US citizens who are engaged to someone living in another country may wonder how they can get their loved one to the US to get married. A Fiancé(e) (K-1) visa can be granted after filing Form I-129F with USCIS and allows for the foreign national fiancé(e) to come to the US to get married and apply for legal permanent residency.
As part of the fiancé(e) visa application process, USCIS asks applicants to provide a variety of supporting documents to show that their relationship is well-established. Chief among the evidence required by USCIS is proof that the petitioner and applicant have met in person within the last 2 years, that they are in a bona fide relationship, and that they are planning to get married. This article focuses specifically on the relationship evidence that USCIS requires and addresses the following:
Disclaimer: Although this article will focus on the kinds of relationship evidence fiancé(e) applicants can provide with their application, it does not provide an exhaustive list of all the documents required to file the I-129F form. You can check the other documentation requirements for fiancé(e) visas here.
Before detailing examples of relationship evidence people can submit with their fiancé(e) application, here are a few basic guidelines applicants can follow when they are collecting relationship evidence:
IMPORTANT:
USCIS requires that if a couple has not met within 2 years before applying for a Fiancé(e) visa, the applicants need to submit evidence that meeting in person would violate strict and long-established customs of their fiancé(e)’s foreign culture or social practice or would be an extreme hardship on the petitioner.
For many people, it can be difficult to know what kinds of documents count as relationship evidence. The primary goal is to demonstrate to USCIS that the relationship is strong and enduring, that the couple communicates frequently, and that they have sincere plans to marry. However, to help people get started, we have provided some lists of different types of relationship evidence applicants can consider including with their application below. They are divided into different categories for convenience.
Please note that USCIS recognizes that each couple’s circumstances are different, so not everyone will have the same types of evidence. Applicants are welcome to get creative and add things to their applications that are not on this list. As a reminder, applicants typically experience the greatest success when they provide extensive and varied relationship evidence. As previously mentioned, a good rule of thumb is to provide at least 25-50 unique pieces of relationship evidence that include at least 6+ different types of evidence.
While USCIS does require people to show evidence of meeting in person for the last 2 years prior to applying for a Fiancé(e) visa, most of the other evidence examples listed below are not mandatory to include. Rather, they are just suggestions to help get people started compiling their evidence. However, to avoid unnecessary delays, we generally recommend providing USCIS with as much evidence as possible to prove your relationship is bonafide.
Note: When gathering proof of spending time together, it is helpful to focus on evidence that shows the length of the relationship, and also that shows that the relationship is public and that friends and family are aware and involved in the couple’s lives.
As previously mentioned, USCIS requires applicants to include as much evidence as possible of having met in person in the 2 years prior to filing a fiancé(e) visa application. Here are some examples of evidence that can demonstrate this:
Showing proof that the couple communicates frequently despite their physical distance is highly recommended. When possible, this evidence should include names and a timestamp showing when the communication occurred. Here are some examples of evidence that can serve as proof of frequent correspondence:
If available, adding proof of sharing finances can be great evidence to establish a bonafide relationship. However, it can be challenging to have proof of joint finances prior to marriage, and this is not directly required by USCIS. However, here are some examples of evidence that can serve as proof of joint finances:
Applicants are also welcome to add proof of their future wedding plans, such as receipts for wedding attire purchases, proof of looking for quotes related to wedding venues, photographers, rings, and/or other correspondence about the wedding, etc.
Affidavits of support from family and friends, showing their support for the relationship, can also make great relationship evidence. This article gives an in-depth explanation of what these letters should include, as well as provides several sample letters. The beneficiary and petitioner can also provide their own letters describing their relationship and their love.
Note: The article linked above has examples of letters for married couples and will need to be slightly adjusted for couples that are engaged but not yet married.
USCIS officers review every application and make decisions on a case-by-case basis. While there is no guarantee that someone will be accepted or denied, the following circumstances may cause an application to receive greater scrutiny from USCIS:
In situations where one or more of these conditions apply, applicants may consider including as much evidence as possible to help demonstrate the bonafide nature of the relationship and help offset any additional scrutiny.
Here are some tips and tricks that can help applicants with preparing relationship evidence to send to USCIS. These tips are not USCIS requirements but can make it easier to organize the evidence and for the USCIS officer to process the application!
In conclusion, it is important that US citizens hoping to apply for a Fiancé(e) visa provide a wide variety of relationship evidence that shows they are in a bona fide relationship. As previously discussed, applicants should be prepared to provide evidence of having met within the last 2 years prior to submitting the application to USCIS. Adding other types of evidence, such as the ones listed above, can also help strengthen the application and avoid Requests for Evidence (RFE) letters from USCIS. This evidence should be varied, and it should show an established relationship and intention to marry. Additionally, please note that this article is not a comprehensive list of all documentation needed when filing Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e). If you would like more in-depth and specific feedback from an attorney on the requirements for a fiancé(e) application, our premium fiancé(e) packages include up to three 30-minute consultations with an independent immigration attorney, plus a legal review of your application before you submit it to USCIS.
Hoping to apply for a Fiancé(e) visa? SimpleCitizen is here to help! You can sign up for one of our application packages here, and we will be happy to help guide you through your application. We’re happy you’re here!
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