Help! Fiance Visa!

[KoShimoLockhart 0]

Hello, My name is Ko. I am new here. I really need help for my future with my girlfriend, and I will like to ask some few questions. My girlfriend and I met on Facebook, we've been in a relationship for almost 4 years now. Last week, I went to Dhaka, Bangladesh for the first time to meet her. We went out on a date for the very first time and enjoyed every moments of it. I am a US Citizen. In a few years, I plan on filing a fiance visa for her so she can come here to marry me. However, I do not have enough knowledge about the Fiance visa. I do not want to make mistakes because she is really important to me and I really want to be with her. My plan is to file the Fiance visa for her, but I do not know what my girlfriend should be doing as I file the fiance visa. Should she be doing anything during the process or does she have to wait until USCIS approve. If the USCIS approved, what should my girlfriend be doing? Is she also going to get a notice and are they going to give her the next step for her to do? If everything goes well and when she arrives at America with her 90 days visa, after she and I get married at the court, does she have to go back to her country to apply for permanent residence (green card) or can she apply during the 90 days and live here with me and does not need to go back to her country? Will the 90 days be enough time to apply for the permanent residence? 

 

Thank you so much

[Roel 7,191]

All you gotta do is read the guides on K1 and AOS from K1. Check the Guide tab. It's the most step by step description I know. 

 

In short, once she arrives in K1 she actually cannot leave US without green card or Advance Parole in hand. If she does, she wont be allowed back (without going thought another long process). Applying for green card within US will take more than 90 days. Think more like a year or so. But once AOS is filled she is good to stay (but not work until she has work permit). Again. Read guides. This is DIY website so most of the basic research is on you. 

Edited May 31, 2019 by Roel

[KoShimoLockhart 0]

11 minutes ago, Roel said:

All you gotta do is read the guides on K1 and AOS from K1. Check the Guide tab. It's the most step by step description I know. 

 

In short, once she arrives in K1 she actually cannot leave US without green card or Advance Parole in hand. If she does, she wont be allowed back (without going thought another long process). Applying for green card within US will take more than 90 days. Think more like a year or so. But once AOS is filled she is good to stay (but not work until she has work permit). Again. Read guides. This is DIY website so most of the basic research is on you. 

Thank you so much. Should I just search up about K1 and AOS on google or is there reliable official website? So after she arrives with K1, she can not leave unless she file a AOS? Does AOS take long? I'm just scared that she might run out of time to do all the things she needs to do to be able to stay here permanently. 

[Pitaya 2,576]

Welcome to the forum.

Here are links to the VJ guides and flowchart the Roel was mentioning, additionally the official USCIS links. These should keep you occupied for awhile... Suggest that you become acquainted with them, then if you have further questions, ask.

https://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide/

https://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide/https://www.visajourney.com/content/k1flow/

https://www.uscis.gov/i-129f

 

Save these for the Adjustment of Status phase:

https://www.visajourney.com/content/k1k3aos/

https://www.visajourney.com/content/k1aos/

https://www.uscis.gov/i-485

 

Good luck on your immigration journey.

 

 

 

[milimelo 4,205]

Guides tab are on top of each page. Click on it. 

[Roel 7,191]

She won't run out of time. All you gotta do is get married and file AOS within 90 days. The while AOS will take about 8 to 12 months but she will be in legal status when its processing. 

 

She cannot leave when AOS is in process unless you wish it to be abandoned. She can only leave once she has green card or AP (again, guides).

 

Also be aware that 2 years after she gets her first green card, you will need to go through Removal of Conditions process so she can her permanent green card. 

[Limey 550]

12 hours ago, KoShimoLockhart said:

Hello, My name is Ko. I am new here. I really need help for my future with my girlfriend, and I will like to ask some few questions. My girlfriend and I met on Facebook, we've been in a relationship for almost 4 years now. Last week, I went to Dhaka, Bangladesh for the first time to meet her. We went out on a date for the very first time and enjoyed every moments of it. I am a US Citizen. In a few years, I plan on filing a fiance visa for her so she can come here to marry me. However, I do not have enough knowledge about the Fiance visa. I do not want to make mistakes because she is really important to me and I really want to be with her. My plan is to file the Fiance visa for her, but I do not know what my girlfriend should be doing as I file the fiance visa. Should she be doing anything during the process or does she have to wait until USCIS approve. If the USCIS approved, what should my girlfriend be doing? Is she also going to get a notice and are they going to give her the next step for her to do? If everything goes well and when she arrives at America with her 90 days visa, after she and I get married at the court, does she have to go back to her country to apply for permanent residence (green card) or can she apply during the 90 days and live here with me and does not need to go back to her country? Will the 90 days be enough time to apply for the permanent residence? 

 

Thank you so much

In addition to the other advice you've been given... in terms of what she should be doing after the visa application (and prior to it)

1) don't commit any criminal offenses (these complicate her immigration to the US, and may prevent it). If she has some already, will need to obtain court documents etc and hope they aren't serious enough to affect her immigration
2) have the vaccinations required for immigration, else obtain proof they have been given (MMR, etc)
3) don't go through any form of "engagement" ceremony before your wedding - k1 is a visa to come to the USA to get married - it can be rejected if they believe you've gone through any form of ceremony that resembles marriage, so best not to risk it (often in parts of the world like Bangladesh families might want to have a "local wedding" or "religious wedding" before she leaves. Don't do it.

And for both of you, think about the finances... you'll need money for the application, then AOS (ie application for first greencard), then ROC 2 years later (10 year green card)... these all cost money, will be USD3000 or so at least. Then consider that your fiancee won't be able to work in the US for a few months until AOS is complete so you'll have to be able to support her, and show sufficient earnings to immigration to convince them that you can support her.

These are a few common mistakes that complicate getting a visa, so its useful to have a heads up on these.

Edited May 31, 2019 by Limey

[little immigrant 800]

Also look into CR1. It's generally cheaper, spouse can work and travel right away. You can marry wherever and whenever you want

 

https://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide1/

 

Edited June 1, 2019 by little immigrant

[KoShimoLockhart 0]

8 hours ago, Limey said:

In addition to the other advice you've been given... in terms of what she should be doing after the visa application (and prior to it)

1) don't commit any criminal offenses (these complicate her immigration to the US, and may prevent it). If she has some already, will need to obtain court documents etc and hope they aren't serious enough to affect her immigration
2) have the vaccinations required for immigration, else obtain proof they have been given (MMR, etc)
3) don't go through any form of "engagement" ceremony before your wedding - k1 is a visa to come to the USA to get married - it can be rejected if they believe you've gone through any form of ceremony that resembles marriage, so best not to risk it (often in parts of the world like Bangladesh families might want to have a "local wedding" or "religious wedding" before she leaves. Don't do it.

And for both of you, think about the finances... you'll need money for the application, then AOS (ie application for first greencard), then ROC 2 years later (10 year green card)... these all cost money, will be USD3000 or so at least. Then consider that your fiancee won't be able to work in the US for a few months until AOS is complete so you'll have to be able to support her, and show sufficient earnings to immigration to convince them that you can support her.

These are a few common mistakes that complicate getting a visa, so its useful to have a heads up on these.

Thank you so much. This really helps and we were planning to do the religious wedding before she comes to the US but now that you've told me we shouldn't, we won't. Bringing her here is very important for me and her so we won't do the wedding. Again, Thank you. 

[KoShimoLockhart 0]

19 hours ago, Roel said:

She won't run out of time. All you gotta do is get married and file AOS within 90 days. The while AOS will take about 8 to 12 months but she will be in legal status when its processing. 

 

She cannot leave when AOS is in process unless you wish it to be abandoned. She can only leave once she has green card or AP (again, guides).

 

Also be aware that 2 years after she gets her first green card, you will need to go through Removal of Conditions process so she can her permanent green card. 

Thank you so much! 

[KoShimoLockhart 0]

20 hours ago, Pitaya (火龙果) said:

Welcome to the forum.

Here are links to the VJ guides and flowchart the Roel was mentioning, additionally the official USCIS links. These should keep you occupied for awhile... Suggest that you become acquainted with them, then if you have further questions, ask.

https://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide/

https://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide/https://www.visajourney.com/content/k1flow/

https://www.uscis.gov/i-129f

 

Save these for the Adjustment of Status phase:

https://www.visajourney.com/content/k1k3aos/

https://www.visajourney.com/content/k1aos/

https://www.uscis.gov/i-485

 

Good luck on your immigration journey.

 

 

 

Thank you so much! 

[KoShimoLockhart 0]

20 hours ago, Roel said:

All you gotta do is read the guides on K1 and AOS from K1. Check the Guide tab. It's the most step by step description I know. 

 

In short, once she arrives in K1 she actually cannot leave US without green card or Advance Parole in hand. If she does, she wont be allowed back (without going thought another long process). Applying for green card within US will take more than 90 days. Think more like a year or so. But once AOS is filled she is good to stay (but not work until she has work permit). Again. Read guides. This is DIY website so most of the basic research is on you. 

This helps a lot! Thank you!