Fiancé (e) Visas (K1 & K2)

On this page


Overview

The fiancé(e) beneficiary K1
The fiancé(e) K-1 visa is for the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen. The K-1 visa permits the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) to travel to the United States and marry his or her U.S. citizen sponsor within 90 days of arrival. The foreign-citizen will then apply for adjustment of status to a lawful permanent resident (LPR) with the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Because a fiancé(e) visa permits the holder to immigrate to the United States and marry a U.S. citizen shortly after arrival in the United States, the fiancé(e) must meet some of the requirements of an immigrant visa.

The fiancé(e) derivative K2:
If a child of the fiancé(e) wishes to accompany the fiancé(e) to the United States, he/she needs to attend the same visa interview as the fiancé(e) and apply for a K-2 visa. He/she must follow all of the same procedures as the application for a K-1 visa, including paying a visa application processing fee, preparing for all required documents and attending a visa interview. Please note that the derivative child may be issued a K-2 visa within one year from the date of issuance of the K-1 visa to the parent. The derivative child of the fiancé(e) is not covered under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA). Therefore, if he/she turns 21, he/she is not eligible to immigrate to the United States and should not schedule an interview appointment.

The U.S. citizen sponsor must file Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e), with the USCIS.  Form I-129F cannot be filed at a U.S. Embassy, Consulate, or USCIS office abroad.  Further information is available on the USCIS website under Fiancé(e) Visas

After USCIS approves the petition, it is sent to the National Visa Center (NVC) for further processing. Then, the NVC will send it to the U.S. Embassy where your fiancé(e) will apply for a K-1 visa.

Note:

  1. The I-129F petition is valid for four months from the date of approval from USCIS. The validity of the I-129F petition will not affect your eligibility for a K1 visa because the validity is routinely extended by consular officers to ensure that applicants have sufficient time to complete the processing of their case.
  2. A child born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent may acquire U.S. citizenship at birth if certain statutory requirements are met. For further information, please visit the website the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia at: https://kh.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/child-family-matters/birth/

Receiving and following instructions from the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia

Fiancé(e) visa applicants can only interview for a K-1 visa at the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia. Once the U.S. Embassy receives the approved petition from NVC, the Immigrant Visa Unit will send a letter with specific instructions on preparing for the processing of your K-1 application. If you do not receive the instructions from the U.S Embassy within four weeks of the NVC notification about the transfer of your case to the embassy, you may email the consular section directly at IVPhnomPenh@state.gov

Complete the DS-160 online

Each applicant who is listed as an eligible traveling applicant needs to complete his/her own DS-160 application.  Please visit https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/ and follow the directions on the website.

Once submitted, a DS-160 application form cannot be updated or corrected.  To edit the information on the DS-160 application, please fill out a new form and re-submit it with the correct information. 

More information about the DS-160 can be found at: https://www.ustraveldocs.com/kh/kh-niv-ds160complete.asp.

Attention: Please note that your application may be terminated if you fail to pursue the application within one year from the date the initial Instruction Package was sent to you. 

Scheduling an appointment online

Please do NOT schedule your interview date until you have received an instruction letter from the U.S. Embassy. Below is the procedure to begin the process of scheduling an appointment online:

  1. Visit the website here, follow step-by-step instructions to create an account, and print a personalized deposit slip.
  2. Take the deposit slip to any branch of Cathay United Bank or VFS Global in Cambodia to pay the visa application fee. Visa fee payment instructions and options are available at: https://www.ustraveldocs.com/kh/kh-niv-paymentinfo.asp.
  3. Schedule an appointment for the visa interview online here or by phone through the Call Center at +85523962530 if you are in Cambodia. Or +17036657346 if you are in the United States.

Note:

  1.  Even though the Fiancé(e) K-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa, your application will be processed as an immigrant visa. Please be sure to select “Immigrant Visa” when scheduling your interview appointment online.
  2. You must enter a valid DS-160 confirmation number for your visa application. Your visa application will be processed based on this DS-160 confirmation number. Failure to provide a valid number may result in denial of your visa application and/or cancellation of your visa interview appointment. The information in your DS-160 application must be valid and accurate to the best of your knowledge. If you complete a new DS-160 application after scheduling an appointment online, please remember to log into your ustraveldocs account, update the new DS-160 barcode number on your appointment, and print out a new Appointment Confirmation Sheet. 
  3. If you have any inquiries or need assistance regarding creating an account, paying visa application fee and scheduling appointments online, you can go to https://www.ustraveldocs.com/kh or contact our Call Center at +85523962530 if you are in Cambodia. Or +17036657346 if you are in the United States.

Prepare for the Visa Interview

After you have scheduled an appointment online and have an Appointment Confirmation Sheet, please read this instruction package thoroughly and follow all the instructions to be well-prepared for your interview at the U.S. Embassy.  Please make sure you come to your interview with an Appointment Confirmation Sheet bearing the valid and most up-to-date DS-160 barcode number and other required documents as indicated in the instruction package. When you visit the Embassy’s designated panel physician for your visa medical examination, you must bring the Appointment Confirmation Sheet and the Instruction Letter (Packet 3) you received from the Embassy which includes the case number, passport, and the fee for your medical examination processing.

Attention: You should not make any final travel arrangements or purchase any plane tickets until you receive your passport containing a K-1 visa. There is no guarantee that a visa will be issued at the time of the interview.

Rescheduling or cancelling your interview appointment

If you are unable to attend your appointment, you can reschedule or cancel your appointment online. Please log in your account here.  On the home page, select “Reschedule Appointment” or “Cancel Appointment” on the left of the screen.

Please note that the fiancé(e) visa application processing fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.  However, the receipt is valid for one year from the date of payment or as per the Visa Fee Validity Extension guidance in effect as a result of the suspension of routine visa services. Applicants can use this receipt to reschedule their interview appointment while the receipt is valid, but must attend a visa interview within one year of the fee payment.  After one year, the fee payment will expire and applicants must pay the fee again. 

More information

For more information about K-1 visa, please visit the websites of the Department of State or the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia. If you have any further questions, you may email the consular section directly at IVPhnomPenh@state.gov.