Congratulations on your engagement!
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 fiance(é) to come to the US to get married and apply for legal permanent residency. For more information on fiancé(e) visas, click here.
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:
- Basic guidelines for adding relationship evidence, including evidence of having met in person in the last 2 years
- Potential red flags that might cause USCIS officers to treat an application with greater scrutiny
- Ideas for different types of relationship evidence that may be included
- Tips for compiling relationship evidence
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.
Basic Guidelines
Before detailing examples of relationship evidence people can submit with their financé(e) application, here are a few basic guidelines applicants can follow when they are collecting relationship evidence:
- USCIS expects a variety of evidence to prove the legitimacy of the relationship. Generally, a good benchmark is to provide around 50+ unique pieces of relationship evidence, including 6+ different types of evidence. For examples of relationship evidence, see below.
- All evidence must be in English, or a Certified English Translation must be provided. You can find out more about providing certified self-translations here.
- Non-photo evidence must include the names of both individuals in order to be considered by USCIS as evidence. For example, if you would like to add proof of money transfers, the screenshots should clearly show both the name of the receiver and the sender.
- It is important to add as much proof as possible that the couple has met in person in the last 2 years.
| IMPORTANT: USCIS requires that if a couple has not met within 2 years before applying for a fiance 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. |
Suggestions for Different Types of Relationship Evidence
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. |
1. Evidence of having met in person in the last 2 years
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:
- Photos from the couple’s engagement, getaways, family meals, holidays, etc. List the date and names of the people in the photographs.
- Message history showing the planning, anticipation, and/or excitement surrounding the visit (should ideally show dates and names)
- Flight itineraries and bookings from visiting each other
- Flight itineraries and lodging bookings from joint vacations or get-aways
- Photos from joint vacations or trips, especially trips abroad to visit relatives. List the date and names of the people in the photographs when possible.
- Tickets to events both the petitioner and beneficiary attended or plan to attend
- Social media posts with time stamps from the time spent together in person
- Engagement pictures and engagement ring pictures.
- A letter describing the details of your last in-person get-together
2. Proof of Frequent Correspondence
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:
- Message screenshots (Text, Messenger, WhatsApp, DM’s, etc.)
- Phone logs showing both names
- Email history between the couple
- Letters and cards between the couple
- Screenshots/photos from video calls between the couple
- Evidence that the spouses have met or communicated with each other’s parents and relatives, including photographs, letters, cards, emails, messages, etc.
- Records of social media posts and interactions, including screenshots of Facebook pages, Twitter posts, Instagram posts, etc.
3. Evidence of joint financial responsibilities
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:
- Receipts for engagement rings
- Bank statements for joint bank accounts, if any
- Venmo, CashApp, or wire transfer receipts between the couple that shows both names
- Receipts of joint purchases showing both names
- Receipts of gifts the couple bought for each other
- Documents showing joint memberships such as Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, etc.
| 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. |
4. Affidavits of support
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.
Warning Signs:
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:
- A large age disparity between the petitioner and the beneficiary.
- The inability of the petitioner and beneficiary to speak each other’s language.
- Vast differences in the cultural and ethnic backgrounds of the petitioner and the beneficiary.
- Family or friends are unaware of the relationship.
- The petitioner filed previous petitions on behalf of other intending immigrants, especially previous immigrant spouses.
- Lack of varied and extensive relationship evidence
- The couple has not met in person within the last 2 years before applying for a fiancé(e) visa.
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.
Preparing documentation for USCIS
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!
- Organize by Evidence Type: Applicants can divide their evidence into sections of photos, money transfers, gifts, receipts, tickets, etc. They can also consider including section breaks or header pages for each evidence type.
- Show Both Names: As much as possible, applicants should make sure that both couples’ names are on all non-photo documents, especially money transfers, travel itineraries, etc. USCIS has to clearly see that both people are connected to each piece of evidence. A good tip is to highlight both names on the documents so that USCIS can clearly identify them.
- Show Dates: When possible, applicants should try to include dates/timestamps on the evidence so that the adjudicating officer can see where the evidence is from.
- Add Captions to Photos: While adding captions to photos and other documents is not required, it can be helpful. For example, adding captions can help explain evidence that is less clear (such as a flight itinerary with only one person’s name on it because they were traveling to visit the other person).
Conclusion:
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! |