Applying for K1 Visa

[jengajess 0]

So my boyfriend (US Citizen) and I (UK Citizen) are just engaged and want to begin the K1 process. However, he is currently on a student visa and studying in the UK, and his degree won't finish until September 2015. In the time we have been in a relationship (3.5 years), we have had to spend considerable time apart (two 9 month stretches, plus some shorter ones).

I understand that the I-129F petition will need to be filed in the US, but my question is does anyone know if the petitioner need to be fully living in the US at that time??? My boyfriend will be returning to California for vacation from university in the UK in April 2015, and could file the I-129F but then would have return to complete his course in the UK until September. His parents could co-sponsor us, as obviously my boyfriend won't be working full-time in the US at the start of the petition, but his previous job in San Diego are likely to hire him back once he returns to there in September, and this job earns more than 125% of the poverty line. However, his parents would also be happy to post/forward any information sent to their address to us both in the UK (which is likely where we would be moving to if it all works out!)

The reason I'm asking is that we want to start the process asap, rather than waiting until his course is finished and he has to return to the USA and we have to spend potentially 8 months or more apart waiting for the whole thing to go through! It would be better if we only had to spend the last 3 months apart!

I have tried searching for this information online but nothing is coming up, any advice would be really appreciated!!

Jess