible and without any unnecessary delays or worries.
A realistic, conservative estimate is that it takes about seven to ten months from the start of the process until the K-1 visa applicant will be able to enter the US.
How Do I estimate the length of the fiance(e) visa process?
The estimate must be broken down into two parts:
The first part is the submission of the K-1 visa petition along with supporting evidence of the couple’s relationship. This submission is made to the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS), which is the immigration agency in the United States. The USCIS takes about five months to review and grant the petition. The granting of the K-1 visa by USCIS does not give the applicant the ability to come to the US, instead, it is just the end of the first step.
The second part of the K-1 visa process involves the Department of State (DOS). After USCIS approval, the petition is sent to the DOS. The DOS sends the fiancee petition to the U.S. consulate located near where the foreign national lives. The U.S. Consulate will contact the K-1 visa beneficiary and schedule a consulate interview. Depending on how prepared the K-1 visa applicant is, and how busy the consulate is, this step can take an additional two to four months.
Please remember, these are just estimates – and are based on a smooth process. Working with a K-1 fiancee visa lawyer helps ensure a smooth K-1 process.