When you are a U.S. citizen but your fiancé lives in another country, you may wonder what it takes to bring your foreign-born fiancé to the United States to marry and live alongside you. You need to obtain a fiancé visa for your loved one to come to the United States to marry you, and there are certain eligibility terms you and your situation must adhere to if you wish to secure a visa for your fiancé.
According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, you may be able to get a visa for your fiancé who lives in another country if the following holds true.
Determining eligibility for the fiancé visa
You may be able to get a visa allowing your fiancé to enter the United States if you are a U.S. citizen, both are free to marry, and your relationship is bona fide, and agree to marry within 90 days of your fiancé’s entry to the United States. Also, with limited exceptions, you and your fiancé must have met in person at least once in the past two years.
Marrying within the required timeline
When your fiancé enters the United States on a fiancé visa, you must marry within a 90-day window. Once married, your fiancé will need to file a green card application. When the green card is approved, it will be approved on a conditional basis, meaning the green card will only be valid for two year. After two years, you and your fiancé will need to apply to have the conditions removed in order to receive a ten-year green card. Failing to marry within this 90-day timeframe will result in a denial of the green card application.
If your fiancé has children under 21, you may be able to petition for the children to receive K-2 nonimmigrant visas and become permanent residents too.