How to sponsor a fiancé(e) and apply for a K-1 visa

If you are engaged to a U.S. citizen and plan to marry and live in the U.S., your fiancé(e) must sponsor you first by filing a petition. After your fiancé(e)’s petition is approved, you can apply for a K-1 visa to come to the U.S.

Follow the steps to petition for a fiancé(e) and to apply for a K-1 visa. On that page, you will also learn:

• What documentation proves your eligibility by confirming your:
  • Relationship with your future spouse 
  • Identity
  • Income or financial support
• How to bring eligible children
• What forms to use
• What fees you must pay

What happens after your K-1 visa is approved?

If you are issued a K-1 visa:

• You must travel to the United States to marry your fiancé(e) within 90 days of arriving. 
• After you marry, you may apply for an adjustment of status to get a Permanent Resident (Green) Card.
• K-1 visas expire after 90 days and cannot be extended.
• If you do not marry within 90 days, you must leave the country or face possible deportation.